Chapter 4
Bill needed to talk to Percy.
Percy hadn't talked to him in a long time, and Bill was worried about him.
They used to talk a lot. Bill would guess it was when Percy was about fourteen when that had stopped.
It was around then when Percy seemed to crawl in on himself, always making sure he was never the centre of attention and that when he did talk, he'd only respond with short sentences.
Never saying too much or revealing too much.
So Bill invited Percy to Hogsmeade, just the two of them. He expected them to just walk around a little bit, maybe stop at a café or a book shop for a while. He hoped Percy would actually talk this time, hoped that since it was just the two of them he might open up.
What Bill did not expect was for Percy to turn up half an hour late, incredibly out of breathe and looking like someone just jumped him.
"Jesus, dude are you okay?"
He gasped, "Yeah, ah, sorry for being late."
"Mate its cool but are you really okay?"
"Yup."
It took him a few seconds to start breathing normally.
"What happened Percy, you looked like you just got mugged?"
"I'm fine don't worry about it."
It was pretty hard to ignore it. Ever since he was small Percy had been all about presentation. Seeing him with his shirt rucked up and his hair a mess was definitely weird. He couldn't get it off his mind, what had happened?
"So how're you Bill?" Snapping him out of his thoughts.
"I'm all good, yeah. Fleur is lovely as ever and Louis is doing great."
"Oh yeah he's going into fourth year at the start of this term right?"
"Yeah, he's really loving it. Gonna try for the Quidditch team this year."
Percy smiled, "Like father like son then?"
"Haha yeah. He says the captain at the moments really good though, I think she's in like seventh year or something but Gryffindor's won like a load of matches."
"Really?", he smirked.
They kept talking for ages, just meandering around before finding a nice cosy café.
It took Bill a while to build up the courage to actually say it.
"Can I ask you something Percy?"
He paused, "Sure."
"Are you like okay? Like not just right now but just in general?"
Percy stared at him for a second, making Bill feel a need to explain himself.
"It's just whenever we're all together, you just don't talk anymore and I'm just worried your not in a good place or something. Like I'm worried about how you live alone and how you never talk about any friends and that you don't really seemed to have anyone close to you right now."
Percy kept staring at him, looking at him like he'd just ask him to kill a child.
"Do you really think I have no friends?"
"I mean do you?"
He snorted, "Yes. Of course I do."
"Well, I mean-"
Percy sighed, "I'm gonna go the loos yeah?"
Bill nodded.
He felt like he embarrassed himself. He was just trying to make sure his little brother was okay.
He slumped down in his chair before realising a phone was ringing.
It was sat on the table face down. Ringing loudly.
Bill felt bad about leaving it ringing so he picked it up for Percy. He expected he'd just have to say, sorry Percy's not here right now call back later.
He pressed accept.
"Hey listen I know you said not to call you or anything but I can't find Nat's meds and I am panicking"
Why on god's green earth is this child calling Percy?
"Umm I think you've probably got the wrong number-"
"Who the fuck are you and what're you doing with my Dad's phone?"
"I really sorry but I think you have the wrong number, this is my brother's phone."
"Shit, he's gonna kill me. Can you just give him the phone?"
Percy walked towards the table, Bill just placed the phone in his hand. He looked at Bill confused then back at the phone before picking it up.
"Hi, yeah it's okay."
The phone mumbled, "Top shelve second cupboard in the kitchen... Yep no problem... just make sure she takes them all yeah?... Cool, I'll be back in a bit eh?... Bye Jesse"
Now it was Bill's turn to stare.
"Who was that?"
Percy mumbled something into his hand.
"What?"
"Don't worry about it. Now what were you saying before?"
"No, Percy don't avoid the question. "Who was that and why did he call you dad?"