The lecture hall was quiet, but not perfectly silent. Percy could hear the scratching of quill on parchment, the creak of wooden chairs, and every now and again, a hard exhale as someone met a question they werenāt prepared to answer.Ā
There were twenty test-takers in the room, Percy included. One proctor sat at the front of the room, the other took slow laps about the room, sometimes muttering revealing charms to ensure no one was cheating. The soft footfalls paused somewhere in the back of the room. To the left, a witch coughed, hoarse and rough and momentarily distracting. Some of the test-takers had put silencing bubbles around their desks, wanting absolute quiet to focus on the exam. Percy preferred the ambient noise of the room. It made him think of Hogwarts, of taking his NEWTs in the Great Hall with the rest of his year.Ā
For as much as he hadnāt been particularly popular, or even well-liked,Ā Percy had enjoyed his time at Hogwarts. Heād gotten along well-enough with his housemates, but he had found true camaraderie in the Ravenclaws of his year. Heād often wondered why the Hat hadnāt put him in Ravenclaw. Heād asked for it at his Sorting, even though heād be breaking a family tradition and the thought of disappointing his parents terrified him. But it was the logical choice, and so heād politely asked to be sorted into Ravenclaw. Apparently it was that request, and his bravery to buck tradition, that had the Hat put him into Gryffindor instead.Ā
But he was too studious for most of his house, and heād spent most of his time studying with the Ravenclaws. There wasnāt much conversation, just quiet focus and the sense of belonging. Percy had missed that comfortable atmosphere as heād been studying for the barristerās exam. His flat, as cozy as it was, had the tendency to make him feel lonely. He enjoyed peace and quiet, but he also enjoyed company. Rather than sit alone, heād done most of his studying in the Ministry library, keeping company with the various interns, undersecretaries, and paralegals.
He came to the end of the exam and glanced at the clock. There were four hours allowed for completion, and heād hoped toĀ save an hour and a half for review. He was behind by fifteen minutes. He grimaced and turned back to the start of the test.Ā
Just before the three-hour mark, a wizard got up and strode towards the proctor at the front. He handed his parchment over and left with a self-satisfied smile. A witch followed a few minutes later, looking a bit disgruntled. Percy figured she had wanted to be the first to complete the exam. He used play such games with his classmates at Hogwarts. Who was the first to finish? Who could write a paper the fastest? He used to think that finishing first was a sign of intelligence. But as heād gotten older, heād realized that taking his time with his work was a sign of maturity and wisdom. After all, the quality of the work was far more important than winning a silly race.Ā
So Percy stayed in his seat and reviewed his answers with the time remaining. There were only a few others that stayed to the end with him, although they appeared to have lingered out of necessity rather than patience. One witch looked disheveled, her hands twisting at her hair, and another wizard appeared damp with sweat. Or tears, Percy couldnāt tell.Ā They filtered out into the hall where the other test-takers were waiting. The two who had finished first were arguing over a couple of questions, and theyād created quite a debate.Ā
Percy didnāt join. Instead he grabbed his portfolio from the locker and checked it for any messages. The Ministry knew he was taking his test today, but there were still a couple of work-related messages that had appeared inside - questions about the Ministerās meeting with the court, a few requests for paperwork, and a couple of messages wishing him luck, including one from Minister Fudge himself.Ā
Percy felt a flush of pleasure at the notice. (Yes, his name was spelled wrong, but Fudge was notoriously bad at names.) The personal note meant that Fudge was indeed considering him for position of Assistant. Now, all Percy needed, was just to have passed the bar.Ā
He took a seat on the benches along the wall and responded to what questions he could while he waited for the proctors to tally the scores. it only took half-an-hour, and then the door to the lecture hall opened. There was a rush and a minor traffic jam as the other test-takers raced inside. The results would be posted on the blackboard, and Percy felt a wave of nervousness. What if he hadnāt passed? What if the Minister had wished him well, only for Percy to have to re-take it? There was no harm in retaking the exam, of course. Plenty of barristers and government officials did. But Percy had never failed a test in his life.
....Divination didnāt count.Ā
He got up, hands clutching his portfolio to his chest and slowly walked into the room. He logically understood that he hadnāt failed. He logically knew heād done well, very well in fact. ButĀ what if heād somehow mixed up his answers? What if heād forgotten to put his name on the test? What if - ?
The other wizards and witches were crowded around the parchment posted on the board. Some of them were celebrating. Some of them were swearing. All of them turned as he approached, and he saw a myriad of emotions cross their faces as they looked at him. Some were openly envious. Others looked impressed. Some gave him congratulatory smiles.Ā
āThere he is!ā the proctor said, stepping forward, his hand outstretched.Ā āItās not every year we have someone achieve a perfect score. Congratulations, Mr. Weasley.ā
Percy automatically shook his hand, his eyes going to the parchment, and there it was. His name at the top, and beside it, a 500, a perfect score. He felt a relieved, incredulous, proud smile spread over his face.Ā
āWith that score, youāll have your pick of law firms,ā the proctor said.Ā āMight you consider Bolgers and Fawcett?ā A card was slipped into his hand.
āHeās not going into law,ā one of the test-takers said.Ā āHeās in government. Senior Assistant to the Secretary.ā
āI know,ā said the proctor. He gave Percy a sly sort of smile.Ā āJust in case youāre looking for something more lucrative.ā
Bolgers and Fawcett was one of the wealthiest, most powerful law firms in the Wizarding UK. Percy knew the starting salary was easily triple what he was making now.Ā
He shook his head.Ā āIām quite satisfied with my current position, thank you.ā
āNot if youāre taking the bar,ā the proctor said.Ā āYouāve got your sights set a bit higher. Well, when you tire of life as a public servant, let us know.ā
The proctor left and Percy accepted more congratulations from the test-takers, some given more graciously than others. He responded with his own, and then once he was able, he slipped away, back to the Ministry. He still had work to do.Ā
He did divert by the Ministryās owlry to jot down a quick message. I passed the barristerās. A perfect score!
At another time he might have written more. He might have written about how rare a perfect score was, and that less than a hundred people had ever achieved a perfect 500 in the history of the exam. He might have written about the proctor trying to poach him for Bolgers and Fawcett, or about the test-takers recognizing him. But he knew by now that such additions would only be taken as arrogance. It seemed unfair to him, that only his boastings were considered prideful. In truth, Percy may have been boastful as a child, but heād been forced to speak out about his achievements because no one else seemed to recognize them, or understand how significant they were. Heād grown up insisting onĀ his own merit, celebrating his own accomplishments, and because of it, heād been labeled prideful. Heād tried to be quieter about it lately, but it seemed even small comments on his success was enough to considered bragging.Ā
āWhere shall I send it, sir?ā the postmaster asked.
āThe Bur -,ā Percy cut himself off. He remembered the last time he shared such news with his parents. They ignored the message. They were unimpressed. No, worse than unimpressed. They were disapproving.Ā
His siblings had been happy for him though - theyād gotten him a gift for his office. And his parents had seemed apologetic over Christmas. He could try to reach out again, see if the fences had been mended.Ā
But if they hadnāt... Percy swallowed hard. It had hurt, when no one knew about his promotion, when his mother and father had kept it secret, like they were ashamed of him. It had felt like heād done something wrong. It had felt like he didnāt belong. IfĀ it happened again... Percy didnāt think he could bear it.Ā
āCharles Weasley,ā Percy said instead.Ā āThe Dragonās Repast, Romania.ā
Percy left, feeling slightly easier at his decision.Ā Charlie wouldnāt ignore the missive. Charlie wouldnāt disapprove.Ā Percy could imagine him, getting the owl and reading the message, and letting out a big whoop of joy for him. Charlie might even tell his friends about it - how his younger brother had gotten a perfect score on the bar exam. And the next time he came to visit, heād insist on taking Percy out to celebrate.Ā
Percy nodded. That was enough. As long as he had Charlie, it would be enough.Ā
(So, I have more head-canon about Percy, but it doesnāt really fit into my fic. I thought Iād plot a bit here on tumblr because I didnāt think it was hefty enough for Ao3, and it was justĀ meant to be a little drabble, a tidbit, a snippet. But it doubled in length and then turned a little angsty at the end. So I may have to put it up on Ao3.Ā
For those folks confused, this is my interpretation of Percy Weasley from my fanfic series The Code, found on Ao3 and FFN. Itās not really about Percy, but Draco Malfoy and Bill Weasley.)
