7 More Days, Till Christmas
With 7 more days until Christmas, Percy is still sick. It’s gotten worse somehow, and he’s down with a fever. Hermes came by a few days ago to drop off a letter from Oliver Wood, and poor Percy couldn’t even write back to him since he was stuck in bed. The Pepperup Potion that Charlie made a few days ago worked its magic long enough for him to stop sneezing so violently, but he’s still coughing regardless.
“I hate this. . . ,” Percy groaned, who was in bed with a wet cloth on his forehead to cool his potentially rising temperature.
“At least you’re not that sick,” Penelope said, who was visiting them and going to be staying in Ginny’s room along with Luna and Hermione.
“Don’t jinx it, Penny,” Percy grumbled.
“Right, right, I won’t jinx it,” Penelope replied, removing the wet cloth, and checking Percy’s temperature, before wetting the cloth again and putting it back on.
“Damn it’s cold,” Percy grimaced, as the cold cloth made contact with his forehead once again.
“Deal with it, Perce,” Penelope said. “You’re too stubborn for your own good. The countless nights you have to patrol around Hogwarts is insufferable.”
“That does not apply to my sickness at all, Penny,” Percy said, before yawning.
“Are you feeling sleepy by any chance?” Penelope asked, noticing Percy’s yawn.
“How. . . never mind,” Percy replied, before getting into a more comfortable position, while hugging one of his stuffed animals that Oliver gave him as a birthday present when he was in his 4th year.
“I told you, you are stubborn,” Penelope replied, finishing writing a follow-up on why Percy isn’t responding to Oliver’s letters, and giving it to Hermes to deliver it, who left immediately after receiving it.
“Shut up,” Percy said, rolling his eyes, before looking over at Penelope who was at his desk. “What did you send to Oliver?”
“I just sent him a follow-up letter since it has almost been a week that you haven’t written back,” Penelope explained.
“Seems reasonable enough,” Percy replied before yawning again and closing his eyes. “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother me to wake up, unless Charlie comes in and gives me another Pepperup Potion.”
“You got it,” Penelope replied, relaxing a bit on Percy’s chair, pulling out a random book from Percy’s small shelf on his desk, while Percy slept. The title of the book she pulled out was called, Greek Mythology, The Trojan War.
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Hermes delivered the letter sent by Penelope to Oliver who was reading a Quidditch Magazine in the living room, with his mother and father there present watching TV. He looked up when he heard the sound of wings flapping and saw that Hermes came through the window and dropped the letter onto Oliver’s lap, and sat on a nearby owl perch in his parents flat.
“Thanks, Hermes,” Oliver said, removing the letter from his lap and holding it to see. Percy finally wrote back, which made him feel relieved. He had not heard from Percy in a long time so it was exciting to see what he was up to. Oliver opened up the seal on the letter and read to himself:
Dear Oliver,
I hope this letter finds you well. This is Penelope Clearwater’s handwriting if you couldn’t tell. Anyways, Percy is sick, unfortunately. His - I don’t know - 3-year winter sickness has come by to say “hello”. He is currently asleep, holding the stuffed animal bird you bought during his 15th birthday. (He named it Ari, interesting enough. I thought he never named his plushies. I also never knew that he’s that much of a softy when he’s sick).
Percy’s been sick for the past 7 days after me and Luna both arrived at the Burrow last week, he hasn’t spilled anything big like he did during his 3rd year that got Bill and Charlie both in trouble for defending him by beating up the bully making sure they don’t touch him again. Remember that? He’s only been sneezing and coughing, but his sneezing has been cured with a Pepperup Potion. He’s still coughing.
I read your last letter after Percy got sick, and lost motivation to actually write back so when I visited he asked me to write back for him. You must be worried sick about him huh? Just write back as soon as you get it. I will give you another follow-up before Christmas. And I hope to see you and Lee on Christmas Eve.
Lots of love,
Penelope Clearwater
Oliver reread the letter over and over again. He smiled at the part where Penelope mentioned that Percy named the stuffed bird he bought for Percy for his 15th birthday. Ari. . . not a terrible name, Oliver thought to himself. Wait, Lee? He’s coming over to the Burrow? Huh.
Oliver’s thoughts were interrupted as Mrs. Wood got up from her spot on the couch and made her way towards the kitchen. It was bound to be dinner soon, so she’d start cooking early while Oliver’s father kept binge-watching TV. Oliver went towards his room while Percy’s bird, Hermes, was left on the perch which was scratching itself.
He sat down in his chair once he entered his bedroom and took out some parchment paper and his pencil to write on. The best part about being a half-blood? You can use pencils like any other muggle child would. He began writing his letter to Penelope and Percy: Dear Penelope, I’m glad to hear that Percy is doing alright after he did not respond to my letter a week ago. By the time Hermes gets this message to you, I suppose it’ll be the next day. Does it matter? No, not really. I just needed to see how Percy was doing.
Tell Percy that I love him should I leave that in there? No. Anyway, things are going fine over here in Scotland. I’ll see you, Percy. . . and Lee on Christmas Eve.
Lots lot of love,
Oliver Wood.
After he wrote the message he gave it to Hermes to deliver, and watched the owl fly out of the living room window with the letter to the Burrow.
“Dinner’s ready, Olli!” Mrs. Wood called from the kitchen.