Thanks for all those who commented on the first couple of fics, ‘Flame’ and ‘Reflections of their Souls’, I really appreciated all your comments :)

As for this fic, time wise it takes place anywhere in the first couple of books, there is no real time line for it. An added note, I don’t usually tend to tackle plot driven stories, I usually prefer simple scenes or character pieces. If it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve been wanting to write this since I read the first book I would have never given it a go.

Disclaimer: Ron, Percy, Harry, Hermione and so forth do not belong to me. Snappy the alligator and all random but equally important flies, insects and native birds however do, steal them on your own death wish - Snappy has got sharp teeth *grin*.

Summary: A survival trip goes horribly wrong for Ron and Percy.

***********

Survival 1/3

“Ron! RON!! Where are you?!” He bellowed, eyes darting panicky side to side as he tumbled dangerously down the mud. Occasionally he grasped one of the still remaining trees to maintain his balance, to break the dangerously fast pace he was sliding down the newly formed slope.

Where was he?!

Damn it, this was all his fault! If only he’d listened! He spun around, thinking he had heard a cry, a sound, but nothing could be heard against the thundering rain and raging wind. His drenched hair painfully whipped in his face as he continued down, before a particular strong gust blew him from his feet. He tumbled meters down the steep slope, his journey being brought to a sudden and painful halt when he barrelled into the base of one of the few trees that remained standing.

Grimacing at the pain that radiated up his back, he forced himself up from the mud onto his knees. Blearily, he opened his eyes and wiped at his face, trying to remove the mud that had now sunk into every pore of his body, was clinging to every inch of his clothing.

“RON!!!!!”

*****

“A survival trip? You’re joking right?” Percy had no doubt that Oliver Wood caught the disbelief in his tone. Who in the world would schedule the next house competition as a *survival trip* of all things?!

“Come on Percy - it could be fun” Oliver grinned back, either oblivious to the sour look on the other boy’s face or revelling in it.

“Three days in the wilderness of the Amazon, testing your wits against other house members, the thrill of not having magic to fall back onto ...”

“The danger of being in a dangerous place, being without proper supervision, who designed this trip - Voldemort?!” Percy shook his head as Oliver frowned.

“Lighten up Percy, there *are* safeguards, you don’t think they would send any of us on the trip if it was dangerous do you?”

“I thought the whole purpose of coming to Hogwarts was to learn how to *use* magic, not how to survive without it” Percy continued stiffly, electing a sigh from the other boy.

“Has anyone ever told you you need to relax Percy?”

“All the time.”

*****

“It’s kind of like survival of the fittest, you know, Harry? Three days in a vicious jungle, being out of your element ...” Ron trailed off dreamily. Harry watched bemused as his friend started wrestling air alligators. Ever since the contest had been announced Ron had been researching the Amazon Rain forest with a zest that surprise both himself and Hermione, he was determined to make up one half of the pair that would be representing Gryffindor.

“Can you imagine if I won? No other Weasley has done *that* before!” The grin on Rons face was contagious, and Harry found himself smiling back. Before he could wish his friend luck, Neville poked his head around the courner.

“The sorting hats here! The sorting hats here!” Both boys jumped off of the bed they had been sitting on and joined Neville as they rushed to the common room. The sorting hat! It would decide which two members were going to represent Gryffindor. Hopefully, thought Harry, Ron was going to be chosen - his friend would be devastated if he was left out.

The small common room seemed crowded with all the Gryffindor members present. The three friends found a space on the floor next to Hermione just as McGonagall began to speak, the Sorting hat floating beside her.

“Most of you have heard the rules by now, but I’ll repeat them for the benefit of those who tried to talk me out of submitting a team from our house” With this she broke of and glared at Percy before continuing.

“Two members of the house will be selected to represent our house. They, along with the other pairs will be dropped off at a starting point in the Amazon rain forest. Your goal, to make it to the finish before the other teams do. Both will be equipped with a bag each within which there will be food, blankets and a emergency beacon which when set of will have a wizard there in mere moments.

For those of you who are worried about the safety of this expedition" Another scowl in Percy’s direction.

“All dangerous species have been removed from the area and are being kept out of it by an invisible barrier. When the competition ends they will be relocated back in”

“So no Alligators?” Ron asked, disappointed. McGonagall simply smiled at him.

“None, Ron” Any other questions were cut off by the Sorting hat suddenly depositing itself on Neville's head.

“Nope” it said, after a few brief moments. Harry watched in wonder as the hat once again lifted, before dropping itself this time over Hermione. Here it dwelled longer, but the answer was again negative. He held his breath as the hat slid over his own head.

Hello there, Harry! Interested in the competition are you?

“Not as much as Ron” He replied, some what less than subtly.

Ah, so the young Weasley is interested is he? You know, you WOULD make a good choice

“Maybe” Harry admitted.

“However I wouldn't have the drive to succeed that Ron would. Plus, he just wants it so much ...” Harry broke off as he felt the hat smile at him.

“Nope” The hat concluding, after rising from Harry’s head, a feeling that left him oddly disorientated. He watched, baited, as the hat landed on Ron next. What was the hat asking him? Please let Ron be saying the right thing!

The bright smile on Ron’s face as the hat rose was all the confirmation Harry needed that his friend had been successful.

“I did it!” Ron whooped, jumping to his feet.

“Watch out Amazon, I’m on my way!”

On the other side of the room Percy rolled his eyes, but a flicker of fear coursed through him. Ron was his younger brother after all, and he would hate for him to get injured on this stupid trip. He watched, feigning interest as the hat circled the room before it became his own turn to wear it, something he hadn’t done since starting Hogwarts.

Why ~hello~ Percy - long time no see! Any thoughts of who I should pick to accompany your brother?

“Just make sure you chose someone who is going to look after him - he’ll get himself killed if you don’t” He replied, sternly.

How about you then? I would think YOU could take good care of your brother

“I’d rather not” He stiffly announced.

“There are plenty of others who could do that job well enough”

I think you would make a great addition, a family team, what a BRILLIANT idea

“I told you I’m not interested”

You really don’t spend enough time with the rest of your family anyway, it would do you good!

“No! And how do you know how much time I spend with my family anyway?!” He answered, flustered.

And that Ron, I’m sure he’d love to spend time with you as well

“No!!”

That’s it then! No need to thank me, good luck!

“NOOO!!”

“And Percy is our second member!” The Hat announced cheerfully to the group, ignoring the scowl on the young boy’s face as he floated back to the middle of the room.

“McGonagall will come by tomorrow morning with your gear, sleep well all!” With a puff it was gone. Scowl still firmly in place, Percy didn’t realise that Ron had come across the room until he spoke up.

“So Percy, looking forward to the trip?” He asked, practically bouncing on the spot. Percy shrugged uncomfortably, a knot tying itself repeatedly deep in his heart. Why did he find it so hard to communicate with his brothers?

“It’s just, I never thought you would be interested in anything that didn’t involve studying or bossing others around.” Feeling insulted, Percy was about to tell his brother exactly *why* the hat had chosen him when he caught the look of unbridled excitement on Ron’s face. Ron had really, really wanted *this*? Instead, he simply shrugged again, aware that it was a poor substitute. Casting his brother a weird look, Ron bid him good night before bounding over to where Harry and Hermione were still waiting for him.

He had been right not to tell Ron that he’d been picked simply to babysit him, Percy reflected, a small smile creeping onto his face as he watched Ron interact lively on the other side of the room with his friends. Straining to here what Ron was saying to them despite knowing he was ears dropping, he caught Rons last sentence.

“Although being paired with Percy is going to drain most of the fun out of it”

Abruptly he rose from the soft chair he had sitting in, forcing his face into a mask that belied the hurt the comment had bestowed on him. He stalked swiftly from the room and dumped himself with as much elegance as an elephant onto his bed.

Damn that brat. He should have told him, hurt feelings or no hurt feelings.

*****

The next morning came much too soon for Percy. The bright sunlight that filtered through his window seemed to taunt him, its warm glow to only remind him that by the afternoon he would be on the other side of the world playing Indiana Jones.

“You up, Percy?” Ron asked from the doorway, already dressed and obviously eager to get started. He glared at his much too cheerful brother before tossing his legs over the side of his bed and grabbing his bathroom kit in the one sweep.

“I am going to go and have one long, hot shower” He stated, almost daring Ron to contradict him.

“When I come back *then* we will discuss this foul trek, not a moment before.” He didn’t give Ron a chance to argue as he stalked from the room.

Three days in the jungle without a shower. He was gong to take his time.

*****

Ron glanced around the small clearing he shared only with Percy and Professor McGonagall. He had no idea the Amazon was so *beautiful*. The lush green foliage and towering trees that encircled them were so different from anything he’d seen in England. Brilliantly coloured birds decorated the branches or perched on the ground, their talented and skilled voices sweetening the air with their songs.

It was, to put it bluntly, amazing. Even Percy seemed impressed.

Now, have you both got everything?” McGonagall checked, quite taken in by the surroundings herself. When both of them nodded she pulled a small wand out of her robe.

“This is your emergency beacon, boys” She sternly said.

“If you are ever, *ever* in the slightest of danger or get lost, twist the bottom of the wand and it will send out a signal.” With a flick of her wrists she twisted the wand, causing a bright blue beam to speed high up into the sky where it exploded into sparkling stars in brilliant shades of purple. Once the fireworks like show was over, McGonagall handed the wand to Percy who in turn slipped it into the back pocket of the trousers that he now wore instead of his robe. Trekking around the Amazon was hard enough itself, having to do it in their wizard robes would have made it nearly impossible.

“Alright then” McGonagall said with a smile.

“Here are your maps, follow the tracks on it and you should be fine, I take it you have your compass?” Ron nodded, the compass was firmly held in his hand.

“Right then, you have three days starting .... now! Good luck!” With that, McGonagall got on her broom and was gone in a mere blink of the eye. For a moment the brothers just stood there, unsure how to begin. However it was only a short time before Percy’s leadership kicked in.

“Right, we’re here” Percy stated, pointing to a position on the map.

“To get to the finish, the quickest route is would be starting of on this track ... here” He dragged his finger along to a path that began fairly near them. Ron frowned, deeply immersed in the map.

“I don’t know Percy - see all the tracks that lead off of it, too easy to get lost. We’d be safer taking a path that was a bit longer”

“If we take a longer route” Percy said slowly.

“Then we will *not* win. If we do not win, we don’t get the 100 house points up for offer. It’s that simple. You don’t want to let the house down do you?” Percy knew he was applying the guilt fairly thickly, but the only good thing about this trip was that they had the chance to win their house some much needed points.

Plus, he was still hurting over the comment Ron had made last night. Who better to take it out on than the man himself?

“If you really think it will get us there faster” Ron finally said, the doubt in his voice only serving to infuriate Percy more.

“Of course I do, would I have suggested it otherwise?” He growled. It was going to be a long three days.

*****

This was going to a long three days.

It wasn’t the fact that he didn’t enjoy the scenery, the plant life was so exotic and brilliant that he wanted to stop every few meters to simply examine it in the way it deserved to be. It wasn’t even that the hiking was tough - which it was, but enjoyable at the same time.

No. It was the fact that Percy had been driving him at such a neck breaking pace the last couple of hours that he felt like he was about to drop from exhaustion at any moment. He was perspiring heavily in the heat, the sweat dropping off the edges of his hair like micro raindrops. Percy hadn’t even let them stop to have a drink!

This was supposed to be fun, damn it!

“Percy, lets stop for a moment - please!” He finally spoke up to the figure ahead of him.

“I need to rest, to have a rest Percy” He puffed, sinking to his knees. The disapproving gaze of his older brother glared down at him, silently accusing him of desertion, however he didn’t argue as he flopped down beside him. Ron noticed that although Percy didn’t say anything, he was in a similar condition of deterioration as himself - so why hadn’t he decide to slow the pace down?

“You know” Ron started cautiously.

“If we slow the pace down just a bit, we’ll probably go further, quicker over the 3 day span, plus we’ll have the chance to soak in the surroundings some more” He couldn’t keep the wistfulness out of his voice. He longed to be able to be able to *relax* as well as compete. Percy unfortunately picked up on his tone.

“Not enjoying yourself, Ron? I wonder why.” Ron glanced at his brother, confused. There was something about the way Percy had said that that made him feel that he had missed something important ...

Before he could comment however, Percy was back on his feet.

“Lets get going” He stated, wearing the unreadable mask that the twins and himself both hated. What was it with Percy and his being unable to relate to the rest of them anyway? He got to his feet with a groan, the brief respite having done little to sate his need for rest.

At least this time Percy slowed down. Slightly.

*****

The rain plastered his sediment filled hair to his scalp as he vainly tried to rise to his feet. Whenever he managed to get to an almost upright position the howling winds that tore down the valley knocked him down again. Giving up, he half crawled, half waddled his way across the top of the mud, fruitlessly attempting to shield himself from the rain pellets that thundered down like bullets.

Please Ron, please be alive!

His heart stilled for one terrifying moment when his eyes that had been continuously combing the mud for *any* sign of his brother locked on what could only be a small hand sticking up through the mud.

“Ron!!!”

*****

To be continued in part two :)

And that is the first part over with! If you haven’t been able to guess yet, Percy happens to be my favourite character, with the rest of the Weasleys not far behind.

The next chapter should be out in a couple of days, I’m aiming at having 3 parts, but there is always the possibility I might need a couple more.

Lastly, if anyone knows of any good Percy fics, I’d love to hear of them! I’ve only read two other Percy orientated fics, surely there must be more!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it!

All comments, flames etc can be sent using the nifty box below. Chocolates however have to go via snail mail.

Cairnsy