Memoirs of an Imperfect Prefect 4/?
A/N: This chapter contains minor character deaths.
Percy closed his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts. There had been so many things he’d done wrong. So many mistakes he wished he could take back. He took a deep breath, deciding it best to start at the very beginning.
“Fred’s wasn’t the first death I caused.” He began quietly.
“Perce you didn’t…”
Percy cut him off with a raised hand.
“You wanted to know my story, so please don’t interrupt.”
Oliver nodded reluctantly and Percy continued.
“I was five years old when I got my Uncles killed…..”
“But Mummy, why does Bill get to go outside and I can’t?”
“Because Percy, your brother is starting school and we need to take him to get his school things.”
“But I want to go too! Why can’t I come with you? I’m five now!”
“I know sweetie. You’re Mummy’s big boy, but you know it’s too dangerous out there.”
Percy just pouted and plopped down into a chair. He hated being stuck inside. He wanted to be able to go to play in the park like the kids in his picture books. He really wanted to go on the swings. They looked like so much fun.
“Now Percy, I know it’s hard”, Molly said, stroking Percy’s curly hair,” I’ll tell you what, if you’re a good boy for your Uncles, I’ll bake you a batch of chocolate chip cookies when I get home.”
“Really?” Percy asked, perking up a bit.
“Yes sweetie. Now give Mummy a kiss so she can go.”
Percy obediently kissed his Mother’s cheek then went up to his room to play while he waited for them to come home.
About an hour later, Percy had looked through all his books and was feeling rather bored so he went downstairs to see if his Uncles wanted to play with him. Unfortunately Uncle Fabian had his hands full with the twins. They were trying to climb the family clock again. So he went in search of his Uncle Gideon. He was also busy, feeding Ron. Percy swore that boy ate more than any other baby in the world. As a last resort he went to go look for his brother Charlie. Charlie never wanted to play with him, he’d always rather spend time with Bill, but Bill wasn’t here so he figured Charlie might want to play with him. He made his way up to Charlie’s room and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Charlie called from behind the door.
“It’s me, Percy.”
“Go away baby!”
“I’m not a baby!”
“Yes you are. You’re a big ‘ol cry baby mummy’s boy!”
“N…no I’m not! I’m not a Mummy’s boy!”
“Yes you are! Mummy’s boy! Mummy’s boy! Mummy’s boy!......” Charlie taunted.
Tears formed in Percy’s eyes and he hastily wiped them away. He balled his tiny hands into fists and stomped away. He’d show Charlie he wasn’t a baby or a mummy’s boy. He marched down into the kitchen. It was empty. Uncle Gideon had gone to put Ron down for his nap. Percy glanced into the sitting room and saw Uncle Fabian was still wrestling with the twins. He slipped out the back door and into the garden .He knew there was a park not far from the house. Bill had told him Mummy and Daddy used to take him there when he were little, before it became too dangerous to leave the house. He’d just go there, play for a little while then go back home. That would show Charlie that he wasn’t a little baby.
He walked for what felt like forever but was really only about ten minutes. He was just about to turn around and go back home when he caught sight of the park. He smiled and pushed his glasses up then ran straight for it. It never occurred to him to wonder why the park was completely empty on a sunny summer afternoon. He headed straight for the swings and climbed up onto the first one. His little feet dangled a few inches from the ground and he wiggled in the seat, trying to get the swing to move.
“Does the ickle baby need a push?” A voice asked behind Percy.
Percy squeaked in alarm and spun around so fast he fell off the swing. The woman who had spoken moved to stand over him. Percy pushed his glasses up and stared at her. She was young and pretty with long black hair and fair skin. She reached a hand down to help him up. Percy hesitated.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt the ickle baby.”
“GET AWAY FROM HIM!”
Both Percy and the woman turned to see Percy’s uncles running towards them.
“PERCY, GET AWAY FROM HER!” his uncle Gideon shouted.
Percy scrambled to get away as Fabian shot a stunning spell at the woman. Percy screamed and struggled as he felt hands grabbing him from behind.
“Shhh, it’s me, Uncle Gideon.”
Percy stopped struggling and let his Uncle pick him up. Gideon cradled him close and ran. Percy had started to cry and clung to his Uncle’s shirt. Gideon took him over to a group of large trees and set Percy down.
“Listen Perce, I have to go help your Uncle Fabian now. I need you to stay here and be very, very quiet. Don’t move from this spot.”
Percy nodded tearfully and his Uncle tapped him on the top of the head, casting a Disillusionment charm on him. Percy watched as he ran back to help his brother. Lots of men in black robes had joined the woman and were fighting his Uncles. There were so many of them. Percy choked back his sobs, trying to be quiet. He watched as a spell from the woman’s wand hit Gideon.
“GIDEON!” Fabian cried as his brother fell to the ground.
Percy’s eyes went wide as he watched as his Uncle began firing spells at everyone he could see as he fought his way to his brother. One by one the men in black robes fell around him. Percy bit back a scream as a spell hit Fabian and he too fell to the ground. Percy’s tiny body shook with silent sobs as he realized his Uncles wouldn’t be getting up again. He was sure they would find him next. Then more men apparated into the park. He recognized them as friends of his parents. The woman and the rest of the men saw they were outnumbered and apparated away. A man Percy knew as Frank went to check on his uncles. He saw him shake his head to one of the other men. Then Percy saw his father apparate in.
“NO!” he shouted as he saw Gideon and Fabian’s bodies.
“Arthur, I’m sorry. We were too late.” Frank said.
“Have you seen my son? Have you seen Percy?” Arthur asked frantically, gripping the front of Frank’s shirt.
“Percy? What in Merlin’s name was he doing out here?”
“He ran off. Gideon and Fabian went to look for him. Please, we have to find him.”
Frank nodded, as did the other men around them. They spread out and began searching the park. Percy wanted to run to his father but he’d promised his Uncle he wouldn’t move. He sat there crying softly as they called his name. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He closed his eyes and began rocking back and forth. He really wanted to go home, but he wouldn’t move. Gideon told him not to move. He wouldn’t break the rules again.
A few minutes later someone cried out that they saw something. Arthur ran where they’d pointed and found Percy still rocking quietly, the Disillusionment charm having worn off. He gathered Percy into his arms and held him close.
“Percy, oh Percy. Are you alright? Didn’t you hear us calling you?” he asked as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Uncle G…Gideon told me not to move.” Percy whispered against his father’s chest.
“I think he may be in shock Arthur.” One of the other men said.
“We’d better get him to St. Mungos” another one said.
“You take him Arthur. I’ll tell Molly.” Frank said.
Arthur nodded and stood with Percy still in his arms then apparated away.
Percy closed his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts. There had been so many things he’d done wrong. So many mistakes he wished he could take back. He took a deep breath, deciding it best to start at the very beginning.
“Fred’s wasn’t the first death I caused.” He began quietly.
“Perce you didn’t…”
Percy cut him off with a raised hand.
“You wanted to know my story, so please don’t interrupt.”
Oliver nodded reluctantly and Percy continued.
“I was five years old when I got my Uncles killed…..”
“But Mummy, why does Bill get to go outside and I can’t?”
“Because Percy, your brother is starting school and we need to take him to get his school things.”
“But I want to go too! Why can’t I come with you? I’m five now!”
“I know sweetie. You’re Mummy’s big boy, but you know it’s too dangerous out there.”
Percy just pouted and plopped down into a chair. He hated being stuck inside. He wanted to be able to go to play in the park like the kids in his picture books. He really wanted to go on the swings. They looked like so much fun.
“Now Percy, I know it’s hard”, Molly said, stroking Percy’s curly hair,” I’ll tell you what, if you’re a good boy for your Uncles, I’ll bake you a batch of chocolate chip cookies when I get home.”
“Really?” Percy asked, perking up a bit.
“Yes sweetie. Now give Mummy a kiss so she can go.”
Percy obediently kissed his Mother’s cheek then went up to his room to play while he waited for them to come home.
About an hour later, Percy had looked through all his books and was feeling rather bored so he went downstairs to see if his Uncles wanted to play with him. Unfortunately Uncle Fabian had his hands full with the twins. They were trying to climb the family clock again. So he went in search of his Uncle Gideon. He was also busy, feeding Ron. Percy swore that boy ate more than any other baby in the world. As a last resort he went to go look for his brother Charlie. Charlie never wanted to play with him, he’d always rather spend time with Bill, but Bill wasn’t here so he figured Charlie might want to play with him. He made his way up to Charlie’s room and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Charlie called from behind the door.
“It’s me, Percy.”
“Go away baby!”
“I’m not a baby!”
“Yes you are. You’re a big ‘ol cry baby mummy’s boy!”
“N…no I’m not! I’m not a Mummy’s boy!”
“Yes you are! Mummy’s boy! Mummy’s boy! Mummy’s boy!......” Charlie taunted.
Tears formed in Percy’s eyes and he hastily wiped them away. He balled his tiny hands into fists and stomped away. He’d show Charlie he wasn’t a baby or a mummy’s boy. He marched down into the kitchen. It was empty. Uncle Gideon had gone to put Ron down for his nap. Percy glanced into the sitting room and saw Uncle Fabian was still wrestling with the twins. He slipped out the back door and into the garden .He knew there was a park not far from the house. Bill had told him Mummy and Daddy used to take him there when he were little, before it became too dangerous to leave the house. He’d just go there, play for a little while then go back home. That would show Charlie that he wasn’t a little baby.
He walked for what felt like forever but was really only about ten minutes. He was just about to turn around and go back home when he caught sight of the park. He smiled and pushed his glasses up then ran straight for it. It never occurred to him to wonder why the park was completely empty on a sunny summer afternoon. He headed straight for the swings and climbed up onto the first one. His little feet dangled a few inches from the ground and he wiggled in the seat, trying to get the swing to move.
“Does the ickle baby need a push?” A voice asked behind Percy.
Percy squeaked in alarm and spun around so fast he fell off the swing. The woman who had spoken moved to stand over him. Percy pushed his glasses up and stared at her. She was young and pretty with long black hair and fair skin. She reached a hand down to help him up. Percy hesitated.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt the ickle baby.”
“GET AWAY FROM HIM!”
Both Percy and the woman turned to see Percy’s uncles running towards them.
“PERCY, GET AWAY FROM HER!” his uncle Gideon shouted.
Percy scrambled to get away as Fabian shot a stunning spell at the woman. Percy screamed and struggled as he felt hands grabbing him from behind.
“Shhh, it’s me, Uncle Gideon.”
Percy stopped struggling and let his Uncle pick him up. Gideon cradled him close and ran. Percy had started to cry and clung to his Uncle’s shirt. Gideon took him over to a group of large trees and set Percy down.
“Listen Perce, I have to go help your Uncle Fabian now. I need you to stay here and be very, very quiet. Don’t move from this spot.”
Percy nodded tearfully and his Uncle tapped him on the top of the head, casting a Disillusionment charm on him. Percy watched as he ran back to help his brother. Lots of men in black robes had joined the woman and were fighting his Uncles. There were so many of them. Percy choked back his sobs, trying to be quiet. He watched as a spell from the woman’s wand hit Gideon.
“GIDEON!” Fabian cried as his brother fell to the ground.
Percy’s eyes went wide as he watched as his Uncle began firing spells at everyone he could see as he fought his way to his brother. One by one the men in black robes fell around him. Percy bit back a scream as a spell hit Fabian and he too fell to the ground. Percy’s tiny body shook with silent sobs as he realized his Uncles wouldn’t be getting up again. He was sure they would find him next. Then more men apparated into the park. He recognized them as friends of his parents. The woman and the rest of the men saw they were outnumbered and apparated away. A man Percy knew as Frank went to check on his uncles. He saw him shake his head to one of the other men. Then Percy saw his father apparate in.
“NO!” he shouted as he saw Gideon and Fabian’s bodies.
“Arthur, I’m sorry. We were too late.” Frank said.
“Have you seen my son? Have you seen Percy?” Arthur asked frantically, gripping the front of Frank’s shirt.
“Percy? What in Merlin’s name was he doing out here?”
“He ran off. Gideon and Fabian went to look for him. Please, we have to find him.”
Frank nodded, as did the other men around them. They spread out and began searching the park. Percy wanted to run to his father but he’d promised his Uncle he wouldn’t move. He sat there crying softly as they called his name. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He closed his eyes and began rocking back and forth. He really wanted to go home, but he wouldn’t move. Gideon told him not to move. He wouldn’t break the rules again.
A few minutes later someone cried out that they saw something. Arthur ran where they’d pointed and found Percy still rocking quietly, the Disillusionment charm having worn off. He gathered Percy into his arms and held him close.
“Percy, oh Percy. Are you alright? Didn’t you hear us calling you?” he asked as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Uncle G…Gideon told me not to move.” Percy whispered against his father’s chest.
“I think he may be in shock Arthur.” One of the other men said.
“We’d better get him to St. Mungos” another one said.
“You take him Arthur. I’ll tell Molly.” Frank said.
Arthur nodded and stood with Percy still in his arms then apparated away.