Into the Belly of the Whale

Into the Belly of the Whale Chapter 2

Percy finished off the last of his third cup of coffee. Rather than giving him an energy boost as it was purported to do, it left him feeling not just tired, but jittery, as well. Not a fun combination. No.

He walked back over to his desk, and surveyed the pile of paperwork. He wasn't sure what to think--he preferred to not think at all. He found that the harder he thought, the harder his head pounded. It was a deep, resounding echo of pain that pulsated through his head and down his neck. He even felt it in his eyelids.

Percy had never had such a large pile of paperwork on his desk at a time. He always got things done as best and as quickly as he could. He is much more efficient than this. Yes, efficiency is Percy's strength. No matter how hard he worked today--which wasn't very hard considering his head felt like it might roll off his shoulders at any moment--the time would not pass quickly enough. Every time he checked the clock--sure that half an hour, at least, had passed--he would see that time was creeping even more slowly than he was.

Beyond his general malaise, another reason Percy could not accomplish all that he normally did was his frequent glimpses in his bag. He was looking for that pack of cigarettes. He wanted to make sure that it was all real--that he had really seen Oliver, that he had really sat all night with him and his friends, and that he had really been there. He would touch the pack of cigarettes and remember all that passed last night. Every time Percy thought about the previous night, he felt a jolt in his stomach--like a bolt of electricity shooting through his core.

It excited him to think about tonight, as well. He couldn't wait until he met Oliver, Eric and Asher at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner before they went to the new pub. Although he would never admit it to anyone--and to himself only did so partially--he was glad that they would be arriving at the club early. The earlier they got there, the earlier they would leave. Even though Percy did not have work the next morning, he was anxious for more rest.

More than anything, though, Percy was excited about seeing Oliver again. There was something that drew him to Oliver--something that almost intoxicated him. He never tired of thinking about all of Oliver's idiosyncrasies that he'd observed the night before. Percy wanted desperately to be as cool and relaxed as Oliver. Oliver was so self-assured and comfortable. One day, Percy would be cool like Oliver. Yes. It would just take time and practice.

Speaking of practicing, Percy would definitely have to practice that smoking thing again. Oliver looked so cool doing it...

Finally, and for the first time ever, Percy saw the clock reach 5:00pm and breathed a sigh of relief. Almost time! He started gathering his things hurriedly, trying to get them together as fast as he could. So anxious was he to get to the Leaky Cauldron that he almost walked out without noticing that his In-Box was still full.

When it finally caught his eye, he sat down abruptly. This was another new happening in his life. He wasn't quite sure how to respond. Never had he wanted to leave the office so much, but never had he left with anything in his In-Box before, either. It was quite the conundrum for him, and he sat for a moment contemplating.

Finally, he reached and grabbed all the papers in his box. He fished through them, taking out all the things that would only take a moment to complete. He hastily went through them--adding and subtracting figures without re-checking the math, signing off on memos he had barely read, and forwarding information to the person to whom he was almost positive it was supposed to go. After moving all the tasks he had completed to their new places, he looked again at his In-Box. Yes. Much Better. It looked much emptier now. Besides...those others few things would only take a moment to complete, and he could come in tomorrow to get them done. He didn't really feel up to it anyway.

He stood again and took a final look at his desk. Hmmm...

Percy walked quickly down the street--one left, two rights--to the Leaky Cauldron, silently cursing the lateness of the hour. What if they thought he wasn't coming and they left? What if they didn't go to the pub tonight, either ? Merlin! This was all his fault!

He all but ran through the door of the Leaky Cauldron in his haste to find Oliver and beg him humbly to not leave, and to please, please still go tonight. As he searched for the three of them at the tables, he ran into some of his co-workers from the ministry.

"Percy? Weasley? Percy Weasley? Is that really you?" one of them asked.

"Yeah--Yes, of course it's me," he responded impatiently while craning his neck around passers-by, still looking for Oliver.

"Weasley! I thought you were a vampire! I have never seen you in the daylight before!"

"Right. Well, no, I am not, indeed, a vampire."

"Ha! No--" but Percy's co-worker was cut off mid-sentence. At that moment, Percy had seen what he thought might be Oliver's elbow and Asher's knee from behind a pole. He quickly walked away from the other table without even saying goodbye, and immediately went over to the table where he thought Oliver and his friends were sitting. He left four bewildered and confused Ministry workers sitting at a table wondering where Percy "The Vampire" Weasley had disappeared to in such a hurry.

Relief flooded Percy's body as he looked down to find that the elbow and knee did, indeed, belong to Oliver and Asher.

"Perce! Good to see you again. I was worried that you weren't going to make it!" Oliver said jovially. He stubbed out another half-smoked cigarette and clapped Percy on his shoulder again. Percy supposed he would have to get used to this physical greeting that Oliver always did, but he didn't seem to mind it that much to begin with.

"Oh, no! I was worried that you weren't going to be here because I wasn't here. And then you weren't going tonight because you thought I wasn't going and then I wasn't going to go because you weren't going. And what if you had gone and then I hadn't been there either and you had thought that I had stood you up twice--"

"Percy! Percy! Calm down! It's fine. We are both here now!" Oliver laughed and motioned for him to sit in the chair nearest to him. Percy sat down and took a deep breath. He looked around and noticed that the three of them already had a round of drinks. Drinking? Already? Yes. Well, when in Rome...

"Have you lot ordered yet? I am starving for some Shepard's Pie! Delish!" Percy perused the menu excitedly. Yes, he really did like that Shepard's Pie. He looked up to ask Oliver what he had ordered, when the table of his co-workers caught his eye. It was the oddest sight Percy had seen in quite some time--and that was a lot coming from someone who had grown up with Fred and George. All four coworkers were leaning in order to be able to see around the column that had originally hidden Oliver, Eric and Asher from view. Two of his coworkers were standing, one was leaned back in his chair at a rather precarious angle, and the fourth was frightfully twisted in his chair to see better. They were whispering amongst each other, "Is that Percy with those Puddlemere Reserve players?!?", "No, it can't be!", "Maybe he's doing something with them for the Ministry--an inquiry?" At that moment, they all noticed Percy watching them curiously, and tried to return to their previous states--not so subtly--to hide the fact that they had been staring. Oliver turned to see what Percy had been watching.

"Eh, fans. I mean, I love them and all, but can't a man just have a firewhiskey in peace and be done with it for a night?"

"So, you are used to this, then?" Percy asked the three of them.

"You never really get used to it. You just learn how to ignore it," Asher answered.

At that moment, the waitress approached their table. The three players ordered another round while Percy ordered his first firewhiskey and his Shepard's Pie. After receiving his firewhiskey and while waiting for his food, Percy reached in his bag. He grabbed the packet of cigarettes. Yes, now would be the perfect time to practice this again. Here he was, dining with Puddlemere Reserve players and his coworkers were only a few tables over, watching his every move. Yes. They are jealous. Completely jealous. Wait until they see him smoking a cigarette lit by Oliver Wood, Reserve Keeper for Puddlemere!

Percy gently slid a single cigarette from the pack and gingerly placed it back in his bag. This was the only pack he had, and he needed to make sure that he had enough to last him the night--and enough in case any girls asked him for a cigarette again, as Oliver promised.

"Er--excuse me, Oliver? Would you mind?" Percy gestured to his cigarette, splitting his time between making eye-contact with Oliver and looking over at his coworkers to see if they were watching him. And they were. Oliver lit the cigarette, and the familiar bolt of electricity shot through Percy's core again. The deftness with which Oliver lit the cigarette and continued conversation with Eric intoxicated Percy, filling his head like a heavy perfume and clouding his vision.

Percy held the cigarette awkwardly and waited for a moment to join the conversation. Unfortunately, the conversation had once again drifted to professional Quidditch--of which Percy knew very little. He slid his chair back out of view from his coworkers. He did not want them to see him left out of the conversation. He thought longingly of his book. He wanted so much to pull it out and pick up where he had left off, but the vision of Oliver scolding him for reading at the pub played in his mind, and he decided against it. Percy attempted to look interested in the conversation--nodding when they nodded, laughing when they laughed--but was extremely grateful when their food finally arrived.

Everyone dug into their food heartily. They ate silently--or as silently as could be considered between Eric's grunts over his roasted chicken quarter. As the chewing slowed, the conversation returned, and Percy groaned inwardly as he foresaw another half-hour of sitting silently while the others talked. Percy had another cigarette to pass the time while he sat silently. He jerked his head up quickly, though, when the table suddenly became silent. Three attractive witches walked by their table, smiling coquettishly at the group of them. The guys all smiled back, feigning disinterest and machismo.

"Man! Would I ever like to--" But Eric's desires were cut short.

"Penny?" Percy called. He had risen from his seat to follow after her without so much as even removing his napkin from his lap, which had promptly fallen onto the floor. The witch after whom Percy had been calling turned around, and the biggest bolt of electricity yet coursed through his system. "Penny? Is that you?"

"Percy? What are you doing here? Is that--are you--do you smoke now?" She looked questioningly at his left hand, still holding the cigarette. Percy blushed scarlet.

"Oh, er...I..." He moved the cigarette behind his back. Yes. This is something he would have to quit. Not a good thing.

"I am surprised! I never would have thought!" Penny laughed and smiled misheviously. "I do, too. Isn't it fun!" Penny laughed again, and butterflies erupted in Percy's stomach. Yes, he would definitely be doing this for quite a while longer.

"Well...Penelope, what are you doing here? Where are you going? You aren't leaving?" Percy fired questions at here, desperate to know whether he would see her again.

"We just finished supper and we were thinking of going to that new pub--the Belly of the Whale? Have you been there? We hear it's quite good."

"Marvelous!" he responded before he could gather his thoughts.

"It would be even better if you were there tonight," Oliver said smoothly, joining their conversation. He looked from her to Percy expectantly.

"Oh, right! Oliver, you should remember Penny--Penelope. Penelope Clearwater, you should remember--or hear of still--Oliver Wood." Percy beamed, clearly proud to have been able to make the introduction. He was on fire inside--burning with excitement at having everyone in the Leaky Cauldron looking his way. There he was, standing with a beautiful girl and the reserve Keeper for Puddlemere. Yes. Going to the pub last night was a wonderful decision.

"Well," Penelope turned and giggled to her friends, "I do remember you from Hogwarts--on the Gryffindor house team then, though. Maybe we'll be by there later, then?"

"We'll look out for you," Oliver replied, taking and kissing the back of Penelope's hand. She giggled again, and walked off with her friends. Percy continued to beam while thinking about how it was he who introduced Penelope to the Oliver Wood. Again.

Eric and Asher joined Oliver and Percy, and the four of them decided to go. Yes. Percy was going to get to see his Penny again soon--at the new pub. This time, it was Asher who dropped more than the owed amount on the table. He had paid for all of their meals, and Percy started to thank him, but was hushed by Oliver.

"Don't worry about it, Perce. We, er, have more than enough, let's just say, from playing Quidditch. Ministry jobs can't pay that well, can they?" Oliver clapped Percy on the back as he laughed, and the four of them exited the Leaky Cauldron. "Where should we go, boys?"

"My place it too far, you know that," Eric responded.

"Mine, too," chimed in Asher. They were walking along the street, heading in the general direction of Percy's flat. Percy was slightly confused, as they had already decided to go to the Belly of the Whale. What's more, they had agreed to meet Penny there, and they couldn't be dodgy and back out of it now.

"Why...that is, why...the pub, I mean to say..." Percy stammered, thoroughly befuddled, looking from each face to the next.

"Perce! It's not even 8 o'clock yet. We can't go yet--there'll be no one there." Oliver explained.

"Oh, right..."

"We'll be going back to someone's flat now to, er, take care of some business before we head out to the pub." Oliver further explained to Percy. His tone suggested that he was losing patience with Percy's naivete.

"Right. Of course. I just...lost track of time, is all. Thought it was later, you know..." Percy attempted to bluff his way through. He quickly dived into his bag for another cigarette.