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"Time to get up! Breakfast is ready!" said Molly Weasley as she opened the curtains in Percy's room.
The bright light shone through the windows, right at Percy's head which was nestled nicely on his pillow. Percy let out a small groan, not really wanting to get up, until he remembered what day it was. He immediately shot out of bed, and his mother let out a hearty chuckle before leaving his room so Percy could get dressed. Percy was more excited than anyone to start at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. His brothers, Bill (5th Year) and Charlie (3rd Year), told him many stories as to how fun it was to go to Hogwarts. Percy quickly pulled his favourite shirt on along with an old pair of jeans. Sure, his family couldn't afford much, but he, like many others, still had a favourite outfit. He grabbed his trunk, which he had already excitedly packed a week ahead of time, and dragged it down the stairs, almost crashing into his nine-year-old twin brothers, Fred and George, who seemed to be giggling mischievously over something.
"Sorry," said Percy, smiling at his two brothers, who just shrugged and walked downstairs with him.
Once they were downstairs, Percy saw that his siblings were already sitting around the table, ready to eat. He saw his seven year old brother, Ron, looking like he had just seen a ghost, and his six year old sister, Ginny, trying to pull herself onto a kitchen chair, but was struggling some. Bill picked up Ginny and settled her into a chair and that's what Arthur noticed Percy come in.
"Ah! There you are, m'boy!" Arthur said, giving his son a hug and sitting back down to enjoy his breakfast.
Percy smiled at his father and hugged him back, then sat down to join his family for breakfast. He could just smell the bacon, eggs, and toast cooking and his stomach growled in response. He looked at his brothers, Bill and Charlie, who were already in a full blown conversation about school, homework, teachers to avoid and girls (which made Ron crunch up his face in disgust along with Percy, while Ginny giggled). Once Molly had set the food on the table and everyone started eating, finally Molly asked what Ron was so freaked out about.
"Mum, Fred and George turned my teddy into a spider! It was scary!" whined Ron, causing Fred and George to go into a fit of laughter.
This was quickly resolved by Molly lecturing Fred and George with a motherly, but stern voice that terrified the two boys into apologizing under their breath, also saying that Molly was no fair and they didn't like her; this caused Molly and Arthur to go into 'the talk' about how not everyone has parents, so the boys were lucky, which led to a small conversation about the famous Harry Potter, which made everyone perk up for a bit. After everything was settled, and everyone went back to their breakfast, Ron was still jumpy, but it got more enlightened when Percy made an attempt to make a joke, which made everyone laugh, and Fred and George give Percy a thumbs up. Percy liked his family very much, and thought they deserved to have better than what they did have. He wanted to grow up and make lots of money, just so they could buy new things, because he saw the look of delight in his mum's eye when his father finally could afford something brand new. But usually the money was spent on random muggle thingamabobs and doodads.
"Come on, it's time to go." said Arthur, standing up once the dishes were done and everyone was packed up and ready to head to Kings Cross Station.
Everyone used side along apparition and went to the station, and it was already bustling with muggles, witches, and wizards of all ages and genders. Molly reminded everyone to stay close and they walked until they found the wall to enter platform 9 3/4. It took awhile to get to, because Arthur kept getting distracted by various muggles using their special muggle devices. After everyone said farewell with tears in the younger children's eyes who were getting left behind, Percy climbed onto the Hogwarts Express and found a compartment with another young boy his age to sit with.
"What's your name?" asked the boy who sat with him.
"Percy Weasley." said Percy, sticking out his hand for the boy to shake.
The boy shook his hand and had a huge grin on his face and he said, "I'm Oliver Wood. Pleasure to meet you, Percy. What house do you hope to get into?"
Percy thought this question over for awhile, but truth was, he really didn't have a preference. Sure, he knew that his family would prefer him to be in Gryffindor, but he had ancestors that were in all the houses, so it wasn't like it was expected. So he just shrugged and Oliver nodded, and stated that he'd want to be in Gryffindor, because both his parents were in that said house. Percy nodded in acknowledgment.
"I really wish they let us bring brooms to Hogwarts, then I could try out for Quidditch. Mum says I'm a natural at flying!" Oliver said with a grin, and then a laugh.
The two boys chatted for the entire length of the train ride, and quickly became friends, having a few similar interests. Though Oliver did tease Percy a little bit for sounding so obsessed with getting good grades, and getting on the teacher and Headmaster's good side. The train came to a stop and everyone boarded the boats, or carriages and set off for the school. Percy could feel the butterflies in his stomach in anticipation to get sorted. They all walked into the Great Hall and Percy waved to his two older brothers who were already seated at the Gryffindor table. Professor McGonagall walked out with the sorting hat in her hand and the stool in the other. She placed the stool down and Percy scanned the room with his eyes to see all the Professors sitting at the staff table. Before Percy could look away from them, he heard the sorting hat begin its song.
"I may be patched and frayed
But I am as clever as ever
For I know from what you’re made
Brave, wicked, kind or clever
Brainless and bare
With nothing at all to care
Now owe my wisdom
To the founders of the school to which you’ve come
The history of Hogwarts
I shall now tell
It exists with one Black dot
The biggest one ever
Four greatest witches and wizards
Were also the greatest of friends
Until one of them walked out
Refusing to make amends
The four houses are named after them
Each one a precious gem
To those who belong
And work along
Brave ones walk into Gryffindor
Head held high
Not once shy
A brave death will they die
Slytherin welcomes ones with ambition
With open arms
Those with a cunning notion
Ones who can hold their emotion
“I shall take the clever ones,”
Said clever Ravenclaw
And she did take as per
And taught them all she knew
Hufflepuff took in the rest
And kindly did she nest
Prospering under her rule
The students enjoyed school
But disunity crept between them
Slytherin left the school
Only three left to rule
And extend the magic pool
But rule they did
And I’ll do their bid
Come one, come all
To prove yourselves as I call
For it is up to me to sort you
In a house where you’re due
Don’t worry I choose the best
You just take care of the rest
But before the sorting I give a warning
To live you must stand
United firmly, on land."
Once the hat was finished with its song, the sorting had begun. Percy's stomach was in knots by the time the girl before him's name got called. Just then he heard "Weasley, Percy!" and he felt himself go pale. Bill and Charlie were waiting eagerly at their table. Percy took a deep breath, held his head high, and sat on the stool, McGonagall gently placing the hat atop his head.
"Hmm...lets see, lets see..." said the Hat, Percy feeling anxious.
"I think Slytherin would suit me best...Mum says I'm ambitious and I want to make a lot of money." thought Percy, feeling sure of himself. He replayed the sorting hat's song in his head, and it made perfect sense for him to be in Slytherin, with the extreme ambition he possessed, even at a young age.
"Slytherin would help you succeed, yes, but I believe you belong in Gryffindor." said the Hat.
"Gryffindor? Why? I'm not brave, or noble or whatever." thought Percy, making a face.
"You belong with your family, son. Slytherin will help you succeed, but Gryffindor will keep you tied with your family. Nothing is more important than your family. Remember that." said the Hat, sounding sure.
"But..." thought Percy, trying to protest.
"There will be a day when your ambitions may drive you to leave your family, so you can succeed. Slytherin will teach you how to deal with leaving for good, but nothing is as important as family, as I said, and you need to stay with them. Gryffindor will help you with that. Now that's where you belong, boy!" the Hat said, now sounding firm.
Percy sighed and just nodded, wondering what the hat meant about him leaving his family. He would never leave his family just to be successful! He didn't want to be in Slytherin because it was away from his family. He wanted to be in it because that meant he would be in with the higher up families which would help him get to the top and be able to make that money for his family. But he wasn't going to sit here and argue with the hat, because people were beginning to get antsy.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the Hat, and Percy could hear the thunderous claps from the Gryffindor table along with whoops and whistles.
Percy smiled, feeling a bit relieved that was over and he took a seat beside his brothers. He was later joined by Oliver and as the feast began, after Dumbledore's pre-feast speech, he thought to himself that this is what he liked. Being here with his family, even if it was only his two brothers, and someone like Oliver as a friend. He made a promise to himself on that day that if it came to a point that if he DID leave his family to be successful like the hat suggested he might, that he'd come home someday. He didn't want to be the one who left his family, because he was starting to believe the sorting hat. Family IS the most important thing in the world.