Chapter Text
When Percy wakes up, he’s in the hospital wing.
He feels a little dizzy and unsure and the light hurts his eyes. Someone tuts and the lights dim. He turns his head to see Madame Pomfrey in her healer’s robes putting her wand away. She must have been the one to dim the lights.
He remembers, suddenly, why he’s here and he feels like throwing up. The medi-witch notices this and hands him a bucket. He vomits up his breakfast into it, heaving and coughing and choking. Percy spends a few moments dry- heaving into it once he’s got it all out of system, his mind wants to puke but his body’s run out of it. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
Madam Pomfrey takes the bucket from him, unflinching and professional.
“That’s all right dear, get it out.” She tells him. Then she gives him a cup of water, which he almost drops because he’s shaking so badly. She must help him take a sip and Percy feels like a little kid all over again. When he washes the taste of sick out of his mouth, she helps him slowly sit up, propping him up on pillows and adjusting them until he’s leaning back comfortably. He looks down, expecting to see dark red, congealed blood and wants to vomit again. He’s not through, he’s in entirely different clothes although he’s not sure whose. They look like pajamas. He wonders if someone helped him change or if they just transfigured the set.
Even his skin is clean- unblemished, untainted with all that red. His fingernails are clean, too. He’s glad. If he saw them dirtied with blood, he’d might start screaming. He clears his throat, and his voice feels raw.
“What time is it?”
“Just past three, dear.”
So, he’d been out for only a couple of hours. That was a relief-, he had heard the story of Oliver’s first Quidditch game and how he’d been knocked out for a week. He’d hate to miss that much school.
Percy almost laughed- he was an absolute nutter, thinking about missing class. He must be mad.
Madam Pomfrey uncorks a bottle.
“Professor Snape brought these up for you. Please drink them.” He eyes the bottle in her hand and the ones on the table next to her. He recognizes a few, a bottle of Pepper Up, a fever-reducing potion, but not the one in her hand. She catches his questioning glance.
“It’s something he brewed for you, special. To help calm you down, a bit.”
Percy felt anything but calm. He needs to calm down more than a bit.
“Fine.” He croaks out and realizes just how warm he feels. He frowns. Is he sick?
“You’ve got a bit of a chest cold, dear. Seems like you were ignoring it but after-,” she doesn’t say the words, “The stress of it probably made it worse. I believe it’s developed in pneumonia.”
Oh. Well, that explained the cough that he couldn’t get to go away. He hadn’t realized he’d been so unwell. She helps him drink the potion and feels his trembling subside minutely as it works. When he’s settled in, feeling fuzzy headed, she nods at him.
“You’ll be spending the night, of course. I’ve written your parents to inform them.”
Percy’s heart skips a beat. “What did you tell them?”
“That you’re in the infirmary for a chest cold. I went to school with your mother, she’d be down here in an instant causing a fuss if I told her anything else. I can’t have her running about ruining the peace.”
Percy smiles gratefully at her, feeling very woozy.
“That’ll be the brew, then. I believe your brothers are outside and some friends. Would you like to say hello before you sleep?”
He nodded, his pulse quickening. His brothers- what had they been told? And Oliver! What did he think?
She trots off to the door of the infirmary and opens it. Immediately, there’s a barrel of bodies coming through the door and crashing to the ground in a group. Madam Pomfrey puts her hands on her hips sternly and stares down. Percy can’t see who she’s talking to but given the way everyone crashed in here it’s probably one of the twins. They must have been leaning on the door.
She sighs and says something to the group. There’s some protesting, but she shuts it down immediately. Finally, she helps a few people up and they start walking toward Percy. He was right, it was his brothers. The twins walk up to him and stand on his right, and Ron on his left. Fred has a black eye. He notices Ginny isn’t there. He wonders where she is.
“What on earth happened to you?” he croaks. Fred grimaces.
“Oliver. I deserved it, though.”
“Yeah, you did.” George mutters. Fred socks him in the arm without any heat. “You alright, Percy?”
“Yeah. Maybe, I dunno.” He’s feeling very woozy now and his eyelids are getting very, very heavy. They don’t look alarmed, which means that Madam Pomfrey must have told them he was drugged up to his gills. “There was so much blood,” he utters, shutting his eyes for a moment. He may be sick again. “I thought it was mine at first.” He says quietly. When he opens his eyes again, his brothers have this look on their faces that Percy is too tired to figure out.
“Don’t tell mum.” He says and shuts his eyes again. He’s about to fall asleep. He feels Ron’s hand grab his and he gives it a squeeze.
“We won’t. Get some rest, Percy. We love you.”
“No, you don’t,” Percy says tiredly. He feels off-balence. “You guys don’t even like me.”
“What are you on about? Course we love you. You’re our brother.” Fred says a bit of horror in his tone. Percy wonders if he should shut up. Whatever Snape had brewed was making him loose lipped.
“You don’t like me. If we weren’t brothers we’d never talk. You don’t like me.”
He falls asleep.
When he wakes up again, there’s someone sitting next to him. He sees a bit of blonde hair and busts into tears.
“Percy!” Penelope says, alarmed. She gets up and hugs him. The lavender and blueberries are so comforting. She really is his best friend in the entire world. He sobs into her shoulder. She holds him for as long as he wants and when he’s finally calmed down, she offers him a tissue, which he takes. There’s water on the side table and he’s still shaking too bad to hold it properly, so she helps him.
When he’s finally coherent enough to speak, he asks her.
“What happened?”
She sighs and runs a hand through her normally perfect hair. She looks exhausted, her face lean and pinched.
“They’re not sure who did it,” she admits. “But they said it was probably someone from your house, since the Fat Lady said she hadn’t let anyone from any other one in besides Sue Li and she wouldn’t even know the sticking spell that was used. She’s just a second year.”
Percy feels objectively horrified. How could someone from his own house do that? She sees it on his face, too.
“I know. Awful stuff, really. Anyway, they messed up your room terribly, but McGonagall fixed it of course. They said you could have a new one if you’d like.”
Percy isn’t sure.
“They interrogated everyone in the common room, everyone. One-by-one. It was kind of scary. No one knows anything. Of if they do, they aren’t fessing up. Apparently, something like this caused enough stir that during dinner Dumbledore made a big speech about kindness and stuff. He sounded like a prat.”
Percy is very, very glad he was not at dinner. He wouldn’t be able to live with the embarrassment.
“Oh, and while they were waiting to see you Fred made some poorly timed joke and Oliver punched him in the face. Right in front of Snape! That’s why Oliver’s not here, he had to get to detention. I think he’s polishing trophies? Although Katie said that Snape didn’t seem very upset.”
That explains Fred’s black eye then.
“So, they know about me and Oliver?”
“I think the team has pieced it together, yeah. A punch to the face will do that to a person. I’ve already sworn them all to secrecy. I think we all know what would happen to Oliver’s career if anything ever come outs,” she winces. “Sorry.”
“Nah, that was kind of funny.” Percy assures her, giving her a weak grin. She perks up.
“What time is it?”
“Just past 8. I was doing my rounds and wanted to see you. I’m using my privilege wisely.” She says sagely with a nod. “But I think I need to leave soon. Would you like me to visit tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” he says “Please. The others can come if they want.”
“Great!” she pulls him in for a hug and he’s very tired again. She kisses his forehead and tucks him in like a professional. He feels like a little kid again, but he doesn’t mind. He shuts his eyes and he’s asleep before she makes it to the door.
Percy wakes up the next morning with a headache and crusty eyes. He rubs them, trying to get the gunk off. He feels sort of grimy and sick to his stomach. There’s water on the side table and he finds that he’s able to pick it up and drink on his own and feels an odd sense of pride, despite the still linger tremors. There’s also a basket on the table and some packages with his name on them. He puts the water down and trades it for a brightly wrapped present.
It’s a get-well gift from Cho of a crossword book and a pencil. The thought of her thinking of him makes his heart soar. She’s so thoughtful. He pokes through the basket. Cedric has given him so chocolate frogs. Katie sent some him sugar quills. Alicia has given him some fudge file and attached a small drawing of a stick figure that makes Percy smile. His mother also sends him a letter that goes from scolding him for getting sick and not taking care of himself and fussing over him. She’s also sent him some fudge. Angelina has given him a very nice card that his friends signed. Oliver has sent his own card as well. He’s reading it fondly when Madam Pomfrey walks up to him.
“You’re awake! How are you feeling?”
He shrugs. “Fine.”
“I know when you’re lying.”
“Not the best,” he admits sheepishly. He still feels like throwing up. She helps him change into new clothes; someone must have dropped off his pajamas which he appreciates. It’s nice to be in his own clothes, even if he’s not in his own bed. He blanches at the thought of his bed, and he gets so dizzy he almost falls over. Madam Pomfrey keeps a firm grip on him, which may be the only reason he doesn’t.
She makes an unhappy noise and gets him in bed again. She produces some more potions which Percy takes without reading the labels- he’s so desperate to not feel sick he doesn’t care at this point. Once she’s sure he’s taken all of them, she gives from some plain tea and dry toast. He doesn’t really want to eat it, though so he picks at the crust. He does finish the tea though. When he’s done, she eyes the still full plate warily but doesn’t push it. Percy is grateful.
He lays down, and the world finally stops spinning enough that he can shut his eyes and try to sleep, but he can’t. He’s too busy thinking about the blood-, all red and clotted and thick like spiced wine. He keeps thinking of those horrible words again.
Percy sits up so sharply and suddenly Madam Pomfrey jumps a bit, but she’s quick on her feet and a professional. She’s got the same bucket from before in front of him in time for Percy to coughs up his breakfast and the potions. Once again, she stays until she’s sure he’s done. They have a repeat of yesterday- he needs her help to drink and get settled. She gives him more potions which he must slowly sip since he’s not sure he can keep it down. He wonders why he’s so ill- he hadn’t felt nearly as bad yesterday. He looks out the window- it’s a gloomy, rainy October morning. Oliver would be at practice by now. He hopes he’s alright.
Percy tries to sleep but he can barely breathe through his stuffed nose, so he just lays there with his eyes shut instead. He hears someone come in and say something to Madam Pomfrey to which she replies quietly, and he can hear someone come in and sit down by him. He doesn’t have the energy to open his eyes. Someone takes his hand in their and holds it and it feels nice. They stay quiet the entire time. The hand is small. Percy hopes it’s Ginny. They sit with him for a while, silent, become getting up and leaving.
Finally, Percy falls asleep.
When he wakes up, it’s still raining, and Oliver is sitting next to him, holding one clammy, limp hand in his. Cedric is sitting next Oliver with a book. Percy clears his throat and they both look up at him. Oliver smiles gently.
“Hey Perce. How are you feeling?”
“Terrible,” he admits. “This has not been my week. Apparently, I’ve got pneumonia.”
Oliver looks alarmed. “Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?” Cedric is already standing. “I’ll fetch her. Should take about three minutes.” He checks his watch and winks. Percy knows his cheeks are bright red. Cedric leaves and pulls a white divider from the wall to over the boys from any eyes. The second he leaves Oliver is on him, cradling his head with his massive, calloused hands.
“Oh, Percy.” He says so deflatingly quiet. Oliver Wood has never been this quiet before, this still. Percy’s heart breaks a little.
“Oliver,” he starts, his voice thick with emotion. He feels something wet on his face and he realizes he’s crying. Oliver may be, too. Oliver gets into the bed with him and cradles him to chest and just holds him will Percy cries silent tears. He brushes Percy’s curls from his face and doesn’t say anything. Percy realizes that this is his favorite place in the world, in Oliver’s arms.
Someone coughs loudly and Oliver pulls away and he’s in his chair by the time Cedric moves the screen again. Madam Pomfrey gives him so more potions and he’s so sleepy and he apologizes but he’d like to take a nap now. Oliver huffs a laugh and tells him that it’s okay.
He wakes up in time for lunch, more tea and toast which he can’t finish and more potions. He’s been sleeping and waking up for the past 24 hours and he was still exhausted. He does stay awake long enough to get some visitors- Katie comes by with Alicia and Cho and it makes him feel better. The twins come, too and gift him with some disappearing ink. Fred apologizes to him. Percy lets him know that it’s okay and calls him a prat and then he beats them in chess. Ron comes by with Harry and Hermione. He wants to ask after Ginny, but he’s not sure how. Oliver comes back to eat dinner with him. He’s missing Penelope, but she’ll probably be by tonight.
He manages to rest some more and sleeps again after dinner. He wakes up to someone calling for him. He opens his eyes and sees that it’s Penelope. She’s very, very pale, and very, very scared. Percy doesn’t know the time, but it’s the middle of the night for sure.
“What?” he asks, very worried, eyes widening. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
She takes a deep, shaky breath.
“It’s insane, Percy. Just nuts. Everyone’s okay. I’ve been up all night trying to calm the first years down.”
“What is it?” he asks desperately.
“It happened by that abandoned corridor; you know the one by Nearly Headless Nick’s room?”
He nods.
“It was right after the Halloween feast,”
Percy had forgotten about that.
“We were all headed back upstairs and, on the corridor, someone wrote in blood, Percy. We think it’s the same person who did that to you. It said in blood; " "The chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware’ and Mrs. Norris was hanging from the ceiling by her tail. She’s been petrified. Flich is beside himself.”
He wants to ask her what the hell that meant, but he can’t seem to think anything at all. Penelope looks at his face and blanches.
“Percy, calm down!” she hisses urgently. “Please, calm down.”
He can’t. He wants to tell her that, but he can’t speak. He begins to tremble, sending little jolts though his body. He can’t breathe.
“sh*t!” Penelope curses. She’s never done that before. Percy is only sort of aware of her rushing to get help. He thinks he’s going to die, his heart is beating so fast. She rushes back with Madam Pomfrey.
There are cold hands on help sitting him up and he can’t stop trembling. Penelope is talking to him, low and steady and he smells lavender and blueberries which calms him down, only a little.
“What did you do?” Madam Pomfrey demands.
“I told him what happened with the cat and the wall. About the-the blood.”
“I told you not to!” she says unhappily, pursing her lips.
“He needed to know!”
“He could have been told later. Deep breaths, Mr. Weasley. That’s it, there you go.”
“I’m so sorry, Percy. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Percy’s breathing finally, finally slows enough for him to speak.
“It’s okay,” he manages to say. His head is killing him. Madam Pomfrey sighs.
“Nothing about this is okay.”
The buzzing in his ears dulls and he recovers enough that Madam Pomfrey can let go of him and get some more potions for him to drink. Penelope looks like she’s about to cry.
“Pen, it’s okay.”
She shakes her head with tears in her eyes. “No, it’s not. It could have waited until the morning. I was so worried.” She says a little breathlessly. He hugs her tightly. Madam Pomfrey comes back with a few bottles and waits until he drinks them. He feels a little better now, but he’s tired.
“I’ll come by tomorrow, Percy. Get some rest.” She squeezes her hand in his and he smiles, and she leaves. Madam Pomfrey helps him lay down, and frown on her face. He tries to not read into that too much.
When he wakes up the next morning, there’s breakfast waiting for him. More tea and toast. Percy eats a little more than he did yesterday. Oliver comes by after practice with a crossword puzzle for Percy, which he is thrilled out because he’s been bored out of his skull. He also brings a small bag of Percy’s belongings, including some homework and a few books. Oliver sits with him for a while. The Quidditch game is tomorrow.
“I’m sorry I won’t be there,” Percy says mournfully. Madam Pomfrey has already told him he’d be there until the end of the week. He had really wanted to see Oliver play the first game of the season.
“That’s okay,” Oliver says, and it really isn’t but they move on “I’ll win it for you. Or at the least keep their points in the single digits.” Percy sort of bustle at that; he really like the idea of Oliver thinking of him when he plays. Oliver like it, too.
He leaves to go to class and Percy spends the day dozing and doing the crossword and sketching a little bit in his sketchbook that’s almost full. Penelope visits him again and profusely apologizes and Percy must assure her that he’s already forgotten it (which isn’t true, but it’s what she needs to hear). He certainly doesn’t blame her.
Cho comes by with the twins and he watches them argue about Quidditch for about an hour. They get so rowdy; Madam Pomfrey kicks them out. He’s just finished his dinner (toast and a clear broth) when he sees a familiar red- head.
“Ginny!” he exclaims, delighted to see her.
“Hi Percy” she says somewhat shyly. She looks terrified, the poor thing. She walks up to him and sits down, her face pinched.
“Sorry I didn’t visit sooner. I was going to come yesterday after the feast but, well…”
“That’s alright. Are you okay?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. It was scary. Ron and Harry and Hermione were whisked away by the professors and questioned about it.”
Percy stares at her. He hadn’t known that.
“There’s no way they would have been able to do that.” He insists.
“Of course not,” Ginny sagely agrees. She seems so much older than 11. “But Flich was screaming about, making a big scene. I think the headmaster wanted to keep it quiet, but everyone knows about it now.”
It was dammed hard to keep a secret in this school, Percy knew.
They chat for a little while about nothing at all, mostly small talk. He asks her if she’s going to the game tomorrow, and she nods in agreement. He smiles. It’ll be good for her to get out of her room more.
“Can you pass me my bag? I want to see about getting some work done.”
She gets up to get his bag. The latch is opened from earlier through and it opens, spilling his textbooks to the floor. Ginny bends down to pick them up, her face red.
“Sorry!” she squeaks.
“It’s okay.” Percy tells her. She about to pick up the last book when her hand freezes above it. Percy looks down and sees it’s his black journal. She frowns at it.
“Haven’t I seen this before?”
Percy had completely forgotten about her journal that he had inadvertently stolen. He tells her about finding it between his things and apologizes and offers it back to her, but she doesn’t really seem all that interested. They agree that their mother had probably slipped it into her things and forgotten about it. It was an easy thing to forget. Ginny helps him finish his crossword and he goes about studying. At first, he was so ill he didn’t care, but now that he was feeling a little more level-headed he didn’t want to fall behind. She leaves and Percy drinks some more potion and goes to sleep for the night very early.
The next day, he wakes up to find the Quidditch team in the infirmary, standing around a bed. His first thought is that of Oliver, but he’s standing right in front. Percy counts heads and his eyes widen when he realizes.
“What happened to Harry?” he asks, his voice gritty. They all turn to look at him and Percy can see Harry sitting up in bed with his arm in a sling. He smiles at Percy.
“Hi Percy!” he says brightly. Percy is slightly alarmed.
“He’s fine,” Oliver says excitedly “We won! It was a brill move, Harry. He was this close-,”
“His arm, Oliver. What happened to his arm?”
“Oh, that. Bludger got him. He broke his arm, which would have been fine if Lockhart didn’t try to heal it. He vanished all the bones in his arm. He’s gotta regrow it.”
Percy winces in sympathy. Re-growing bones is a lengthy, painful process. He’s only need to mend his after the library incident. He can’t imagine how unpleasant it would be for the boy lad.
“He’s drugged up to his gills though, so he’s not in any pain. And we won! Told you we would.” He tells Percy, smiling. “I guess I did tell him to get the Snitch or die trying but I only sort of half-meant it.”
“No, he meant it.” Katie says.
“Yeah,” Angelina agrees. “He did.”
Oliver has the good grace to look embarrassed. Percy rolls his eyes. Cho was right. He was dating a fool.
Harry is out of it, so he sleeps all day. Oliver spends the entire afternoon sitting with Percy. Harry gets a lot of visitors too, including a red- faced Lockhart who gives him an apology and insists that he could have fixed the arm, but it had been hot outside. Percy thinks he’s an idiot.
Later, McGonagall visits him. She glances at the sleeping Harry and takes out her wand. She casts a silencing spell and moves the white divider in front of Percy’s bed. He gazes up at her curiously.
“How are you feeling, Mr. Weasley?”
“Much better, ma’am. Thank you.” He parrots back. She sits down next to him.
“You’re due to leave tomorrow. I’ve taken the liberty of getting your room sorted out. Would you like a different one? Or we could put you with some of the other boys.”
Percy thinks about it. He quite likes his room- mostly because it was his room. He’d hate to be rid of it.
“I’m alright where I am. I would like a new bed, though if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Done.” She agrees quickly. They stare at one another for a moment until she sighs, visibly sagging.
“I am terribly sorry that this happened to you. I would be remiss in my duties as your head teacher if I did not admit that this is partially my fault. I should have been keeping a better eye on things.”
Percy blinks at her.
“You’re not the one who filled a bag with blood and set it up on my door, Ma’am. How can this be your fault?”
She doesn’t believe him, he can tell. “I knew there may be some… backlash after….” She trails off and gets a faraway look in her eye. Percy sits politely until she looks back at him. “But I had never expected this level of violence. I need you to know that this is completely unacceptable. I and the other teachers will do everything in our power to make sure that you are safe and welcomed here at Hogwarts. And, any other children, as well.” She adds quickly. Percy feels an odd sense of relief at this and is genuinely touched.
“I do hope up you know that I have adjusted the magic in your room a bit. You and Oliver Wood will no longer be able to be alone in your room, though you are welcome to his at any time.”
Percy’s jaw drops open. She smirks so brilliantly; it could kill a devil.
“I do pay some attention, you know. Please get a good night’s rest.” She stands and undoes the silencing charm, but she does keep the white divider up. Percy watches her leave, staring all the while.
Oliver is never going to believe him.
Percy wakes up to some commotion, feeling dizzy. His sketchbook is on the floor and his feet are cold- he must have drifted off while drawing. The divider is still up, but the lights flick on so Percy knows that something is wrong. Percy picks up his sketchbook and places it on the bedside table. He gets up from bed and peeks out from behind the divider. Harry is still in bed. Percy can’t quite make out the figure, he hasn’t got his glasses on, but it looks like a smudge. He goes behind the divider to get his glasses on and then goes back to where he was before.
“Holy-,” he stammers.
Dumbledore, wearing a dressing gown and night cap, enters with Professor McGonagall, together carrying a stony figure. Percy would mistake the form for a statue if he hadn’t recognized his face. It’s Colin Creevy. He was in Percy’s group of first years. He has frozen with a camera in front of his face. He looks almost blue.
“What’s happened?” Percy asks. He really can’t deal with this level of stress anymore. He’s going to lose his mind.
They carry him to an open bed. Percy watches quietly as Madam Pomfrey rushes to check on the frozen figure, pulling a cardigan over her night clothes.
“What’s happened?” she asks, lowly and desperately, bending over the boy.
“Another attack,” Dumbledore says, “Minerva found him on the stairs.”
“We found a card and some grapes on him. We think he was sneaking up here to visit Potter.” McGonagall says. Harry’s form twitches. Percy watches as Harry, who must have been just pretending to sleep, sits up slightly to look. The poor kid; Percy knew he’d be blaming himself for this.
“Petrified?” Madam Pomfrey whispers.
“Yes,” McGongall says “I can’t even think- if Albus hadn’t been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate, who knows what might have-,”
The three adults stare down at Colin. Dumble leans forwards and wrenches the muggle camera out from the poor boy’s grip.
“You don’t think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?” The transfiguration professor asks. Dumbledore doesn’t answer, instead opening the back of the camera.
“Good gracious!” Madam Pomfrey exclaims as steam hisses out of the camera. “Melted. All melted!”
“What does this mean, Albus?” McGonagall asks, a twinge in her voice Percy has never heard before. She’s scared.
“It means that The Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again.”
Percy’s jaw drops at his tone. Hearing the fear in Dumbledore's voice, Percy feels blindsided. It’s such an ominous sentiment; even the world's greatest wizard, the Hogwarts headmaster, is scared.
“But Albus, surely who-,”
“The question is not ‘who’, the question is ‘how’?”
Percy wordlessly goes to sit on his bed, grateful for the divider. His head is spinning- a student has been petrified. Dumbledore’s words ring in his ears-
Again. Again. Again.
Someone has done this before.
He puts his head in his hands.
