Head Prat

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Gender: Male
Age: 119
Sign: Aquarius
Country: United Kingdom

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February 12, 2020

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07/09/2020 10:53 PM 

The Ministry of Magic

10 August 1984

The ministry was a thing of beauty, every level a new marvel to the young, bright eyed ginger. Everything from the sheer amount of people that bustled around, an endless sea of colorful cloaks to the way every ceiling vaulted, a different scene displayed above that was rimmed in gold. Percy stared up at all of it in awe. It was just as he pictured, if not better. All the stories his father told them as they sat around the table eating, wild tales that pulled Percy in didn’t do the Ministry justice. It was more spectacular in real life, a place that for the first time in his short life, Percy felt at home.

“Keep up Percy!”

Percy trailed after his father and brother, eyes wide behind the thick frames, his mouth slightly agape. Usually he was latched to his father’s side, carefully mimicking everything his hero did from the way his father spoke with his hands when excited to the way he walked. Percy always listened and watched, waited patiently for his turn to speak and be seen by his father. Now he slinked behind, his attention elsewhere as he took it all in. Percy couldn’t figure out why Charlie had put up such a fight in going. It was brilliant. Magical.

“Where’s the dragons,” Charlie whinged from up ahead. “You said there would be dragons.”

“Dragons are in Gringotts, Charlie,” Percy piped up with a grin as he awkwardly jogged alongside his father to keep up. “There’s a floor that has people who make laws for creatures like dragons, but there aren’t any here. Right, dad?”

The glare from Charlie instantly made Percy hide awkwardly around his father as they kept moving. “You don’t know everything, you prat.”

Percy’s nose wrinkled at the cruel name. It was something they called him when their parents weren’t around, but the lack of reaction from their father only showed he wasn’t paying any attention as he ushered them through the hall. Percy puffed his chest out a little, knowing he was right. “No, they protect Gringotts, you knobhead!”

“Percy!”

His face flushed in color as his father admonished him, a pout forming in his face. “Charlie called me a prat because I said there aren’t dragons here, that they are at the bank.”

Arthur sighed, a look sent to Charlie. “Don’t call him a prat because he’s right about something. Now hurry up, there’s someone I want you to meet Charlie.”

The air went out from under him, Percy’s hands lifted to block the blow as he hit the ground hard, his father disappearing in the crowd oblivious. He let out a slight whimper, everything one massive blur as pain radiated through his arms where he blocked his fall. Tears burned his eyes as Percy squinted, carefully reaching out to find where his glasses went. “Help me find my glasses or I’m telling dad.”

“Tell him, he won’t care. You think you are so smart but you can’t even figure out that dad didn’t even want to bring you. Mum made him to get you to shut up.”

“Mum says lying is bad.”

In a rough shove, Charlie forced Percy back down with a grin. “It’s not a lie if you know it’s true.”

The crunch was deafening to Percy’s ears as his heart sunk not just to the noise but what he knew was the truth. Charlie was right, even if Percy refused to admit it. He heard his father that morning trying to get out of taking him, saying he wanted to bond with Charlie before he went off to Hogwarts in a few weeks. Charlie hated the Ministry, something that Arthur wanted to change, to nudge his second born into loving just as much as he did. He didn’t see Percy, never noticed the way he clung to his stories and tried to engage with his father about wanting to be like him and work there. Percy wasn’t proud of the way he whined his way into going, but it worked.

Percy glared after his older brother as he fought back his tears. Charlie didn’t say anything else, a satisfied smirk on his face as he walked off after their father. Quietly, Percy felt around for his glasses, a small sniffle as he gingerly lifted them up. He felt the earpiece fall off and his stomach tumbled with fear, making the tears rise faster. He knew the trouble he would be in, knew that they couldn’t afford a new pair of glasses for him. They barely scraped together enough to get him the current pair, Percy promising to take the best care of them. The itch started across his arms, tiny pinpricks that forced ugly welts to appear in his arms as the dread took over that he failed them. The frame twisted under his hold, pieces of the lens falling away and a tear of frustration fell, Percy angrily wiping it away.

“Now, this isn’t a place to be sitting.”

A soft voice of authority hit Percy like a punch and quickly he scrambled to his feet, glasses hidden behind his back. The woman like the rest of the world was unfocused, hard to look at without his head hurting. “I’m sorry.”

The woman bent down in front of him as Percy took a shy step back. “You’re one of Weasley’s boys?”

He smiled bashfully. “Percy.”

She smiled at him kindly from what Percy could make out. “Well Percy, may I see your glasses?”

He hesitated, thought of lying to get himself out of trouble but there was no point. The moment his father saw him he would ask where his glasses were, assuming Percy could find his dad now that he could barely see past his nose. The stern stare from the woman made him squirm until he surrendered them over. At the small tut, Percy’s cheeks went ruddy. “I fell.”

She nodded in understanding before she tapped her wand against the frames. Instantly his glasses repaired themselves, the woman giving them a quick once over before she placed them gently onto his face. The world came back into focus, the smiling face the first thing that Percy saw. “I heard you talking with your brother. You seem to know an awful lot about the Ministry here.”

“Yes, I want to work here just like my dad.” Percy’s smile fell a little, his hands stuffed into his pockets. “My brothers make fun of me for it. They say I’m a brown-nosing prat.”

There was a look of recognition on her face as she stood back up, her hand stretched out for Percy to take. She took a quick glance around before she guided him through people, offering cheery greetings to those they passed. Percy watched it all, admired how everyone attempted to speak with her, gave her unified respect. The lift was massive, a hellish beast that spiked a fear in him. His mind when to Charlie, how he would have mocked him for being afraid of something so stupid and in three timid steps he shuffled his way inside.

“Now Percy, I need you to promise me something.” She spoke once as the doors closed, face turned down at him.

He knew it was coming, Percy’s small round face scrunched back in anticipation of being told off. “I know, I should take better care of my glasses and not wander off.”

“Well yes, those are true but that’s not what I was going to say.” The warmness reached her eyes, made him feel safe. “Don’t let your brothers dissuade you from the Ministry by calling you a prat. My sister used to call me the same thing and you know what . . . some of the best, most intelligent people were called prats. Just look at me, I’m now the Minister of Magic.”

Percy’s eyes widened as his heart skipped a beat. “You’re Minister Bagnold?”

“Indeed, I am! Should I expect to see your application soon?”

“I’m only eight! Well, I’ll be eight in a week and five days.”

She played along with a feigned gasp of shock. “Well, a few years’ time then? We only accept the best here you know and my nose says you’re one of the best.”

Percy brimmed with excitement, his cheeks flushed at the very idea that she saw something in him. The doors of the lift opened, revealing a new floor. He wanted to say something, anything to the Minister of Magic that would make him sound intelligent and not like a silly child but nothing formed between his mind and lips but a meager whisper of ‘bloody hell.’

“Remember, the Ministry will always be a home for people like us. Now off you pop, your dad is in the first room to the left.”

Percy stepped out from the lift, a wide smile on his face. He gave the Minister of Magic a slight wave before he ran off in the direction she told him. He couldn’t believe it, was still reeling from the fact he not only met Minister Bagnold but that she saw something in him.

The Minister of Magic saw something in him.

“Dad! Dad! You won’t believe who I just met!” He burst through the doors, Charlie’s face turned up to the ceiling in boredom as their father went on about something. “Daddy!”

“That’s nice Percy, there are some quills over in the corner,” Arthur said, gently waving him off. “Now Charlie, what’s fascinating about . . .”

Percy backed away quietly from the pair, his excitement sinking alongside his heart. It took a moment for Minister Bagnold’s words to come back to him and they solidified within. He would do more than just work at the Ministry now, he wanted to give people like him hope when he was older. He was going to become the Minister of Magic one day.

Prompt for gιngerŅ•nap, "turn back time"

1 Comment  

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Dragon Seeker

 

Aug 11th 2020 - 9:37 PM

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Right off the bat, Charlie is such a little prick. When he knocks Percy down and breaks his glasses I really found myself hating my own character. And their dad just ignoring Percy, even at the end. I really like that you have Charlie just not interested what-so-ever in the Ministry though, even if he was a bully of sorts. I really enjoyed seeing your insight of Percy/Charlie's relationship

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