He and Hermione had split up not too long after reaching the Great Hall. 

They had both sat down to eat when Ron walked in, looking as glum as ever, if his dragging feet and drooped head were any indication. He picked his head up long enough to spot Percy before making his way over. As he plonked himself down in his seat with a thud, reaching for a plate, Percy had seen Hermione stiffen ever so slightly next to him. Before she suddenly excused herself, apologising, before finding a seat by herself. 

He knew why, of course, though he didn't know quite when Hermione picked up on Ron's hostility. And he didn't know how to sort it. He couldn't force Ron to just apologise for his behaviour, because empty words mean little. Ron has to mean what he says, and Percy wasn't sure he could convince him to. 

He was about to get up and just check on her, but he saw Ron playing with his food, and knew something was seriously and desperately wrong with the youngest Weasley boy.

"Sorry. About her." Ron spoke, before he could even get a word in. 

There was a bitterness to his tone, as though he knew it was his fault she had left, but at the same time, still blamed her for doing so. 

"Whatever. What's bugging you anyway?" Percy replied, passing over Ron's comment, not wishing to start an argument. 

They spoke for a while, eating their food as they went. He learnt that after his fall, which Ron was glad he had recovered from, Harry had been taken by McGonagall, and hadn't returned yet. Which immediately worried him, as he'd talked to her quite a few hours after his accident, so where could he possibly be? Harry surely hadn't been expelled, right? If he had, Percy wondered why he hadn't been expelled too. Unless they took pity on him because of brush with the cold touch of death? 

Their conversation quieted at that point, both boys pondering the fate of their friend. Ron had taken to food to comfort him, and was onto his third helping of a steak and kidney pie when he noticed who the figure that had just walked into the Hall was. 

Jerking out his elbow to get Percy's attention, he failed to do so without first putting his fork down. Percy turned to see the piece of pie fall splat onto the table, before suddenly disappearing, to then appear back on Ron's plate perfectly formed. 

He would have marvelled at the sight if he wasn't so annoyed at Ron. 

"What was that for?" He almost yelped, rubbing his arm where Ron hit him. 

"Look, it's Harry!" 

Percy whipped his head towards the entrance, the pain forgotten, and saw the mop of black hair making its way down the aisle. 

Before Harry had even greeted them, Ron had pulled him down into the space next to him and Percy, shoving a plate of food in front of him.

"We thought you were gonna be expelled!" Was the first thing out of Percy's mouth, relief lacing his words. 

"So did I." Harry replied, before helping himself to some food. 

He told them the story of what had happened after McGonagall had taken him away from the grounds. 

Ron was in disbelief. 

Percy personally didn't see what was so shocking about a first year making a house team. Maybe it was unusual, but he couldn't imagine that it didn't happen every so often. 

Although being the first seeker from a first year in a century, was pushing even his limits. 

Ron looked like a fish. But not one of the cool fish who always like to stop by whenever Percy goes near, but like one of those fish who has just seen something shocking and couldn't do anything but gape. So like, Ron gaped at Harry. Like a fish.

Luckily his brothers took pity on him and chose that moment to make their entrance. As they hurried over to Harry, Percy couldn't help but lose interest in all the Quidditch talk, and instead started to practice his wand drawing technique. He tried his hardest to connect with Ron on the topic of Quidditch, he really did, and he wanted to learn more about it, but there was just something that compelled him to tune out most talk on the subject. 

He felt like he had quite a good action down when drawing his wand, he could do it quickly, and it only got caught in his robes and flipped out of his hand maybe 71% of the time. It was only when instead of drawing his wand, he reached into his other pocket and brought out his stalker pen did he realise he'd probably spent too long pretending to listen. 

He slowly put his pen back into his pocket as he locked onto the fact the talking had stopped. His head shyly turned back to the group to see them all looking at him like he was mental. 

Floundering at what to say, he just opted to let the awkward silence stew even further. 

Thankfully, it wasn't long before the ice was broken again, when Fred piped up, "That's a funny looking wand."

"Well that because it's not a wand Fred."

"Are you sure George?"

"Yes Fred."

"And here I was unable to tell."

"I think you need to get your eyes tested then Fred."

"But we're twins, we have the same eyes George."

"I didn't know how to tell you this, but I am blind."

"That explains why I can't see."

"Anyway..." George emphasised, actually managing to catch himself before he and his twin went too deep into the jokes, surprisingly, "We just wanted to congratulate you Harry, and wish you luck out there."

"Yeah, Quidditch can be a nasty game."

"Especially for someone as small as you."

"Hope you have fun, and..."

"...Don't die."

The twins left with smiles on their faces, snickering to one another as they went. No doubt planning their next little torment. 

Harry grimaced a little, the sobering comment wiping away his buzz. 

"Oh don't listen to them Harry. They've been playing Quidditch for years and never been badly injured." Ron said, as he attempted to reassure Harry. 

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. They've clearly been hit in the head one too many times." Percy snarked, still chuckling at their antics. 

Harry snickered a little, and was about to reply before being interrupted by someone far less welcome.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

None of them had to guess who was behind them. 

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends withyou," said Harry coolly. 

Percy stifled a laugh, the irony of calling Crabbe and Goyle 'little' was not lost on him. Although, he wasn't sure whether the pair of meatheads picked up on the irony too, or if they just knew to crack their knuckles and scowl in sync out of habit. 

The challenge that followed next frankly excited Percy. He'd love to see Harry knock Draco down a peg or two, and it would be all the more sweeter if a halfblood who knew nothing of magic growing up and raised by muggles was to beat a pureblood in a magic duel. 

And he could even show Harry the new wand drawing technique he'd been practicing. He knew it was important to learn instead of boring Quidditch stuff. 

Although his excitement dimmed a little when Ron filled them in on the details neither of them knew about, since being raised in the muggle world. 

So, apparently, Ron was to be Harry's 'second', and Crabbe was to be Malfoy's, and a second was there to take over the duel in the invent of a death. 

Both his and Harry's face must of conveyed their horror, as Ron was quick to say, "But people only die in properduels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks ateach other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you torefuse, anyway."

It made sense. He doubted Draco knew any seriously dangerous spells, or at least had the ability to cast them, and if Draco didn't, then Harry definitely wouldn't know. As much as he didn't like Draco, he was also glad Harry wouldn't be able to kill him. He didn't deserve that. 

Ron was just done with telling Harry to just sock Malfoy on the nose if he couldn't produce any magic, when Hermione suddenly appeared. 

"Excuse me."

All three boys looked up.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron. Percy wanted to point out that he'd finished eating ages ago, but knew that wouldn't go over too well. 

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry. 

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —" 

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

Percy reached over and smacked him on the back of the head. Although, he did think Ron wasn't too far off the mark. Hermione wanted to know everything, and as such, would try and get to know everything. Even listening into a conversation between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. Though he doubted she was the only one paying attention to it, whenever a Gryffindor and Slytherin talk, there usually isn't too much talking being done, unless you counted the spells being cast. 

"— and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll loseGryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you." 

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry. 

"Good bye," said Ron.

Hermione left with a shake of the head and huff, marching towards the entrance, and heading to either the library or the Gryffindor dorms. 

He had expected better of Harry, but understood where he was coming from. To Harry, it wasn't just as simple as breaking a rule, it was about standing up to a bully. 

And Ron, well, he'd given up hope of Ron ever growing up and becoming friends with her. 

"Guys, come on, she has a point you know."

"Here we go, taking her side as usual." Three guesses who this was, Percy thought bitterly to himself as he heard Ron's jab. 

"I'm not taking any sides, I want to see Malfoy put in his place as much as anybody, but it's gonna go wrong, and we'll all be in trouble." He tried convincing them, but Percy knew they were dead set on this duel, all he could do at this point was just offer his support. 

"You still going to come, or not? He'll bring both Crabbe and Goyle, you just know it."

"Of course I'm coming. I never wasn't going to, I was just trying to get you to see her point of view."

"Alright, good." Ron nodded, glad Percy was sticking with them, conveniently and perhaps wisely not commenting on the last part of Percy's sentence. 

The three boys took their time, talking about nothing much of anything, before they got up once Harry had finished, and headed back to their dorm room, knowing they'll need a more private space if they wanted to talk strategy. 

A/N - Very much a filler, once again. I am sorry about that, but now is where the story actually starts. It's all going to happen from the next chapter onwards. And good news, that means quicker updates, for real this time. 

Everything I've put into motion (whether you have picked up on it or not) is finally going to start falling into place. I took a while to post this chapter, because I wasn't happy with any draft I came up with, but I knew this had to be a filler. At least, for me it did. I felt as though the story from this point on wouldn't have worked well, without it.

I know a lot of people dislike filler, and for good reason too, but because I'm conscious of this fact, I always include little details that may be insignificant at the minute, but will become important later on. 

Fillers have to be done, I'm afraid, so that's why I try to at least have them have some affect on the story going forward, even if it doesn't play out straight away. 

I just want to thank anyone who has stuck by this story and my sloppy (at best) posting schedule, and to say I hope you enjoy what's going to be coming, because I know I'm going to be enjoying writing it.