Ron isn't the wisest nor the most sympathetic and yet he is the one who goes in search of the strange transfer student. Percy hadn't shown up for dinner and that worries the ginger. After all, who in their right mind would skip out on food?

It takes him nearly an hour before he descovers the older boy laying under the large tree beside the pond. 

"You'll catch a cold, you know." Ron calls out after several moments hesitation.

Percy jerks suddenly, head snapping around to face Ron. He obviously didn't hear the Weasley approach. After a second he settles back again and smiles. "I think I'll manage."

Ron steps closer awkwardly. He fidgets with the sleeves of his robes, unsure of what else to say. He came because he noticed Hermione confront him after class earlier and felt bad. Ron can't judge the guy for having a freaky affinity with winged horses. Harry can talk to snakes after all and is best friends with a house elf.

"It's a lot different here." Ron's head snaps up to look at Percy, who is gazing longingly at the lake. It takes him a moment to register the black haired boy's words.

"Because we're wizards." Ron states. He's still unsure where this is going. The nervousness is eating at him.

Percy shakes his head and lets out a small chuckle. "Nah. It's the people I think. Before, no matter what happened, I always had my friends and family there by my side. Now I'm in a different country facing something new and they're back home playing the guessing game, trying to figure out if I've managed to get myself killed yet."

Ron's eye's widen and his palms are sweaty now. He can't find any words to match his confusion, especially with the getting killed part. Does Percy almost die often?! And why is he sharing this with him of all people?

Finally Percy stands, whatever walls he has began to let down come right back up again. "It's getting late. We should go back. I don't want another detention from that pink toad."

"She does look a bit like a toad, doesn't she?" The Weasley says, a small grin tugging out his lips. As they begin to walk he tells Percy all about her weird cat plates covering her office.

Their laughs echo throughout the night and carry to the ears of certain undead man residing just within the tree line.

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Think about how much it would suck if I just ended it here. I mean, it would make a really great cliffy. But no much too short. So on with the story we go......

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Voldemort is awfully disappointed to find that Malfoy's son, Draco, has taken to hiding when things are just being set in motion. The boy let them in and was gone, but what else was he to expect from such a skinny, spineless creature.

The Dark Lord himself is not infiltrating the castle tonight. He instead sends Malfoy's father as a means for the man to make up for his son's cowardice. If it were possible they would take Potter, but the Chosen One is well guarded within the walls of the Gryffindor tower. No instead their target is who he suspects is Dumbledore's new soldier.

Perseus Jackson.

It takes only twenty minutes for the blonde haired man to slip and grab the teen, who is struggling profusely despite his now quite pained body, the effect of the prolonged use of the Cruciatus curse. The black haired boy is gagged and bound and his right arm hangs limply at his side. From what Voldemort has heard the arm was broken in the last Quidditch match and would have healed completely by now. Malfoy likely broke it again.

Sea green eyes stare defiantly up into Voldemort's own cold green eyes. The boy has fight and looking at Lucius he was not an easy catch. The older man almost looks as bad off as the boy. 

"Was there any trouble?" Voldemort asks with a slight hiss to his words.

Malfoy shifts. "A bit my lord, but the boy is weak willed. All I had to do was threaten one of the boys from his room and he caved."

Percy squirms at this, but is paid little attention for his efforts. Voldemort continues. "Were you seen?"

"Some students spotted me, but none of them saw my face. It will be impossible for them to discern that it was I who took Mr. Jackson and my son will provide a good cover." Lucius says, trying to feign confidence.

"He had better," Voldemort retorts and turns on his heal with a sweep of his robes. Percy is picked up and the rest of the Death Eaters follow. It is a quiet eerie procession and it will be morning before anyone realizes quite what happened.

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If Ron was worried that Percy missed dinner last night, he is frantic now. Percy promised he would be here after Ron scolded him on the importance of food. The older boy is nowhere to be found and the youngest Weasley brother is not the only one to notice.

Unease sweeps through the room. The teachers seem nervous and Dumbledore and the Toad are absent. The boys that Percy supposedly room with seem shaken. Well except Malfoy. Ron wants to hit the albino right in his soft spot.

"What to do you think happened?" Harry asks no one in particular.

Hermione snorts. "Something with Percy obviously. I wonder what kind of trouble he's gotten into."

"Shut up Hermione," Ron snaps. He's as nervous as the teachers and he doesn't know why. Something just doesn't feel right. "Just because he doesn't follow your rules doesn't mean that you have to treat him so rudely."

Hermione is taken aback and even Harry's eyes widen in silent astonishment. Hermione slowly shakes her head, looking a bit guilty. "You have to admit that there's something suspicious about him Ron." 

Harry shakes his head. "I think it does have to do with Percy, but I don't think he did anything wrong. Ron's right, he's not that bad Hermione. I think something bad happened to him."

"We should help," Ron says decidedly.

Hermione harrumphs looking slightly wounded that Harry took Ron's side. "Why are so buddy buddy with him all of a sudden?"

Ron shakes his head. He and Harry stand, Hermione quickly following. "I talked to him Hermione. He's a good guy. Plus he saved Harry when he could have just let Harry catch him and take the fall."

Hermione says nothing. She doesn't entirely disagree. It's just that she can't seem to get rid of this unease in the pit of her stomach. Plus the guy's Slytherin. Slytherin can't be good. Can they?

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Sorry for yet another short chapter. I've been a bit busy. It's the last quarter of my junior year and life's really picking up pace.

Anyway please vote, comment and follow. The support is much appreciated.

~Halie <3