A Little Right by VicXntric

Fourth year student Oliver Wood practically leapt out of his bed with the shout "First Quidditch practice!" before rushing into the bathroom, leaving behind his two year-mates, one amused and one annoyed.

"Stupid git!" Aidan McKinnon grumbled from behind the hangings of his four-poster bed. "Like anyone else needs to be up at half-past six on a Saturday."

"He's just excited because he's first-string Keeper this year," Percy Weasley yawned, taking a much more tolerant view of the situation. "Actually he's their only Keeper this year and apparently Rindy is getting him ready to take over as Captain next year. He told me all about the team tryouts."

"Don't know how you put up with it," Aidan shook his head.

"Fair trade," Oliver emerged from the bathroom in his Quidditch robes. "I promised to listen next year when Percy gets made a Prefect."

Aidan, as usual, didn't bother acknowledging Oliver's comments and turned his back on the Keeper.

Before anything unpleasant could arise, Percy turned to Oliver. "Do tell the twins to be careful, will you?"

Oliver's eyebrows rose in disbelief.

"I don't think Mum is too happy about their being Beaters. Especially as they're only second year."

"Don't worry about those two Percy--they're practically human Bludgers." With those less-than-reassuring words, Oliver rushed off to practice.

Percy climbed out of his bed and walked over to his other roommate. "Aidan…"

"Don't start on me," Aidan warned, pulling his hangings shut.

"I just don't understand," Percy drew back the hangings again. "We all got along so well until…last Christmas, and then you started acting so different with Oliver. What happened? Did he do something wrong?"

"Ask him."

"I have," Percy replied, making Aidan's eyes widen. "But he doesn't know what the problem is, either. He said he'd apologize if he knew."

"Leave it alone, Percy," Aidan flung back the covers and got out of bed. "I don't want anything to do with him and if you're as smart as everyone says, you won't either."

Percy watched with a puzzled frown as Aidan strode into the bathroom and slammed shut the door, leaving Percy wondering about what could have brought this change about because, despite glaringly different interests, the three boys had got on remarkably well from their first night in the shared room.

Their priorities had been established quickly.

For Oliver, it was Quidditch. So determined--or obsessed--he ignored everyone who reminded him that first years never made the house team and tried out anyway, joking with Percy and Aidan that he'd be the youngest player in decades. He didn't make the team. He did make a big impression on the other players though. Big enough to be allowed to practice with them--in itself almost unheard of for a first year.

Percy just as quickly established himself and his priorities as an academic. He won Aidan and Oliver 15 sickles each because they had bet the girls in their year, Sarah Lark and Ursula Faulkner, that Snape would be awarding points to Gryffindor on Percy's behalf before the year was through. Having been told by older students that Gryffindors had the worst luck in Potions, the girls thought they were safe. Just before Easter break, though, it happened. Percy, working without a partner, was the only first-year from all four houses--it was such a small year that the four houses were usually together--to make a boil curing potion without having it explode or harden into rock. Snape grudgingly--very grudgingly--awarded Percy five points, looking slightly ill as he did so. The fact that Snape took off ten points when their potion exploded rather spectacularly didn't dampen Oliver or Aidan's spirits in the least. Slightly charred, they happily collected from the girls after class.

"You're placing bets on me?" Percy exclaimed, trying to project disapproval, but sounding a bit flattered. "That's--"

"Come on," Aidan slung an arm around each roommate. "Classes are over and the one thing you don't want to be late for is goofing off," he added, making them chuckle again.

That was definitely Aidan's priority--making people laugh, putting them at their ease and knowing just the right thing to say. He was easily the most popular of the three first year Gryffindors. Initially, this was simply due to the fact that he was such a handsome boy. Unlike Percy, whose blue eyes and fine features were hidden by heavy, barely-necessary glasses or Oliver, who had yet to grow into his square jaw and intense brown eyes, Aidan's dark hair and bright blue eyes immediately attracted people's attention. After he had their attention, Aidan made friends easily. He was extremely cheerful and hysterically witty, and people simply liked being around him. He soon had all the students in his year--even the Slytherins--clamouring for his attention and it wasn't long before the older years followed suit. More remarkably, sixth and seventh years often asked Aidan to join them in games and activities where his sense of humor was always welcome.

For the most part, Aidan liked everyone as much as they liked him and he treated nearly everyone the same, no matter their house, or whether pureblood or Muggle-born. When Aidan disliked someone, however, everyone around knew it and that person was often ignored as a result. Most of those who received Aidan's cold shoulder--and consequently nearly everyone else's--were Slytherin, along with the occasional Ravenclaw.

Percy suspected he knew what Aidan's dislike was based on. Many of the shunned had surnames Percy could recall his parents whispering during his father's quick visits to the safehouse, when they both thought he was sound asleep. Others though had no connection to You-Know-Who that Percy could see.

Despite Oliver's obsession with Quidditch, Percy's pursuit of top marks and Aidan's growing popularity, friendship between the boys flourished. They were close enough that when Percy's younger brothers entered Hogwarts in their third year, Oliver and Aidan were able to adjust to Percy's abrupt change in attitude, when he went from shy and eager-to-please to bossy and fussy. Both only children, his roommates merely shrugged their shoulders and assumed this was typical big brother behaviour. Eventually Percy began to relax somewhat again, although only away from the twins.

By November of their third year, the boys had made tentative, but hopeful, plans to go visiting back and forth during the summer holidays. Discussion revealed that Aidan's aunt and uncle--whom he lived with--had the largest house, so he was to ask for the first visit when he went home for the Christmas vacation. When everyone returned in January, Percy was promptly invited for a month-long visit and Oliver had simply ceased to exist. Hurt and bewildered, Oliver tried time and again to find out what had brought on this sudden change, but Aidan didn't seem to hear a word he said. He still spoke to Percy but would stop as soon as Oliver's name was brought up. By this time, Oliver's Quidditch talent was obvious, and he had the popularity that went with being on the House team, so he wasn't as completely outcast by Aidan's cold-shoulder as he might have been. Still, it made for an uncomfortable second-half, especially for Percy, who was trying to keep the peace between his two friends. Because as easy-going as Oliver was--about everything except Quidditch--after a month of insults, he was just as eager to go for Aidan as he normally was for Marcus Flint.

For Percy, the second half of third year was a blur of keeping Oliver and Aidan away from each other's throats while maintaining his friendship with both, keeping the twins from getting expelled in their first year and remaining at the top of his classes. All in all, he was relieved to board the Hogwarts Express home in June and he couldn't bring himself to accept Aidan's invitation when it didn't include Oliver.

Percy had hoped against hope that things would be back to normal by their fourth year. He met up with Oliver getting onto the Express and dragged him along when he spotted Aidan sitting alone in a compartment. Aidan greeted Percy cheerfully and as though he was the only person who had entered. Ten minutes of suffocating tension was enough for Oliver--he left and joined several other Quidditch players for the rest of the ride.

Percy's fourth year was promising to be even more difficult that his third. The twins seemed determined to pull off ten times as many pranks as they had last year; Ravenclaws were bearing down on him in classes, resolute that a Gryffindor would not show them up any longer; taunts from some Slytherins had gone a bit further and progressed to the occasional shove; Aidan was constantly pressuring him to treat Oliver as invisible and, worst of all, Oliver had uncharacteristically taken to baiting Aidan at every opportunity, acting as though he was part of the conversation even when Aidan made it pointedly clear he was not. Oliver, they soon discovered, was not an easy person to ignore.

Percy was still brooding over the situation when Aidan emerged from the bathroom. "Give it up, Percy."

Percy blinked, startled out of his reverie. "Give what up?"

"Trying to think of a way to fix this. You can't. Unless…"

Percy seized on that. "Unless what?"

"Come with me to see Dumbledore," Aidan said suddenly.

"What?"

"I was going to ask myself, but if there's two of us, he's more likely to say yes."

"Say yes to what?"

"Assigning us a separate room."

"What?"

"A room separate from Wood," Aidan clarified.

"There's no reason for him to do that," Percy was astonished at the mere suggestion. "We're the only boys in our year…why would he…"

"He doesn't like Wood either," Aidan countered. "If we both asked, he might."

"What do you mean Dumbledore doesn't like Oliver?" Percy frowned in confusion, "Why wouldn't he?"

"Trust me. He doesn't," Aidan said firmly. "Now come on…"

"You think that will fix things? By making me choose between you and Oliver?"

Aidan merely stared at him.

"Don't ask it, Aidan." Percy's blue eyes flashed behind his glasses. "I've always held that the person who gives the ultimatum is the one you shouldn't choose."

"Percy…"

"Tell me why! Give me one good reason I should turn on Oliver the way you have."

Aidan looked furious, but remained silent.

"I thought as much."

Percy knew he had to talk to Oliver--he'd had no idea Aidan was this serious in his dislike. He waited until Quidditch practice was well over and left the dormitory for the Gryffindor changing rooms. Luckily, he didn't have to wait outside for Oliver, who was heading up the hallway, his hair still wet from his shower. Unluckily, the twins were with him.

"Hey, Perce," Oliver greeted him cheerfully. "Going down to breakfast?"

"Oh…uh…no." Percy had forgotten about breakfast in his worry and was momentarily caught off guard. "To the library, actually. I was wondering if you could meet me there after breakfast."

"Come on, Perce!" George objected, "It's Saturday."

"Who does homework on Saturday?" Fred continued

"Besides you, that is," George chimed in again.

Percy scowled at them. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm asking either of you." He turned back to Oliver, who had a bemused expression on his face. "I…er…need your help…with Arithmancy."

"You need help with your homework?" Fred exclaimed in mock horror. "Great Merlin's Ghost! I'd best owl Mum right away!"

"Nevermind Mum, owl the Daily Prophet."

Percy was stoically ignoring the twins, so Oliver didn't so much as smirk when he answered--"Sure, Percy. I'll be there."

Percy nodded and continued down the hall, hesitating when he heard Oliver ask: "Aren't you having any breakfast?" and continuing when Fred laughed: "What? And ruin that girlish figure?"

Oliver managed to shake the Weasley twins after breakfast, but he didn't quite convince them that he didn't mind being in the library on a Saturday morning. That was probably because he did mind being in the library on a Saturday morning. The only reason he was here was that Percy obviously had something important to discuss. He was surprised the twins fell for such a blatant lie. Percy, needing help? In Arithmancy? Besides that, Oliver knew something the twins didn't--Percy never did his homework on Saturday morning.

Percy always finished his homework on Friday night.

Saturday and Sunday were for recopying and organizing notes, revamping essays, extra research and a million other things Oliver was certain he didn't want to know about.

Oliver found Percy at the far end of one of the long tables, almost in a corner, even though the library was practically deserted. "What's up, Perce?" he asked, taking a chair across from his friend.

"Umm…well, I thought I should speak to you about…well…"

"What?"

"Aidan," Percy said and his next words came in a rush. "Oliver, really, you've got to stop teasing him."

Oliver drew back, offended.

"Are you sure you can't think of anything last year…anything at all you might have said…"

Oliver's normally cheerful expression darkened. "You've been talking to Aidan about me? I thought you believed me when I told you--"

"I do believe you, but--"

"--I don't know why Aidan turned on me like that."

"--it's more serious now, Oliver. Aidan…Aidan wants me to go with him to Dumbledore to ask for a new room. Separate from you." When Oliver made no comment, Percy went on. "He was going to ask by himself, but he seems to think there's a better chance of Dumbledore agreeing if I ask, too."

"And what…what did you say?" Oliver suddenly became very interested in the designs he was tracing on the tabletop.

"I said 'no,' of course," Percy said impatiently. "I said before I wasn't going to choose one friend over the other."

"Sounds like you might have to, eventually," Oliver sighed.

"Are you sure you can't think of something…anything?"

"No!" Oliver growled in frustration.

"Ssshhh!" Percy cautioned. "It's just something Aidan said. That if I'm smart I won't have anything to do with you."

"Do you believe him?"

"No!" Percy replied in a fierce whisper.

"I can't think of…" Oliver ran both hands through his short hair. "Look, Perce," he was speaking to the tabletop again. "I think you're just going to have to decide between us." He stood up to go.

Percy leapt to his feet. "I don't want to have to choose between you two, and it really isn't fair of the both of you to make me! As if I haven't got enough to do with keeping Fred and George out of trouble and not letting my marks slip the tiniest bit because the Ravenclaws are breathing down my neck and the Slytherins--" he stopped abruptly and took a deep breath. "I know you didn't start it, Oliver, but if you could just…"

"All right, Perce," Oliver agreed, alarmed by Percy's outburst. "I'll give it one more shot, although I don't know how much good it will do."

"I won't ask you anymore," Percy promised.

"Was it your bright idea?"

Percy looked up from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4. "Umm…what?"

"Oliver's been pestering me to talk to him for the past few days and he just tried to corner me again." Aidan flopped angrily down on his bed. "I was just wondering why he was suddenly making the effort."

"Oh."

"You just don't get it, do you?" Aidan scowled. "Ask your Dad sometime, Perce. Ask him about the Woods."

Percy's jaw dropped. "Aidan, surely you can't mean…why--that's impossible…" Even as he spoke, Percy was searching his memory, going back to that dark time and his parents' whispered words. He couldn't recall the name 'Wood' spoken--for either side. He shook his head, "No, you must be mistaken. Gods, all this time wasted over a simple misunderstanding."

"I'm not mistaken!" Aidan hissed through gritted teeth. "There's no misunderstanding, Percy! You have no idea--" he broke off as the door to their dorm opened.

Oliver walked into the room and knew at once that the conversation he'd interrupted had been about him. Aidan's glare and Percy's guilty expression told him all he needed to know. "Just need to get my Runes textbook," he muttered, hurrying over to his trunk.

"Oliver…" Percy began, but Aidan cut him off.

"D'you really think he'd tell the truth?"

"D'you think he'd believe anything I said, anyway?" Oliver fired back.

Percy glanced from Oliver to Aidan and back. Both boys looked as though they were ready to pull out their wands and start throwing hexes at any moment. He sighed in exasperation, "Do you think you could both get out and let me finish studying in peace?"

His roommates blinked at him in surprise. Up until now, Percy had always tried to placate both of them whenever they clashed. Aidan left first, storming out as angrily as he had come in. Oliver, textbook in hand, hesitated next to Percy's bed. "Perce, if there's anything you want to ask me--I'll give you an honest answer."

Percy didn't look up from his book. "I already know everything I need to, Oliver. You're my friend--that's not going to change." He looked at Oliver over the tops of his glasses. "Unless you tell me you've killed someone."

"Only on the Quidditch pitch," Oliver assured him with a relieved grin.

The next month was an extremely uncomfortable one for both Percy and Oliver. Oliver, thinking he would take some of the pressure off Percy, began spending less time in the dorm room and more with the House team. Percy didn't particularly care for this arrangement, as it often left him thrown in with Aidan, and he began to notice things about Aidan that hadn't been apparent during their first three years.

Aidan's wit could turn cruel in an instant towards someone he didn't like. Aidan would brood in their dorm room for long periods of time, only turning on the smile and charm in "public." Aidan had no qualms are making a first-year Slytherin cry if she happened to have the wrong surname. Aidan wasn't a very nice person much of the time.

So when Aidan cornered him in the library a few days before a Hogsmeade weekend and asked to join him, Percy was relieved to be able to say he'd already made plans with Oliver.

"Well, d'you suppose I could join you two?" Aidan asked tentatively. Seeing Percy's eyes widen, he continued, "I mean, there's something I heard about that I really want to show you. Maybe…maybe you could check with Oliver?"

"Check with Oliver?" Percy repeated blankly, thinking he couldn't have heard correctly.

"To see if he'd mind if I came with you."

Percy stared at him, trying to guess what would be so important that it would override Aidan's intense dislike of the Keeper. Aidan's expression was slightly pleading and Percy began to hope against hope that perhaps he wanted to start rebuilding the friendship he had inexplicably abandoned. "I guess I could ask him…"

"He's up in the room," Aidan said helpfully.

"You want to go ask now, then?"

"Well, yeah, and then I'll tell you guys what I heard."

"All right then," Percy started gathering his books together, wanting to take advantage of Aidan's tolerant mood. "Let's go."

Oliver was stretched out on his bed, studying what looked like Quidditch diagrams, when they entered. It made Percy think regretfully back to the time when all three of them would study in their dorm room together, because it was quieter than the common room and more relaxed than the library. He felt the faintest flicker of hope that they would go back to that again.

"Oliver?" Percy said as they both stopped beside his bed.

Oliver looked up at them, and his expression clearly said that he expected bad news. "Yeah?" he asked in a carefully neutral voice.

"Aidan has something to ask you," Percy said and frowned at Aidan when it looked like he might object.

"Er…" Aidan was careful not to meet Oliver's eyes. "I was talking to Percy about Hogsmeade tomorrow and I was…well, I wanted to…that is, Perce said the two of you were going in and…well, I was hoping I could join you."

Oliver's eyes widened and he looked over at Percy in astonishment.

Percy, still not understanding what brought this on, could only shrug.

"I mean, I wanted to show Percy something, but he said he was going with you… and I thought you might like it, too, so…"

"What is it you want to show me?" Percy asked.

Aidan sat down on the edge of the bed, earning him another amazed look from Oliver. "It's something I overheard a couple of seventh-year Ravenclaws talking about," he said eagerly. "About the Shrieking Shack."

"The Shrieking Shack?" That was the last thing Percy was expecting to hear.

"They said there's a crack in one of the shielding charms. With a little work, someone could get in."

"Or out," Percy frowned.

Oliver, meanwhile, had abandoned his playbook and was sitting up. "Are you sure you heard right?"

"Positive," Aidan assured them. "A couple of days ago I was waiting in the Ravenclaw common room for Nathan and Taejon. Stu Quinlan and Madeline Iverwood were talking to Raphael Zared about it, trying to talk him into going because he's the top in DADA. They didn't know I was there."

Percy glanced at Oliver and was dismayed to see the keen interest on his face. "The most haunted house in Britain and they want to break in?" he said in the most disapproving tone he could manage. "So much for Ravenclaw wisdom."

"No one's heard a sound from the Shrieking Shack in practically ten years," Aidan pointed out.

"Aidan," Oliver spoke tentatively, still wary of being rebuffed. "I don't think the Ravenclaws are going to let three fourth-year Gryffindors tag along with them."

Aidan grinned conspiratorially at Oliver. "That's why I wanted to find you today. Raphael, Stu and Madeline and a couple of sixth years got in trouble with Filch and their Hogsmeade weekend was taken away."

"What did they do?" Percy asked.

"Some sort of experiment in the Prefect's bathroom."

Oliver shook his head in disbelief. "How do you know all this stuff?"

Impossibly, Aidan's grin widened, "I have my sources."

Oliver snorted and Percy's expression grew more censorious, "You can't seriously be suggesting that we try to get into the Shrieking Shack. Aidan, that's just--"

"I heard Madeline talking about the spell that would widened the crack in the shielding charm," Aidan continued as if Percy hadn't spoken.

"Would we be powerful enough to cast them?" Oliver asked.

"Percy might know enough about charms to do it. But I figure with three of us casting…"

"I'm not casting anything at the Shrieking Shack," Percy insisted. "By rights, the Ministry should be notified about this. It could be dangerous."

"Well, of course we'll notify the Ministry, Perce," Aidan flashed another grin at Oliver. "On Monday."

Oliver laughed. "He's got a point, though, Perce. There's been nothing at the Shrieking Shack since we came to Hogwarts. We would have heard about it."

"Just because nothing is active doesn't mean nothing is there." Percy sensed he was fighting a losing battle. "Do you really want to risk waking something up? Besides that, if we were caught, we would definitely be expelled and might even be charged by the Ministry."

"He's just grasping at straws now, isn't he?" Aidan looked at Oliver for support, his eyes alight the way they used to be when he and Oliver would try to talk Percy into something.

Oliver started to smile, but then his expression became questioning. He was obviously still uncertain about Aidan's sudden friendliness.

Aidan looked down with a small shrug, then met Oliver's eyes and gave him an apologetic grin.

It was enough for a beginning. Oliver's smile widened and Percy began to suspect that he had been checkmated. Still, he felt he had to make one last effort. "Oliver, if McGonagall got wind of this, she'd take you off the Quidditch team so fast--"

Oliver smirked, "Perce, according to you, if we get caught, Quidditch would be the least of my worries."

"We won't get caught," Aidan insisted. "The break is on a corner away from the street. No one would see us."

"They might see us going up to the Shrieking Shack," Percy protested weakly, knowing he was definitely grasping at straws now.

Aidan rolled his eyes. "All right, how about this? We'll go to the Three Broomsticks for a couple of butterbeers-my treat. If we sit by the window, we'll be able to watch and wait for a time when there's no one near the Shack. Okay?"

Percy's frown deepened. Faced with Aidan's expectant expression, Oliver's hopeful one and the chance to restore that old closeness, there was really only one thing he could say--"You'd better tell us the spells we're going to need so we can practice them."

That Saturday was bitterly cold with a whipping wind and dreary sky well-suited to the month of February. Many students didn't bother making the journey into Hogsmeade and those who did had no desire to trek up the slope to the Shrieking Shack.

"This is perfect!" Aidan's eyes were practically glittering with anticipation. "It's like we're meant to go into the Shack today."

Oliver grinned, but Percy didn't comment. He didn't want to voice his misgivings and risk ruining the camaraderie that had existed between the three of them since Thursday afternoon.

Aidan drained the last of his butterbeer. "Are we ready to go, then?"

Oliver finished off his glass and stood up when Aidan did, but Percy remained seated.

"Come on, Percy," Aidan dropped several sickles onto the table to pay for the drinks. "We're ready to go."

Percy didn't budge. "This...I think this is a really bad idea."

"That's why it's going to be fun," Aidan tugged on the redhead's arm.

Now that the time had come, Percy found that he simply could not go through with it. "If we're caught..."

"We won't be caught."

"...I might as well kiss Prefect good-bye."

Oliver looked up from fastening his cloak. "Merlin, Perce. I didn't even think of that."

"We won't be caught," Aidan insisted again. He was obviously struggling to maintain his cheerful demeanor.

Oliver looked from Percy to Aidan uncertainly. "Maybe..."

"Oh, come on!" Aidan nudged Oliver with his elbow, "You want to go, don't you?"

"Well, yes..." Oliver admitted, looking at Percy apologetically.

"The more I think about it, the worse the idea seems," Percy shook his head. "There's a reason for those wards, even if the Shack has been quiet for years. It was fun to think about going in, but actually doing seems like blatant stupidity."

Oliver, sensing Percy's ill-feeling, would have sat back down if Aidan hadn't grabbed his forearm in a viselike grip.

"Sir Nicholas said that even the Hogwarts spirits don't like going near it," Percy added. "Do you know how bad a place must be if even other ghosts avoid it?"

Aidan's expression was getting darker by the minute. "Fine. Stay here. We'll let you know how it went. Come on, Ollie."

Oliver was obviously torn. He was actually very curious about the Shack. What's more, here was a chance to further rekindle his friendship with Aidan, albeit at the expense of hurting the friendship he had with Percy. "I don't think we could do the spells without Percy..." he hedged.

"I'm not going to miss this chance," Aidan nearly snarled. "Come on," he practically dragged Oliver out of the Three Broomsticks without giving either of his dormmates the chance to say another word.

Percy watched them walk towards the Shrieking Shack with growing unease. After another moment's hesitation, he flung his cloak around his shoulders and hurried after them.

"Which corner did you say it was?" Oliver asked as he hurried to catch up with Aidan, who was running up the slope to the Shack.

"It's around the back," Aidan jerked his head towards the eastern side of the Shack. He stopped to allow Oliver to catch up and then let him walk past to go first.

Oliver pulled out his wand as he approached the northeast corner of the building. "Alright then, what did you say was the first spell we needed? Diff--"

"Expelliarmus." The spell wasn't spoken with much force, but the effect was immediate. Oliver's wand flew out of his hand.

Oliver's first fear was that they'd been caught, but as he looked at the three robed and hooded figures before him, he knew things were infinitely worse than that. They were wearing deep, shadowing hoods instead of bone-white masks, but after growing up in the midst of a war, Oliver knew Death Eaters when he saw them. "Aidan, go--" the warning died on his lips when he saw Aidan leaning casually against a damaged wall. "You...you..."

"There he is," Aidan's voice was cold. "Do what you want with him."

Oliver's insides turned to ice when realization struck.

"You idiot boy," one of the figures pointed a wand at Aidan, while the other two kept theirs trained on Oliver. "He's not the one we want."

"Where's the other one?" another demanded.

Aidan abandoned his nonchalant posture. "What do you mean? You said you wanted my roommate. That's him. That's Wood." The blue eyes narrowed and sent a deadly look in Oliver's direction, "Or Rosier. Or Travers. Whatever his real name is."

Oliver took a step towards Aidan despite the wands trained on him. "You...you bloody..." his hands clenched into fists as he tried to think of words to express his feeling of betrayal. "...you Mordred...you bloody traitor..."

"Don't talk to me about traitors!" Aidan spat. "Did you think changing your name would be enough to hide what you are? What did you think I would do when I found out you were a Travers?"

"Enough of your squabbling!" one of the Death Eaters hissed. "I want the other boy and I want him now."

Aidan pointed at Oliver, "But he's--"

"I know who he is, McKinnon. Really, I ought to kill you where you stand for such a mistake."

"You may do so anytime." Another Death Eater rounded the corner with one arm around Percy's neck and a wand pointed towards his temple. "Here's the one we want."

"No! This is wrong! He's a Weasley!" Aidan rushed towards the Death Eater holding Percy, but was halted when another buried a hand in his hair and yanked him back. He settled for pointing at Oliver, "That's the one you want. He's the Death Eater spawn!"

Percy's freckles stood out starkly as the color drained from his face. "Aidan...you did this?" his voice was barely more than a whisper.

"You idiot!" Oliver hissed at Aidan. "They can't touch me!"

"Arthur Weasley has quite a few sons to spare. One hopes this one means something to him. " The Death Eater holding Percy tightened his grip. "What do you say, boy? Will your father want you back badly enough to change his position on certain laws?"

Percy ignored his captor's taunts. "Aidan...why?"

"This is a mistake!" Ignoring the wands pointed at him and the grip on his hair, Aidan took a wild swing at Oliver. "It's him! Him! I did this so they would finish off that Rosier-Travers bastard!"

"Aidan, they're--these people were aligned with--" Percy couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. "How could you do this?"

"The deal was for them to--"

"Deal? Deal?!" It was taking all of Oliver's self-control not to go after Aidan. "With Death Eaters?"

The man holding Percy chuckled, sending a shiver down the redhead's spine. "Perhaps we should let those two simply finish one another off. No witnesses."

"Do you think I'd waste any magic on him?" Aidan's handsome features were contorted into something as frightening as any Death Eater's mask. "That scum that killed my parents and...Brenna and...and Corey...No! I won't dirty my hands on him!" He glared at the Death Eaters, "Why do you think I contacted you people? So you gits could finish off your own. You do it!"

The Death Eaters had seemed content to let the three boys quarrel among themselves, apparently entertained by their fighting, but Aidan's words banished any amusement. "This is for giving orders where you shouldn't, boy." One of the men took his wand off Oliver long enough to flick it towards Aidan. "Crucio."

Another Death Eater cast a silencing spell before Aidan's screams could erupt. Oliver and Percy watched in horror as Aidan dropped to the ground, his mouth stretched open in silent agony.

The Death Eater holding Percy chuckled again. "Crucio," he added in a cold voice.

"No!" Percy tried to struggle free from the tight grip that held him.

Oliver saw a third Death Eater raise his wand in Aidan's direction, and rushed blindly towards the man.

"Stupefy!" said a voice behind the Keeper, and Oliver fell to the ground. "Crucio," the wand moved back in Aidan's direction.

"Crucio," the final Death Eater added his spell.

Aidan had stopped writhing, all his muscles locked with the multiple agonies.

"Stop!" Percy sank his teeth into the arm around him.

"Weasley mongrel," the man hissed, shoving Percy off him and aiming his wand.

Percy barely heard the word before pain exploded from every nerve ending in his body. He had no idea if he was still standing or on the ground like Aidan. He had no idea how long the spell had been on him. All he knew was wave after wave of pain. His eyes, his skin, his teeth, his hair, all hurt, hurt, hurt...

Just as suddenly as it had come, the pain disappeared, leaving Percy desperate to stand up and escape, but to weak too do so.

"Lie still, my boy," came a familiar, kind voice. "We'll have you to Madame Pomfrey soon and she'll take care of you."

"H-Headm-mas--"

"Hush, Percy. Yes, it's Headmaster Dumbledore," the voice was low and soothing. "You're quite safe now."

"Ai-Aid..."

"Has been taken at once to St. Mungo's."

"Ol--"

"Oliver has been ennervated. He is fine," Dumbledore assured him. "Now you must be still, Percy."

That sounded like an excellent idea, but Percy needed one more answer first. "Y-you don't hate...Ol-Oliver, do you, s-sir?"

There were several moments of silence. "What put such a notion into your head, Percy?"

The puzzled note in the Headmaster's voice was answer enough. The darkness was still beckoning and Percy happily fell into its embrace.

When Percy awoke next, he was alone in the hospital wing. He had barely registered this fact before Madame Pomfrey bustled in, potion bottle in her hand.

"The charm I cast said you were awake," she informed him. She slipped an arm under his pillow to lift his head slightly. "Drink this."

"Wait." Percy backed away as best he could. "How's Aidan?" he coughed slightly then forced more questions past his sore throat. "And Oliver? What happened?"

"The Headmaster will be here to speak to you later, Mr. Weasley," Madame Pomfrey's tone indicated she wasn't about to put up with numerous questions. "Right now, you are to rest," she tipped the vial towards his lips again.

"But..."

"Mister Weasley."

The tone was uncannily like his mother's, and Percy decided that obedience would be the best course for the time being.

Consciousness tickled briefly at the edges of darkness, but Percy wasn't entirely certain he wanted to encourage it further by opening his eyes.

"He's waking up," he heard Madame Pomfrey say. "Tell the Headmaster he should be able to talk to the boy now."

That was all the incentive Percy needed. If the Headmaster was coming to see him, he wanted to be alert.

Moments later, Dumbledore entered wearing deep orange robes that were embroidered with lime green moons. Percy wondered briefly whether the Headmaster was actually color-blind before reminding himself sharply that Dumbledore was an important man taking time from a busy schedule and it didn't matter what he was wearing.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley. How are you feeling?"

Guilty. Horrified. Betrayed. Guilty, guilty, guilty. "Fine, sir."

"Mm."

Percy ventured one of the many questions he had. "When is it, sir? I--I mean, what day is it?"

"It is Tuesday evening. Madame Pomfrey deemed it best to keep you asleep while you healed from the curse. You were hit with more than one." Dumbledore conjured up a chair that looked much more comfortable than those kept for visitors. "We have several things to discuss, don't we?"

Percy felt his insides twist. The Headmaster was barely twinkling. "Yes, sir," he replied, biting back all the other questions he wanted to ask.

"We will discuss them now, and then they will not be spoken of again. Is that clear, Mr. Weasley?" Not a single twinkle.

Percy swallowed hard. "Yes, sir." Then in a rush--"Headmaster, I know what I did was cause for expulsion. I should have worked harder to talk Oliver and Aidan out of it. Oliver wouldn't have gone with Aidan if I hadn't agreed...they...they had been fighting and I thought..."

Dumbledore held up a hand to halt the boy's rambling. "There will be no expulsions, although Aidan will not be able to come back to Hogwarts for some time--if ever."

"Oh, Merlin..." Percy breathed. "Sir, I--"

"You will let me speak, Percy," Dumbledore said. "I will say everything that needs to be said and there will be no questions from you. Is that clear?"

Percy bit his lip before replying. "Yes, sir."

"Mr. Wood was not hurt in the least by the men who attacked you. I have spoken to him about the incident and he returned to classes on Monday. Mr. McKinnon is in St. Mungo's and will likely be there for the remainder of the year--providing he recovers at all. Unfortunately, the men disapparated before we could apprehend them. Those are the simple facts of the matter." Dumbledore looked at Percy over the tops of his half-moon glasses. "You and Mr. Wood are the only students who know of these facts, and that is the way it is to remain. Do you understand, Mr. Weasley?"

Percy nodded mutely.

"Your fellow students were informed that Mr. McKinnon took ill in Hogsmeade and you caught a serious chill when you were trying to help him. Mr. Wood was not with you."

"But...other students saw us in the Three Broomsticks together..." Percy pointed out hesitantly.

"And they also saw Mr. Wood returning to Hogwarts with them at the usual time."

"Oh."

"Mr. McKinnon had an existing condition that caused his illness."

"What condition?" Percy frowned.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"Oh. I see."

"I see no reason to alarm the entire school and the Ministry over what is possibly an isolated incident." Dumbledore rose and banished the chair. "Mr. McKinnon contacted these men out of a terribly, terribly misguided desire for vengeance. We should be thankful the situation was not worse."

"Yes, sir," Percy agreed, although he didn't think it could be much worse. "Sir, please, just one question?"

"I cannot promise an answer, Mr. Weasley."

"I understand. Do...do my parents know?"

"No."

"Who does know?"

"Yourself, your dormmates, your attackers and the people who came to your aid with me."

"Who..?"

"That is all, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said firmly but not unkindly. "Madame Pomfrey has said you will be able to return to Gryffindor Tower tomorrow and to classes on Thursday."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore studied him for several minutes more, then nodded. "Rest now, Mr. Weasley."

"Yes, sir."

When Dumbledore was gone, Percy sat up, wrapping his arms around his knees. He had not thought it possible, but Dumbledore's visit actually created more questions. He hoped that Oliver had been given more information. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't consider it outside the rules to discuss what happened with Oliver. After all, he was there. What's more, he was awake for more of it than I was, so he might know more about what's going on. Percy frowned as another thought occurred to him, Of course, even if he knows more, there's no guarantee he'll be willing to talk to me about it. For all I know he might never want to speak to me again. He hasn't been to visit me. Who can blame him? Merlin, I should have known there was something wrong with the way Aidan was acting.

Sweet Cliodne, I've lost two friends in one stupid, stupid move.

Madame Pomfrey kept Percy in the hospital wing until after lunch on Wednesday, thereby assuring that the common room would be empty when he returned. Not that Percy would have noticed or acknowledged anyone--he was so deep in thought that he found his way back to the Gryffindor Tower on pure instinct. His mind was awhirl with the same questions and fears that had been burning since he'd awakened. Dumbledore's visit had created more mysteries than it solved.

Percy almost felt as though questions and recriminations were chasing him back to his dorm.

Who saved them?

And, oh gods, why why why would Aidan do this?

The thoughts were still tumbling through his brain until he actually opened the door to his dorm. He stepped into a room that had been rearranged for two instead of three and everything seemed to shut down.

After several eternal seconds, Percy thought irrelevantly that this must be what Muggles felt like when they had to be obliviated. Dazedly, he made his way towards his bed and collapsed onto it. On leaving the hospital wing only a few minutes before, he was certain that the last thing he would want was more bed rest, but now oblivion seemed like an excellent idea. He only bothered to remove his glasses and kick his shoes off before curling up on his side and pulling the covers up to his ears.

Percy opened his bed curtains briefly and put his arm outside just enough to read his watch then ducked back in behind them. He'd been awake for an hour and there was still no sign of Oliver, although the abandoned Quidditch gear on the floor indicated the Keeper must have been there while Percy was asleep. There was a decided chill in the dorm room that the fire did nothing to dispel, and Percy suspected it actually had nothing to do with February. At least behind the curtains he didn't have to notice how much bigger and colder the room seemed.

Dinner would be over at any time, but Percy had no intention of going down. The thought of food was not appealing, and he no longer had to worry about Madame Pomfrey lecturing him for not finishing his plate.

The door opened, and for a split-second Percy was tempted to pretend to be asleep, but dismissed the action as cowardly. He had to face Oliver sometime. Taking a deep breath, he pulled back the bed hangings.

Oliver stopped dead. "Percy."

Percy blinked in surprise. Oliver looked...

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

He looked...

"Percy?"

"You look the same," Percy's voice was hoarse. He was immediately mortified by such a ridiculous statement, and struggled to find words to explain.

"You look the same too. Just a little pale--as though you've had a touch of illness." Oliver set the tray he'd been carrying on Percy's nightstand and answered as though Percy's statement had made perfect sense to him. "I'm glad, though. The room is different enough."

"Yes." He should have known Oliver would understand.

Oliver gestured towards the tray, "McGonagall said I could bring you back some dinner. Shepard's Pie."

"Thank you." Percy made no move towards the food.

Both boys stared at each other in awkward silence for several minutes, then Percy noticed Oliver taking a deep breath as if to speak and rushed to cut him off. "Oliver, I want to apologize for--"

"I'm so sorry about--" Oliver was saying at the same time. They both stopped. "What are you apologizing for, Percy?"

"For..." What was he apologizing for? "For..." Everything. "For letting Aidan come with us. For not insisting we report the Shrieking Shack--if I'd told him I was going to McGonagall or the Headmaster no matter what, none of this would have happened."

"He would have found another way." Oliver's shoulders were hunched, as though he was trying to curl in on himself while standing.

"What in the world are you sorry for?" Percy drew his knees up to his chest, leaving plenty of room for Oliver to sit if he wanted.

Oliver took advantage of the unspoken invitation with obvious relief. "For going along with Aidan. I knew he had found out about my parents--that is, I had figured out that was the only thing it could be. I thought he'd decided not to hold it against me. I should have told you about my mum and dad, Perce."

"Told me what, though? I'm still not clear what that was all about. Dumbledore wouldn't answer any of my questions. What's all this about Rosier and Travers?"

Oliver chewed his lip briefly. "I'll tell you on one condition."

Percy's eyebrows shot up. That certainly didn't sound like Oliver. "What condition?"

"That you eat while I tell you. Madame Pomfrey told me to make sure you ate."

Now that sounded exactly like Oliver. "Alright then." He took the still-warm plate from the tray and settled back against his headboard.

"What do you want to know?" Oliver asked.

Percy hesitated, and then decided to get the hard part over with first. "Are you a Rosier? Or a Travers?"

"Neither." Oliver said firmly. "I'm a Wood. My father was born Stephen Rosier and my mother Alexandra Travers, but they had changed their names before I was born. This is what Mum told me," He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "They fell in love when Dad was a seventh year Ravenclaw and Mum was a sixth year Slytherin. Dad was expected to become a Death Eater and Mum was expected to marry some foreign Death Eater to bring that family over to..." Oliver swallowed. "To You-Know-Who, but neither of them wanted anything to do with that. They ran away from school and planned to get married, but their families went after them."

"For that sort of disobedience..." Percy's eyes were wide.

Oliver nodded. "Mum would never tell me about that part, only that they managed to get away. This time they ran to Dumbledore."

Percy blinked slowly, recalling Aidan's words. "Dumbledore wouldn't help?"

Oliver frowned, "Of course Dumbledore helped."

"Oh." Percy still couldn't see where Aidan got the idea Dumbledore didn't like Oliver, and decided that it must have been wishful thinking on Aidan's part.

"You aren't eating," Oliver nodded towards Percy's plate. Once Percy had obediently taken a bite of Shepard's Pie, Oliver continued. "Dumbledore used some kind of ancient blood magic. It's not actually illegal, because not that many people know how to do it, but he might have got into trouble if anyone had found out." Oliver stopped, then continued very hesitantly. "Perce, you can't--this isn't exactly common knowledge. They...I mean, the Death Eaters...they found out they can't touch my family but they don't know why. You can't tell anyone what I'm telling you."

Percy stopped chewing and gave his friend such a withering look that Oliver nearly laughed.

"I suppose you knew that, then?" he asked unnecessarily. "Right. Well, Mum wouldn't tell me exactly what it is, but Dumbledore tied Mum and Dad to the land. As long there's a Wood inside the boundary ley lines, we're safe. It--Mum said it was an experiment for Dumbledore, but she won't tell me what she meant."

"Experiment?" Percy frowned.

"I guess Dumbledore wanted to find out how well the blood magic worked." Oliver fell backwards onto Percy's bed and clasped his hands behind his head. "Mum and Dad were just a test to see if it would work for something else. Dad said he doesn't really care why."

"As long as you're safe, I suppose it doesn't matter," Percy agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

Oliver shot him a shrewd look. "You'd want to know why."

Percy avoided answered by taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Well, I'm with Dad. When I think about what could have happened to them if Dumbledore hadn't helped..." Oliver gazed up at the canopy with a faraway expression. "We live just on the edge of some ancient woods. The Achnashellach Forest--although Mum says Muggles have an even longer name for it. They took the name 'Wood' when they married in honor of it." He returned to the present and glanced over at Percy. "It's not exactly a secret, but it's not common knowledge, either. I'm not sure how Aidan found out."

"His uncle works for the Ministry. Maybe from him."

"Maybe." Oliver swallowed hard, "I don't know why he thought I was a Travers. My dad was a Rosier."

"I remember Mum and Dad talking about the McKinnons when it happened. They were killed in their beds by Damien Travers."

"Oh." Oliver sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. "I suppose...technically...that would be my uncle."

"Oliver..."

"Of course, when I was little, Mum would take me through the woods and tell me they were our family."

Percy smiled faintly at the image. "What--what did they think about you being put in Gryffindor?"

Surprisingly, Oliver grinned outright. "Mum wasn't too pleased. She had heard their Quidditch team wasn't much to speak of since your brother left." He laughed outright at Percy's startled expression, "If you think I'm Quidditch-mad, you should meet my mum. She could have played professionally."

Percy wasn't sure he wanted to meet anyone Oliver considered 'Quidditch-mad.'

"You stopped eating again," Oliver pointed out.

Percy rolled his eyes and went back to his dinner.

"Aidan found out in our third year," Oliver's expression sobered again. "I wonder how long he'd been planning this." He shuddered, "To actually make a deal with--how would he even know how to contact them? Besides, I thought the Death Eaters stopped when Harry Potter finished You-Know-Who."

"His uncle is in the Department of Mysteries. Croaker, I think his name is. He would definitely know." Percy froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Merlin, what if he had something to do with this?"

Oliver shook his head. "Dumbledore would have looked into that."

"He didn't say anything to you?"

"Just that Aidan's uncle had taken him to St. Mungo's." Oliver propped himself up on his elbows. "The Headmaster hardly told me anything. He just made sure I had the cover story right and told me never to speak of it to anyone who hadn't been there."

"Who saved us?"

"Dumbledore. Along with two people I didn't recognize. Snape was there, though, and he dragged me away as soon as I'd been ennervated. Wouldn't tell me a thing except to keep quiet and go back to school with everyone else. Hardest bloody thing I ever had to do." Oliver slumped back down.

They sat in silence for several minutes, then Percy put his half-eaten dinner on the bedside table. "I suppose that explains most of what happened. I guess I can see what made Aidan--" Percy broke off when Oliver sat straight up.

"Please don't tell me you can understand why Aidan did what he did."

"I'm not saying it was right, Oliver. I'm just saying it's better to know what he was thinking."

Oliver looked as though he didn't know whether to be exasperated, amused or horrified. "Would you always rather know than not know, Perce?"

"Of course," Percy seemed startled that Oliver would even ask. "Everyone would."

"I wouldn't," Oliver sat up, keeping his level gaze fixed on Percy's face. "I'd rather not know how someone could hate that much."

Percy opened his mouth to reply, but then realized he had no rebuttal. Bewildered, he fell back on his tried and true sayings. "Knowledge is always preferable to ignorance," he said in his best I'm-the-top-student voice.

After four years, that voice no longer stopped Oliver. "Do you want to know, Perce? Do you? What is the good of knowing something like that?" Oliver got louder with each question. "What good can come of knowing how someone can hate so much that they become even worse than the people they hate? What good, Percy?"

Percy pressed himself against his headboard slightly, wondering where this explosion had come from. Oliver rarely yelled off the Quidditch pitch and he had certainly never yelled at Percy. "Aidan wasn't worse than--"

"You were nearly killed because of him!" Oliver leaned forward and grabbed Percy by the shoulders. "You were nearly killed because Aidan was cowardly and sneaky and everything he accuses Slytherins of being."

Percy shook his head weakly.

"He was too cowardly to go face to face with me. Instead he made a deal with the people who killed his parents!" Oliver released his friend, looking as though he was about to be sick. "He made a deal with the people who killed his parents. Could you ever--? Could you even imagine?"

Percy felt his own stomach bottom out at the thought. "No," he whispered, wrapping his arms around his middle.

Oliver tamped down his fury as the blood drained from Percy's face. "I'm sorry, Perce," he sighed. "He used you to get to me and you could have died because of it. That makes him just as bad as they are."

"But--"

"I don't care what happened to him before. A lot of people lost family in the war. They didn't make deals with Death Eaters."

"Stop saying that."

"Why? That's exactly what he did. He went looking for them."

"You don't know that," Percy insisted weakly.

"Percy, the Death Eaters went into hiding after The Boy Who Lived put paid to You-Know-Who. They certainly didn't go to Aidan. He went to them. You know it."

"But it doesn't make any sense that way. If I can explain why...why he did this..."

The last of Oliver's anger left him as he looked at the lost expression on Percy's face. "Percy, you can't make this make sense," he said gently. "I know you like everything to make sense, but it can't be done here."

Percy ran shaking hands through his hair, then rested his forehead on their heels.

Oliver scooted up the bed until he was sitting next to Percy and slid an arm around the minutely shaking shoulders. "We know everything we have to know."

The red head shot up as Percy flashed Oliver a look of disbelief.

"You're safe. I'm safe. The Death Eaters had to run. Aidan's--alive. Dumbledore will make sure that whatever they wanted with your father is taken care of," Oliver gave Percy a small, reassuring shake. "You know he will. So everything important, we know." He watched carefully as Percy digested this. "Right?"

"I suppose," Percy agreed, although with some reluctance.

"Right?" Oliver repeated patiently.

"Right." Percy actually rolled his eyes at the Keeper's insistence.

Oliver decided that would have to do for now.

By unspoken agreement, Oliver and Percy didn't discuss Aidan again. It was much more difficult to avoid the subject outside of their dorm, however, especially for Percy. The students all wanted to know exactly what had happened to Aidan and word had gotten around that Percy had been with him. It took every bit of priggish formality Percy had to finally put people off with just the statement that Aidan had succumbed to a previous illness. Percy remained in "Unbearably-Perfect-Student" mode and Oliver dedicated himself even more fully to Quidditch, surprising many teammates who hadn't thought that possible. After about a month, the questions about Aidan finally stopped as Hogwarts' students found other things to occupy their thoughts.

One Saturday in late April, Oliver returned to the dorm after dinner and found Percy sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed. "Haven't you been down to dinner yet, Perce?"

Percy didn't look up. He merely lifted his hand so Oliver could see the sealed parchment he was holding. "Addressed to both of us," Percy muttered. "The Headmaster's handwriting."

"Why wouldn't he tell us in person?" Oliver hesitantly made his way across the room and sit beside his friend, afraid that he already knew the answer to that.

"Open it," Percy thrust the parchment at him.

Although his first instinct was to shove the folded paper back, Oliver managed tamp down the urge. He was pleased to see that his hands were steady as he took it. "We could be wrong," he said with forced cheerfulness. "Maybe the Headmaster is with Aidan at St. Mungo's right now and that's why he wrote." Oliver winced at the silence that greeted this statement before breaking the seal and unfolding the paper.

Messrs. Weasley & Wood,

PS This letter will incinerate immediately after you both have read it.

Oliver barely had time to finish that sentence before the parchment flared-up and then vanished. He stared at his hands for several long minutes as he tried to remember how to get words past the sudden clog in his throat. "This is...I was..." he swallowed and tried again. "I was planning...I won't get the chance to yell at him..." He felt Percy give a slight start, and when no words came from the other boy, he continued. "I planned all these things I was going to say when I saw him again. I mean, I knew...I knew we'd never be friends again, but--"

"...but you didn't think he'd be gone..." Percy finished for him.

"Sometimes I thought that maybe he would come around...someday," Oliver blinked back tears, because he knew that even if Aidan had lived, that was an impossible hope.

Percy shifted away from Oliver slightly.

In a choked voice, Oliver tried to explain. "I was so mad at him, Perce. I wanted him punished. Not...not..."

"I know, Oliver," Percy's voice was barely audible as he drew further away.

Trying to breathe around the painful tightness in his chest, Oliver risked a look at Percy. What little colour the redhead usually possessed was gone and although there was no trace of tears, Percy was shaking from head to toe. Oliver felt the tiniest flicker of relief when he realized that Percy hadn't pulled away from him out of anger, but so that Oliver wouldn't feel his trembling. The flicker was soon replaced by concern as Percy's shudders increased until the slender form was quivering violently. "Perce..." Without a second thought, Oliver wrapped both arms around the slimmer body and pulled Percy tight against him.

Percy turned blindly and buried his face on Oliver's shoulder, but couldn't seem to stop his trembling. If anything it was getting worse.

Oliver felt tears tracking down his own cheeks and nearly told Percy to just cry. It had to be better than this horrible shaking. "Perce...Percy, please..." He felt sobs trying to escape his own throat and buried his face in the thick red hair as he tried to get a hold of himself.

It was long time before Oliver felt he'd be able to move without being overtaken by tears, and he was frightened to feel that Percy's shivering had barely decreased.

At a loss, Oliver tried to remember what his mother used to do when he used to have bad dreams, but instead of whispering "It's all right, it's all right," he kept murmuring--"I know, Percy. I know." Oliver rubbed his friend's back, smoothed the rumpled hair and at intervals pressed a soft kiss to his temple. The sky was beginning to darken before Percy's quaking had subsided to the occasional tremor.

"Sorry," Percy's voice was low and weak.

"Are you--" Oliver managed to stop himself before he asked if Percy was all right. "Do you feel a little better?"

Percy didn't actually nod, just dipped his head a bit lower. "I just...it was Aidan, but part of it was--I think it just hit me..." Several more shudders went through him. "The War isn't really over...and I had thought it was..."

"I know," Oliver kissed Percy's temple once more before realizing that it was no longer necessary. To cover any embarrassment either of them felt, he got up and helped Percy to his feet. "I suppose eating your anything is out of the question."

"Absolutely." Percy walked around to the side of his bed and collapsed onto it.

It was all Oliver could do not to wrap his arms around Percy again, but as he had no idea whether he wanted to give or receive comfort, he stayed where he was. As a distraction he looked at his watch. It was barely past nine, but he was exhausted and he imagined Percy felt even worse. "Maybe we should just get some sleep, then."

Percy nodded blankly and rose to change into his pajamas. His actions reminded Oliver of the Muggle wind-up toy the twins had swiped from their father's collection. He got changed as well and once they were both in their beds, Oliver whispered, "Nox." The room was not plunged into the complete darkness of night, but dusk's eerie gloom.

Oliver barely had time to wonder whether he would actually be able to sleep before he heard Percy call him. "What is it?"

"Do you think..." Percy stopped for several seconds before beginning again. "The room seems even bigger than before."

"Yes," Oliver agreed.

"Maybe....just for tonight..."

Oliver barely restrained himself from rushing over when he caught on to what Percy was asking. "Which? Shall I go over there?"

"Please."

Quickly padding across the floor, Oliver slipped under the covers Percy held up for him. Percy then turned and faced his edge of the bed, so Oliver did the same, moving so that their backs were pressed together.

When they woke the next morning in a close embrace, neither of them made any mention of it.

END

Revenge converts a little right into a great wrong. --German Proverb