Morag said thoughtfully, 'I think he got the impression you were telling him he was like the man, and he doesn't want to think that he might be like the guy. Which, if the man is as bad as you both say he was, I don't blame him,' she shrugged.
Then she sighed. 'I know you don't.' She sighed again. Percy had his faults, and they kept Antonin from seeing the man that he was. To be fair, it kept virtually everyone from seeing the man that Percy was.
'He does mean a lot to me,' she said. 'And it isn't that he values rules over people, not really. He uses rules to avoid people,' she offered, not sure that was right once she said it. 'He's not comfortable with people,' she tried again. 'And especially not with people who don't respond in a way he expects. Although he's given up with me, I'm sure....' she laughed.
'And he absolutely does not take well to teasing or jokes or anything like that. It reminds him too much of those awful brothers that gave him such a hard time.' She shrugged. 'He might have survived general teasing and practical jokes except the twins took it way too far. A lot of what they were up to in school was downright dangerous, actually,' she had to admit.
She shook her head. She'd gotten sidetracked again. 'He has done a better job at the heading the Aurors than I'd expected. Yes, he's by the book, but he stays out of the investigating and lets those trained handle that while he does what he does best,' she said.
She laughed. 'Well, he did take a blasting curse at close hand and live to tell the tale. I need him to get along with you well enough to stay employed with me. Especially right now. He needs a job he can feel good about now that he's had to leave the Aurors. I don't want him losing the job he really enjoyed to come between him and Percy.' She was determined to make sure Percy was happy, and if she had to move a few mountains to do it, she would. She was happy, and she wanted her friends to be happy.
Out of the blue, she made a face. 'Do you know that that Parkinson girl has gotten to Percy, too? He actually likes her. And she's thick as thieves with Vaisey, always has been,' she said in disbelief. 'I'm going to have to get along with the girl, aren't I?' she moaned with a frown.