RP: Work, work, w- oh bugger. Date & Time: Thursday 26th January 2003 Post Type: Introspection Status: Closed: Complete Character: Percy Weasley, Location: The Ministry of Magic Summary: Percy has another stressful (and forgetful) day at work.
Percy sighed and opened the biscuit tin as he waited for the kettle to boil for his tea. Custard Creams. There were never any decent biscuits in the staff room. He quickly made his tea and then went back to his desk, wishing that it was home time already. It seemed like things were never going to calm down, and Percy felt like he hadn't stopped working in far too long. The effects of the disease, the time slips, and just general ministry business were all conspiring to make Percy extremely busy. He had a habit of telling himself that as soon as things got back to normal he would catch up. Get back on top of things and feel in control again. But that was feeling increasingly unlikely as time went on. And what was 'normal' anyway? Was normal when he stopped forgetting things? When the disease went away?
He had received an owl from St Mungo's on Monday that seemed to indicate that he wasn't as infectious as he had thought. It was good that he wasn't putting people at risk as much as he had thought. But the news hadn't made him jump for joy or anything. What difference did it really make to his life? He still had the memory loss, still felt cold a lot of the time, still had to wear the bloody identification bracelet when he was at work. So what difference did it really make to his life? Not much that Percy could see. All it meant was that he could touch people, or kiss people, without worrying as much. But how likely was that to happen anyway? It wasn't like he went around kissing people when he wasn't ill. He wasn't likely to start now.
Percy shuffled through the paperwork on his desk grumpily, wondering if he could get someone else to do the filing for him again, or if it would be really obvious by now that he was avoiding the back room. He hadn't been in there since the day when Aja's body had appeared. Percy stared off into space as he remembered, suppressing a shiver. He really didn't want to be here at the moment. He had been trying not to think about that day, and he managed most of the time to avoid thinking about it. He was a master at suppressing his emotions in order to function more efficiently, after all. But sometimes, when he allowed his thoughts to drift, or just when he had filing that needed doing, his mind would return to that day. Percy knew it was irrational. It was just an unfortunate accident that he happened to be a witness to a part of. He knew logically that it was irrational for him to avoid the back room. But he did it all the same.
Percy took a sip of his tea and worked in silence for a little while, looking up when Samuel came up to his desk, looking rather nervous.
“Anything I can help you with, Mr Jones?” Percy asked.
“Er . . . Mrs Addison is still waiting to see someone,” Samuel said.
Still? Fuck, did that mean he had forgotten her?
“I'm sorry, Samuel,” Percy said, feeling himself blush. “What is she here about again?”
“She's got an appointment to see Minister Ogden,” Samuel said slowly, in the same manner that you might speak to a small child. “But he's in a long meeting right now. So you said you'd speak to her.”
Percy looked down at his desk and sighed. He could have kicked himself. Why hadn't he got up straight away to see her? That way he wouldn't have got distracted and forgotten the poor woman.
“I would have reminded you,” Samuel said guiltily. “But you said I was alright to take my break. I only just got back and saw her.”
“It's not your fault,” Percy said, feeling mortified that Samuel now felt it was his job to keep an eye on Percy and remind him to do things. How long had he been doing that for? “I'll go and speak to her now,” Percy said, getting up before he could forget again.
“Do you want me to file this for you?” Samuel asked, pointing to the stack of paperwork on Percy's desk.
“Yes, thank you,” Percy said gratefully. He hurried off to speak to Mrs Addison, hoping that his face didn't look too flushed with embarrassment.