Percy Jackson at Hogwarts

|Chapter 9|

Fred sat in the Dining Hall bubbling with excitement waiting for his beloved to appear on the stage. They called name after name closing in on the J's.

"Jackson, Percy." McGonagall called out.

Fred's eyes moved frantically as he waited for Percy to walk up to the stage except he never did.

"Jackson, Percy." McGonagall called out again.

Fred looked around again waiting for Percy to walk up to the stage.

"Has anyone seen Mr. Jackson?" McGonagall questioned.

A few quiet snickers erupted. Nothing ever good came from snickers especially in the magical world. The hall fell into silence as a scream echoed in the air. The sound made Fred's heart stop, he knew that scream. That was Percy. The group of friends took off running. Annabelle, Draco, Fred and George leading in front, desperately trying to find Percy.

"Oh my god." Annabelle dropped to her knees. There laid Percy. He was laying in a pool of his own blood, he was crying and writhing in pain. It didn't take a genius to know Percy was hardly alive. "Get Madam Pomfrey! Now! He's gonna die!"

George and Ron took off running towards the hospital wing. They burst through the double doors exclaiming, "Help!", "Bleeding!", "Behind the Castle!", and "Please, he's dying!". The trio stepped out of the doors and ran down a hallway where they were met with a sobbing Fred holding Percy's body running towards them.

They continued running back to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey began immediate work on the boy. The countercourse for both spells cast immediately. She handed Percy a bottle of water and waited for him to drink it. He drank it but knew better than to try and stand up. His bones were screaming in agony still and his cuts were still fresh. He wanted to be at dinner with his friends but he knew he couldn't go. At least not in this state.

In the dining hall, the mood of celebration had faltered slightly but nonetheless the feast continued. There were 7 new slytherins, 13 new Ravenclaws, 15 Hufflepuffs, and 16 new Gryffindors. Dumbledore clapped his hands and the food appeared on the table. Everyone dug in, continuing their conversations and introductions. Ron digging into his infamous chicken leg and Hermione looking at him while he ate like a slob. Ginny and Harry conversing with Oliver Wood about quidditch. Everyone is acting normal. Fred couldn't unsee the image of Percy laying mangled and bloody. He tried to eat but the image would flash in front of him. So instead, he gathered some food and brought it with him to the hospital wing. He walked through the doors and sat down on Percy's hospital bed.

"Hey Freddie." Percy greets groggily, seeming as though he might have been asleep but sensed Fred's presence.

"Hey Perce. How ya feelin?"

"Bruised." his voice soft with a light chuckle.

"Why aren't you at dinner with everyone? You were so excited about it."

"I said I was going to have your first Hogwarts feast with you and that doesn't change just because you're injured." He spoke excitedly pulling the food in front of them. There was an array of sausages, chicken, pastries, breads and anything that Fred could get within his grasps.

"You know you didn't have to do this. You could have enjoyed your dinner with your friends."

"I know. But what kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you suffer while I ate dinner?"

"The kind that still loves me but needs time to himself."

"I prefer not to but anyways eat."

Percy picked up a roundish sausage and started biting it. It was amazing but that wasn't what was on Percy's mind at the moment. Sometimes, he couldn't fathom why someone like Fred would pick him. Out of everyone in the world or let alone the country of England, he had chosen Percy. It didn't faze him in the sense of deep affection he felt for Fred but sometimes he felt unworthy.

Percy rested his head on Fred's shoulder and laid there. He knew deep down Fred chose him because he wanted to be with him despite his flaws. He knew but sometimes, he just got worried and needed something to remind him.

"I know that this isn't an ideal first dinner at your new school but I just wanted to say, Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Thank you, Freddie." Percy lifted his head and attempted to kiss Fred's cheek but Fred turned his head to connect their lips. The kiss was quiet and soft. Fred's lips were rougher but soft at the same time which was nice in contrast to Percy's smooth, firm lips. They pulled away and rested their foreheads together.

"You don't have to say it back or anything but I'm in love with you." Percy's voice was soft but sincere. It was a new feeling exploding in Fred's chest. It was warm and homey but brand new. He didn't know what it was but he was in love with the feeling of it. A feeling that only Percy could bring to him.

"I love you too, Perce."

Percy let out a breath of relief and relaxed against Fred's side. Fred moved the remains of the food into a semi-neat pile on the floor next to the hospital bed. Fred laid down on the and Percy nestled onto Fred's chest.

"Are you gonna spend the night or you going back to your tower?"

"I'm staying. The hospital wing can get lonely and dark alone. I've spent a night or two in here alone and it's not exactly fun."

"Thank you. I don't think I could handle the loneliness anyways."

"I know. It's okay. Sometimes company is the best remedy."

"I guess it can be." Percy's voice was slipping in and out as if he was falling asleep. Fred felt Percy's head hit his chest with a light thump. His breath even and his face relaxed. Soon, Percy's light snores were all that could be heard in the hospital wing.

Fred reached his hand down to run his fingers through Percy's hair. Percy's hair was thick and wave-like. It was tamer in some areas then it was in others but it was never knotty. Fred continued to play in Percy's hair, fading out the world around him. When Madam Pomfrey re-entered the hospital wing to check on Percy, she saw the two boys, one asleep. She knew she should've made Fred get up and make him go back to Gryffindor tower but she couldn't find it in her heart to make the boy leave. The twin she had come to know and love was finally doing something she had never witnessed. He was still and at peace. Something well known about the Weasley twins was that they never seemed to be tired in any shape or from. It's like they had unlimited energy. Yet here he was sitting in a hospital bed with who she assumed to be his boyfriend, playing with his hair content without a worry in the world. She smiled knowing the boy was in good hands and walked out the hospital wing.

Fred continued to play in Percy's hair and smile at the boy. There was nothing he wanted to do more than sit here with Percy in that moment. He sat there and played with his hair until he fell asleep as well.