Magic? || Years 1-5

Percy: Year 5/Summer

Ginny pushed through the door, her long red hair fiery as always, "Oh hello, Harry! I thought I heard your voice," She beamed, turning to the twins. "It's no go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."

"How d'you know?" George asked, his face falling.

"Tonks told me how to find out. You just check stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the door's been Imperturbed. I've been flicking Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs and they just soar away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the grasp."

Fred sighed miserably, "Shame. I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to."

"Snape? Is he here?" Harry asked instantly.

"Yeah. Giving a report. Top secret," George nodded, dropping down on one of the beds with Fred and Ginny.

"Git," Fred rolled his eyes.

"He's on our side now," Hermione scolded.

"Doesn't stop him being a git. The way he looks at us when he sees us..." Ron snorted, shaking his head.

"Bill doesn't like him either," Ginny agreed.

"Is Bill here? I thought he was working in Egypt," Harry took a seat across from them.

"He applied for a desk job so he could come home and work for the Order. He says he misses the tombs, but," Fred's mouth curled up into a smirk and Amisty rolled her eyes, "there are compensations..."

"What d'you mean?"

"Remember old Fleur Delacour? She's got a job at Gringotts to eemprove 'er Eenglish -- " George began.

" -- and Bill's been giving her a lot of private lessons," Fred finished.

Amisty smacked them both upside the head before hissing sharply, "She is so nice, stop making fun!"

"Charlie's in the order too, but he's still in Romania Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible, so Charlie's trying to make contacts on his days off," George went on as if she hadn't done anything.

"Couldn't Percy do that?" Harry asked.

They traded dark expressions.

Ron stepped up to tell him.

"Whatever you do, don't mention Percy in front of Mum and Dad," He warned, voice tense.

"Why not?"

"Because every time Percy's name's mentioned, Dad breaks whatever he's holding and Mum starts crying," Fred replied numbly.

"It's been awful," Ginny murmured.

"I think we're well shut of him," George scowled.

"What's happened?"

"Percy and Dad had a row. I've never seen Dad row with anyone like that," Fred explained, wincing. "It's normally Mum who shouts..."

"It was the first week back after term ended. We were about to come and join the Order. Percy came home and told us he'd been promoted," Ron began.

"You're kidding?" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, we were all surprised because Percy got into a load of trouble about Crouch, there was an inquiry and everything. They said Percy ought to have realized Crouch was off his rocker and informed a superior. But you know Percy, Crouch left him in charge, he wasn't going to complain..." George replied.

"So how come they promoted him?"

"That's exactly what we wondered. He came home really pleased with himself -- even more pleased than usual if you can imagine that -- and told Dad he'd been offered a position in Fudge's own office. A really good one for someone only a year out of Hogwarts -- Junior Assistant to the Minister. He expected Dad to be all impressed, I think," Ron explained.