Percy's PoV

"Percy, breathe, please," I heard Harry say, sounding worried, but it was far away and the room was starting to spin. I tried to do as he said but my lungs wouldn't cooperate. An irrational fear gripped my throat, making it so I couldn't breathe or speak. Harry was still talking but his voice just sounded like distant buzzing, growing fainter by the second. I'm having a panic attack, I realized as darkness started to close in on me and dance in my vision.

Stop changing your hair color you little freak of nature! I heard Gabe's voice echo in my head as I finally passed out, chest feeling like it was filled with fire.

"-ake up, please, please, wake up," I heard a soft voice speaking as I started to regain consciousness. Small drops of something wet slowly fell on my face and something else else was running through my hair in a soothing motion. There was also a soft hissing lullaby near by. "I'm sorry, Percy, I didn't mean to...I didn't know...I'm sorry. Please, just wake up." The voice shook a bit, as though the speaker had been crying. After a moment I realized that the speaker was Harry.

I opened my eyes to see Harry leaning over me. His hair was more messed up then usual, like he had been running his hands through it repeatedly, and his eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed. Tears were slowly running down his face as he ran his hand through my hair.

"Harry, what's wrong?" I asked him, my head feeling like it was full of cotton. The room went silent for a moment.

"Percy," he gasped in relief, "are you okay?"

"I feel light headed," I replied, noting that my throat was dry as well. "Why are you crying and saying sorry? You haven't done anything." He gave me a confused look.

"You don't...you don't remember? Your panic attack...you...you...you were talking...begging him to stop...I don't..." he paused and drew a shuddering breath as fresh tears started to stream down his face. "I'm so sorry."

I slowly sat up and stared at my knees. So I vaguely remember passing out and bits of the memory. A memory that I had suppressed for a long time. The day my hair stopped changing colors, and the day I forgot that it could. I could feel myself going numb from delayed shock. The lullaby started up again and I focused on it to stop myself from having another panic attack.

"He didn't like my hair changing colors. Called me a freak," I told him, speaking quietly, hoping that he wouldn't hear. "He beat me within an inch of my life."

"Percy, you don't have to tell me," Harry whispered, tearfully. I turned to look at him. Tia was coiled by his knees and they were both looking at me sadly. I shook my head at them, trying to speak but failing.

Hatchling don't push yourself, Tia hissed gently. Sliding over to rest her head on my knees. Just breathe. It's alright.

I tried to take a breath but found it to be difficult. I was starting to panic again and Tia started her lullaby again. In a few moments I was able to breathe again, though the panic was just below the surface, waiting to pull me back under.

"Percy?" Harry called softly. Most of his tears had dried and his eyes were puffy now. "Are you going to have another panic attack?"

"It feels like it," I answered him honestly.

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital wing?" I shook my head at him, trying to breathe normally.

"Can you start talking about something else...anything else? I need something to distract me. Please?" I asked him as I started getting dizzy again.

"Alright...how much do you know about quidditch?" I couldn't help but smile as he talked about the sport he seemed so fond of. For a while he just spoke about the rules and the different positions before switching to telling me about the games he's played. I could feel my panic subside as he talked and I started to relax, just enjoying listening to my brother.

Sometime, while he was speaking, we ended up sitting next to each other again with Tia coiled in our laps. I was stroking her head as Harry eventually ran out of things to say about quidditch for the time being. When he finished speaking we just sat in silence for a few moments.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked me softly. I nodded and he let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. Are you hungry?" Again I nodded.

"A little bit," I said and we both stood up slowly, our muscles stiff from sitting on the stone floor for so long. Before either of us could move any further the door opened and two identical redheads popped their heads in.

"There you two are," Forge said in relief.

"We've been looking everywhere for you," Gred added.

"Sorry," Harry said, "we were talking and lost track of time. Is it time for dinner?"

"Dinner has been over for an hour now," Forge replied and shared a look with his twin.

"Are you two alright?" Gred asked, sounding worried. "You both look like you've been crying recently."

"I had a panic attack," I told them, looking away from them. There was silence for a moment before one of the twins stepped into the room.

"Do you want to see Madam Pomfrey for a calming draught? Or some hot chocolate from the kitchens?" Forge asked kindly. I looked up at him and saw no judgement in his eyes, nor his brother when I glanced at him.

"Hot chocolate sounds nice," I answered him, "thank you, Forge."

"Any time, Mini Marauder," he grinned and ushered us out into the hall and the two redheads fell into step on either side of Harry and I. We walked in silence, only the sound of our footsteps and Tia's scales sliding on the floor could be heard in the empty hallway. I glanced at my brother and saw a contemplative look on his face.

"Fred," he asked, hesitantly, "how did you and George come up with the nickname 'Mini Marauder'?"

"Are you saying that you don't like it?" Forge asked, sounding appalled by the thought.

"And we spent a whole ten seconds to come up with that name," Gred added, equally offended.

"No, it's not that. It's just that," Harry paused for a moment and stopped walking, making the rest of us stop as well, "the other day I found some old notes in my dorm room from previous residents and they referred to themselves as 'the Marauders'. I was just wondering if you had heard of them before or if you just...you know...came up with it yourselves?"

"We know a small bit about these 'Marauders' that you speak of," Gred answered carefully, before both his and his brother's faces lit up in excitement.

"Are you telling us that they were Gryffindors?" Forge asked happily.

"What do the notes say?" They spoke together, staring at my brother as if willing him to speak.

"Well, how about I tell you if you tell me how you know them?" Harry offered with a smile.

"Deal," the twins said as one.

"But, after we get our Mini Marauder settled down with some hot chocolate and some food," Forge added when my stomach rumbled. I gave them a small smile as we continued on our way, only passing a few people. As we were approaching the Great Hall I saw Alice come up the stairs leading to the dungeons. A look of relief crossed her face when she saw us.

"Thank Merlin they found you!" Alice exclaimed as she hurried over to us. "I was so worried when I went to check on you after classes and you were gone, I didn't know where you went, and you never showed up for dinner. What happened? Where did you go?"

"I'm sorry, Alice," I told her, lowering my head, "I woke up after lunch and went to check in with Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. After that I wanted to speak with Professor Lupin but got caught up with talking to Harry. I didn't mean to miss dinner, or make anyone worry."

"We were worried," she said and gently brushed my hair out of my eyes. "You disappeared last night, too, and came back this morning dripping wet and without a cloak or even shoes. I thought...it doesn't matter now. You're here and you're safe and that's what is important. Professor Snape was wanting to see you as well." I flinched as said the last part.

"Well I don't want to see him right now," I stated firmly, glaring at the stairway leading to the dungeons.

"Percy," she said softly and paused as if rethinking what she was about to say. "I'll talk to him about leaving you be for tonight, but only if you promise to speak with him tomorrow morning, alright?" We had a brief staring contest before I sighed and looked away again.

"Fine," I muttered, "I will talk with him tomorrow."

"Wonderful, now how about we get you back to bed. You look exhausted."

"But I was promised hot chocolate and food," I whined as she tried to lead me towards the dungeons.

"But dinner is over," she said, looking confused, "who promised you food...oh you two." She sounded exasperated as she glared at the redheads. "How do you plan on getting them food?" The twins just grinned mischievously at her.

"We have our ways," they said simultaneously, making Alice groan.