The main story is already told, @bisoueffleurer. The question is what happened next.
For the most part, nothing. They all went on happily thinking that Charlie was the family daredevil. Until two or three years after the war, during a rare outing with all of the Weasley siblings (and Harry of course) in which they scoured Diagon Alley looking for a gift for Molly’s birthday. (She was turning 50 which merited a very special gift).
“Percival,” says a voice, all glamour and posh consonants. “My darling, it has been ages!”
Narcissa Malfoy glides towards Percy and chastises him for not showing himself in so long, since last Tuesday at least. She also hits him lightly in the arm when he greets her as “Ms Malfoy” instead of Cissy. She has told him a hundred times to call her that. Then she demands that he comes help her choose a hat.
It is unclear whether Narcissa has informally adopted Percy (which is Charlie, George and Ginny’s hypothesis) or whether she has taken him as a lover (the thesis of Bill, Fred and a very disturbed Ron). Percy merely says that she is an acquaintance, but acquaintances don’t hook their arm on yours and drag you to a couture shop.
She does help them choose a great hat for Molly. Narcissa has magnificent taste.
Inquiries are made. Percy concedes that he and Narcissa are on friendly terms, but nothing else. Harry is commissioned to ask Draco and they almost break up over it, which is quite the achievement because they aren’t dating. Draco refuses to discuss the topic at all, thus fuelling the lover hypothesis.
(Truth is, Draco doesn’t know and it bothers him so much! He is just like Hermione, he can’t accept not knowing something. He certainly isn’t going to admit to the whole Weasley clan that he doesn’t know what game his mother is playing).
Ron is a chess-player, a strategist, so he waits until the next time they are at the Burrow to casually mention that Percy and Narcissa Malfoy are friendly. He doesn’t ask Percy. He just mentions it and lets Molly Weasley do the interrogation. Charlie once confessed he had gotten a tattoo while Molly was questioning Bill. Percy is bound to explain himself.
Except… Percy isn’t trying to hide anything? He tells it as it is. He and Narcissa and friendly. They often meet for tea and she insists that Percy comes for dinner at least once a month, and isn’t this what friends do? Aren’t they always saying that Percy should have more friends?
“Percy, is it possible that you are dating her?” asks Bill, thinking, not without reason, that Percy might be engaging in a sexual and romantic relationship without realising.
No one has ever seen Percy look so shocked. He says no and Charlie, Fred and George believe him. Arthur, Bill and Ginny do not. Molly doesn’t know what to think and neither does Ron.
Of course Harry is the one to solve the mystery. Harry who was surprised and a bit worried over Draco being so distressed. He mentioned it to Remus the next time he went to play with Teddy, and Remus told Tonks, who asked her mother, who asked Narcissa who told her all about the Outrageous Liars’ Club.
Originally, she wanted to call it “The People Who Have Lied To Voldemort’s Face Society”, but then they would have to admit Snape and Narcissa would rather not. Nothing against him. She is glad he survived the war and whatnot. But he is too cantankerous and he doesn’t appreciate Percy’s exquisite chaotic energy like Narcissa does.
Narcissa adores Percy. Who else is going to answer “how are you doing?” with “all right, a bit stressed at work” one day, and then, the next week casually say “I’m fine, a joined a cult who wanted to kill and sacrifice Potter, but I have disbanded them already. Oh, and I did my taxes. That’s a weight out of my mind.”
Of course, learning the truth about Narcissa’s attachment to Percy means that she, in turn, learns about the rumours about Percy and her. She embraces them wholeheartedly and she is much faster than the Andromeda – Tonks – Remus – Harry – Ron route. By the time the Weasley family hears of the Outrageous Liars’ Club, Narcissa has already made up an excuse to go to the Ministry and pointedly visit Percy’s office. (“Oh, Mr Weasley, is this your office? I must have been misunderstood. I was asking directions for Percival’s office.”)
(She always calls him Percival. Never Percy or Perce).
She also insists that Percy accompanies her to the Italian Embassy ball. She couldn’t possibly miss it and Lucius doesn’t do well with these kind of events. Percy won’t make her go alone, won’t he?
Lucius does fine with these kind of events. In fact, it can be said that he does great. He doesn’t understand why his wife refuses to go with him. He goes alone, finds her there, and immediately claims he came with Draco (“no, you are not! I came by myself and brought Potter with me”. “Hullo Mr Malfoy”). Then he says he came with Slughorn (“What?”) until he finds Snape and settles in a corner with him so they can stare together in confusion as Narcissa glides over the dancefloor with a ginger twink in her arms.
Indirectly, this also answers the question of who is the most mischievous Weasley sibling and it is not the twins.
annaxmalina
titsay
