Untitled
a Harry Potter story
by midnight_angel_girl
Percy Weasley sat at his desk, prioritizing his paperwork. He had spent the morning in meetings, which were important, but still set him behind in his reports, plus given him the added task of summarizing the meetings. Deciding to skip lunch so he could give work the attention it merited, he set about summarizing the first meeting. He was midway through the summary when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
He picked up his wand. "Alohomora."
A woman in elegant robes entered, along with the heady scent of someone who was wearing too much perfume. Hydrangea; Percy recognized the scent as he felt his eyes start prickling.
"Peter Willsy?" The woman asked?
Percy inwardly sighed with relief. She had the wrong office, and he'd be able to get rid of her before he had a full blown allergy attack. "I'm sorry ma'am, but you're in the wrong place."
"Do you know where I need to be?"
"Just a moment." Percy reached into his bottom drawer to get the ministry directory, taking opportunity of being out of her sight to rub at his nose. He placed the book on his desk. "Peter Willsy. Do you know what department he works in?"
"No. I just received a card saying I was to see him, and the main desk sent me here."
Percy nodded, pressing his lips together tightly to keep from sneezing and trying desperately to ignore his itchy eyes and tickly throat.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally found the name. Just his luck that the ministry directory was sorted by department instead of name. He'd have to suggest changing that at the next meeting; it'd certainly make things more efficient. "Here it is." he sniffed.
"He's ihh...ihnkshh...excuse me...office 314. Up one flight and down the hall to your left."
"Thanks." The woman left, not a moment too soon, in Percy's opinion. He grabbed a few tissues from the box on his desk and pressed them to his nose, just in the nick of time. "Kehchushh, chisshuhh, hehketchh, heh-cheshh, heh-chishh, chishh, hehkishh, ihhktschh, hihkshh, huhcheeshh." He heard another knock at the door. Knowing that his sneezing would interfere with a spell, he got up and opened the door. His new boss was standing there, and he gestured her in.
"Huh-mumchh. Excuse be. What cad I do for you?" he sniffled.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"Fide. It's allehh....ehhchumphh...allergies. There was a womad id heh...ehrchumshh."
"With way too much perfume on." She finished for him. "I passed her in the hallway. Bless you. I was going to see if you wanted to go grab lunch, but you don't seem that up to it right now."
Percy shook his head, blushing and sneezing again. "Het-chetchh."
"Percy, why don't you take the afternoon off. You sure sound like you could use it."
"I'll be fide. Huh-chh. It'll go away id ad hour or two. Hihkiff. Too buch work. Ihkshh, hetchh, ehhkutchhh."
"Bless you. I can do the meeting summaries."
"Still have repords."
"They can wait. Or you can work on them at home if you feel better. But you look simply dreadful. I can't have you scaring people away."
"Ihshmphh."
"I know you've got sick time, so use it. Spend the afternoon having your boyfriend take care of you, okay."
"Thaks, Ariel. I'll work od these todite. Chumphh, hitchh."
"If not, that's okay. They'll keep until tomorrow. If you do work at home, keep track of how long, and I'll adjust your sick time accordingly.."
"Thaks. Uhhchushh, ehhcheshh." Percy grabbed the box of tissues from his desk. "I bay deed these. I take..ehh-kehchushh...take the buggle bus hobe."
"Bless you again." She helped Percy gather his things, then walked out with him.
Written for weekly hatching #33.
No own no sue