Fortsetzung

[m-chris-h.livejournal.com]

Team: Kobold

Challenge:Schreibaufgabe – JOKER/Fortsetzung (2023) (für mich)

Fandom: Harry Potter

Charaktere: Percy Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Ignatius Prewett, Lucretia Prewett, Harry Potter

Sprache: Englisch

Wörter: 1306

Fortsetzung zu A Small Family Matter und diesem Prompt

Percy loved his family, he did, but they could be a lot. It often felt like there was no moment of peace and quiet to be had at home, always the screams of his four younger siblings playing and fighting, always his mother yelling at the twins to behave, at Ron to include Ginny. There had been little space for him to read and relax.

But since the winter holidays, he had a space now. He was no going to the Ministry with his father at least once a week. The department his dad worked in could also be busy and loud, but it didn’t reach his place in the office. He could read without being disturbed.

Not that he spent every visit reading. Sometimes they had visitors. He loved it especially when Uncle Ignatius and Aunt Lucretia visited. They knew so much! And they were willing to talk to him about the books he was reading or topics he was interested in. And they had introduced him to the library off Diagon Alley! He could get new books to read now, without his mother telling him they couldn’t afford them.

As the weather turned warmer, they also went on walks together, sometimes with his father, sometimes with Uncle Bilius. He hadn’t been sure about it at first, but these walks were much better than when his mother insisted that he play outside with his siblings. Maybe going outside wasn’t so bad.



“I’d like to introduce you to someone,” Aunt Lucretia said one day as they were going for a walk with Uncle Bilius. “We have one of my patients living with us right now, a bit younger than you. His family is sick as well. He’s recovered enough now to start going out again. Would you be okay meeting him?”

Percy hesitated. He’d liked the quiet time with them, and in his experience, younger children were loud and took a lot of attention.

“It’s perfectly fine if you don’t want to,” she said.

“I can meet him.” Just once would be okay. Hopefully they wouldn’t insist that he come all the time.

“I’ll get him then. I’ll be back in a moment.” She apparated away, but soon returned with a boy with messy black hair in her arms. He was small and pale. When she put him down, he clutched at her robe. “Percy, this is Harry. Harry, this is Percy.”

Percy waved shyly. “Hi.”

Harry stared at him, bright green eyes wide and scared. “...hello,” he mumbled after a bit.

Percy stared at him. Perhaps he wouldn’t be that loud.

“Let’s go to the park and enjoy the sun a bit,” Uncle Ignatius suggested.

“Okay.” Percy liked the park. There was a lot to see from the bench they always sat on, but they were far enough away from the people playing or running that it wasn’t too loud or busy.

“Do you want your book?” Uncle Bilius asked when they reached the bench. Percy didn’t have his own book bag yet – his father had promised him one when he got his Hogwarts letter – so one of the adults carried his book for him.

“Yes, please.” He accepted it and started reading. His current book was something Uncle Ignatius had suggested, a number of short stories. He was actually enjoying this one. It was so much better than those Harry Potter books his mother kept buying them!

He was reaching the end of one story when he felt eyes on him. He glanced up and noticed that Harry was staring at him, then down at his book. “Want to see?” Percy asked.

Harry nodded slowly, so Percy tilted his book so Harry could see. Harry looked over the open pages and started frowning. Didn’t he like it?

“He doesn’t know how to read yet,” Aunt Lucretia said. “And this book doesn’t have many pictures for him to tell what happens.”

“Oh. Uhm, I could read out loud? If you’d like.”

“That would be very nice, Percy, thank you,” Uncle Ignatius said.

Percy cleared his throat, then started reading.



Percy hurriedly tugged Charlie along to his room.

“Hey, what is it, Percy?” Charlie asked. “Dad will want to go to the Ministry soon.”

“I think Harry Potter is staying with Uncle Ignatius,” Percy burst out.

“What?”

“They have a boy staying with them, Harry. They said that his family is sick and can’t take care of him yet. And mom has been talking about Harry Potter a lot more, about how his family can’t take proper care of him.” He frowned. “But he doesn’t look like the books. He has the black hair and green eyes, but no glasses. And he’s really small, even smaller than Ginny.”

“Well, perhaps I will get to meet him while I’m home for the holiday,” Charlie said. “Now, come on, we can’t make Dad wait too long!”



Percy was already in bed that evening when the door opened and Charlie slipped inside.

“Charlie?”

“Shh, don’t make Mum catch us.” Charlie slipped under the cover beside him. “I think you’re right. That was Harry Potter.”

“But why is he so...” Small? Scared? Quiet? So very different from the books about his adventures? He’d even been scared of Charlie! He had relaxed after a while when Percy had promised him that his brother was nice, but it had still been strange for him to see.

“I don’t know, Perce.”

“I don’t think he’d like it here, Charlie,” Percy whispered.

“Huh? Did you want to invite him over?”

“No, but Mom has been telling Ron how he’s going to be best friends with Harry Potter and go on adventures with him. But Harry doesn’t like adventures!” Harry didn’t like leaving Aunt Lucretia’s and Uncle Ignatius’ side. The most daring thing he’d done since he’d met him had been to go feed the ducks with just Percy, with the adults staying behind on the bench. Percy had been proud that they had trusted him to take Harry.

“He doesn’t, does he?” Charlie said quietly. Louder, he said: “Then we don’t tell anyone that we’ve met Harry Potter.”

“Okay.”



"Is everything ready?" Charlie asked. He had only returned from Hogwarts last week so most of their planning had been done via letters.

"Yes, everything is packed." Percy was so excited! They were going to spend the whole day at the park with everyone and have a picknic. Uncle Ignatius and Aunt Lucretia were coming with Harry. Perhaps Aunt Lucretia's friend Miss Cassiopeia was coming. She was really pretty and knew even more than Uncle Ignatius and Aunt Lucretia!

Grandpa Edmond had promised to come. Mister Fawley, Harry's godfather's soulmate, would be there with Rigel. Rigel was just a baby, but he wasn't too loud, and very friendly. He even liked books, well picture books. Percy had been practicing with Harry so he could read to his... cousin? What was your godfather's son called?

They weren't sure yet if Mister Sirius was coming. He was still sick from when he'd been in prison, so he sometimes had to cancel. Percy hoped that he would be there today. He should get to enjoy the picknic. And Charlie would have someone to talk about Quidditch with.

"Do you think they'll mind if I bring Scabbers along?" Percy asked.

"Nah, I'm sure they won't," Charlie said. "We'll put him in my bag as well."

"I'll go and get him."



Arthur jumped when the door to his office was thrown open and Ignatius marched in. “What are you doing here? Did something happen?”

He couldn’t place the emotions that flashed across Ignatius’ face. “Percy and Charlie are fine. Cassiopeia and Sirius are distracting them with discussions of the pets they’ll get buying them.” He sank into the chair across from him. “But we need to talk about that rat.”