AN: Because it's taken me so long to actually compete this story, I figured I'd just post the last three chapters together. Thanks to all of you who've stuck around for the ride. Would love to hear your thoughts on the story now that it's completed. Enjoy!

Percy's POV:

"Well we made it," Oliver said as he flopped down next to the window in one of the compartments on the Hogwarts Express.

The school year had come to an end and we were boarding the Hogwarts Express in Hogsmeade to head home for summer break. I had passed all of my exams as had the rest of my fellow first year Gryffindors. Come September we would all be coming back to the school to start our second year.

"I for one am glad it's over," I commented, sitting down across from Oliver. The year had been anything but easy. Even after the whisperings in my presence had ended around mid-January, I still had been aware that my peers viewed me differently. I could only hope the distance of the summer and the remainder of the school year could push the events with Jason Goyle further from their minds.

"I'll second that," Emily said, as she settled on the seat next Oliver.

"It'll be nice not being the youngest students next year," Shane commented as he settled on the seat next to me.

Shane and I had become friends after we had returned to Hogwarts from the Christmas break. It had started out as the Hufflepuff inquiring on how I was when we got back to Hogwarts. Given the looks I was receiving and whispers that occurred in my presence, it was a nice change. After that he had continued to help me with Herbology. Little by little, we started spending more and more time together, until it didn't seem out of place to see Shane hanging out with Oliver, Emily and me.

"It'll be nice to know our way around and not spend half of our time lost," Emily added.

"Well, I'm going to busy over the summer," Oliver commented. "I need to make sure I get some Quidditch practice in so I'm ready for tryouts next year. I want to get on the team, especially as we'll be defending the Quidditch cup."

Though Hufflepuff had won the overall house competition for the year, Gryffindor had managed to edge Ravenclaw for the Quidditch title by ten points. It was quite a feat given the team's rough start. Needless to say, Charlie had been flying high ever since they had won the cup. In fact, Charlie might have missed the train this morning if Bill hadn't dragged him away from admiring the cup in the school's award case.

"Do you think your brother will mind practicing some when I come to visit later in the summer, Perce?" Oliver asked. He was coming around midsummer to spend two weeks with my family.

"Charlie lives in breaths Quidditch. Somehow I don't think that will be a problem."

"Great," Oliver said. "I'm glad I get to come visit this summer. Rob will start his job in Paris the week before. It'll be weird not having him around the house. I have a feeling I'll be looking forward to getting away from the house for a bit at that point."

Rob Wood was going to be a Healer. After finishing a three-week course at St. Mungo's in London, he would be heading to Paris to work at the hospital there. Oliver wasn't the only one that would be having an older brother leave home. Bill had gotten a position with Gringott's as a Curse Breaker. Though he would be starting his new job a few days after returning, he had as of yet not made plans to move out of our family home. I had a feeling that would change once he got settled in his new job.

"I'm looking forward to you coming too," I told him, though I refrained from adding because I often felt so isolated within my family.

Our conversation continued, as we discussed plans for the summer and pondered about what the next school year would bring. As the train started moving along the track taking us away from Hogwarts and toward King's Crossing Station, Oliver took out a deck of cards and the four of us were soon engrossed in a game of Exploding snaps.

It wasn't long before Charlie stopped by, Tonks, her hair a light shade of purple today, standing behind him, poked his head into the compartment. After making sure everything was okay and exchanging a few words with Oliver about Quidditch, he left us to our game. As he walked away, I noticed that my older brother was holding Tonks hand. The two of them were a couple now, a fact that had become well known after Bill had caught them snogging in an empty classroom while Charlie was supposed to be on patrol duty back in February. Charlie had griped about how Bill's lecture had been worse than Professor McGonagall's.

We continued the game. Bill and Rob poked their heads into the compartment toward the end of the game. Though it was a tight fit, they both joined us for the second game. I found myself glancing at my brother quite often as the game progressed. I was realizing just how important my older brother was in my life and how empty it would seem at the house when Bill moved out. Not to mention, I would be losing part of my support system at school the next year. Both Bill and Charlie had been there for me through all the trials of the year, even if I had felt they had been part of the problem at the beginning.

There wasn't anything I could do to keep him in my life though. Eventually, one by one each of my siblings and I would graduate Hogwarts and move on. I also realized that being compared to my two older brothers wasn't such a bad thing. They were both great people and I wanted to be like them as much as I could. Maybe I wouldn't ever be a great Quidditch player like Charlie but I could be a Prefect like both of them and possibly even a Head Boy like Bill.

~I'll make my own mark on the school, just like George, Fred, Ron and Ginny will after me, ~ I thought, as I took my turn in the game. For now though, I planned on enjoying what little time I had with Bill before he started his job and his role in my life changed.

After all everything he had told me at the beginning of the year had come true. I had made some friends by just being myself. I had found a place where I fit. Granted it seemed like a small circle of people who accepted me for whom I was but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. I didn't need to be liked by everyone. I had a family who loved me and had made some friends. Everything was going to be okay.