Harry had no idea how Hermione had managed to persuade him to come back to Hogwarts for his "seventh" year. Maybe it had been nostalgia - for the days before Fred, Tonks and Remus's deaths. It was just so much easier to pretend he wasn't a godfather (Teddy was staying at his Grandma Tonks's while Harry was at school) and that Fred, and Tonks, and Professor Lupin would be waiting for him when he got off the Hogwarts Express at the end of the year. Or maybe he just didn't want to be an adult yet. The auror office had offered him a job, but he had turned them down - at least for now. Honestly he wasn't so sure what he wanted to do anymore. He didn't want to lose anyone else, and the death rate among aurors was extremely high. He'd saved the world enough for one lifetime.

It wasn't a normal year at Hogwarts either. For one thing, there were more seventh years than usual, and there were very few first years. Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore. For another, the group of exchange students from America were weird - Percy Jackson especially. It had been an unprecedentedly hot summer so far, and despite having known Percy for almost a year, Harry had never seen the guy in anything other than a long sleeved shirt and jeans. He knew Percy was ripped (some of the shirts were very tight) so it wasn't like he had anything to hide, was it? That, combined with the (much more important) fact that he occasionally disappeared for hours at a time and returned exhausted, beaten up, bloodied, and covered in this weird fine golden powder was definitely not normal. Sometimes he was even gone overnight, and returned the next morning looking like he hadn't slept in days. His friends weren't quite as mysterious; Hazel was open and friendly, but occasionally got a faraway look in her eyes, zoning out completely; Jason was intimidating and looked like he was powerful - and knew it - but was he balding already? He had a long strip along one side of his head where he had no hair whatsoever; and Piper was pretty. So pretty she looked like she must have been photoshopped (and yes, Harry knew that was impossible), but any boy brave enough to hit on her was thoroughly embarrassed in some way; whereas Nico was just way scarier than a 14 year old boy had any right to be. All of them had nervous ticks as well - be it fiddling with a pen, twisting a ring or pulling at clothing around their hips.

Harry shook his head. He had completely lost his focus on his homework. He groaned and started to pack away his many rolls of parchment, deciding to give up and go to bed, he would finish his essay tomorrow. He ran his hands through his hair, and pushed his glasses up his nose. He was exhausted. N.E. . They certainly lived up to their name. He was exhausted - nastily - and the work was definitely testing this wizard in many ways. Testing his intelligence. Testing his patience. Testing his bloody sanity. N.E.W.T year was a bitch. Harry was jolted from his thoughts for the second time that night when none other than Jason Grace crashed into the low table he was working at, tripping over it and crushing the much smaller, much lighter Harry underneath him.

'Shit, sorry Harry.' Jason bent down and helped him to his feet.

'No problem.' Harry replied, bending again to pick the shattered remains of his glasses of the ground. 'No lasting damage.'

'Sorry, anyway.'Jason shrugged sheepishly, walking back towards his friends.

'Reparo.' Harry muttered under his breath, pointing his wand at the remains of his glasses. He had to go to bed before he cursed one of those rowdy exchange students into oblivion.

Gathering his work back up, after it had been scattered across the floor during Jason's collision, he started climbing the stairs to his bed. He was definitely over worked and over tired, because he could have sworn that Jason had literally flown across the room unsupported.

Stone dust and smoke and rubble and fire and screams and sobs filled the air. Harry's vision was black. He couldn't breathe. He was panicking. Where was he? Why was he here? What was happening?

'NOOOOO! Fred no! Don't do this, you're going to be ok, you're ok, you're ok, you're going to be fine...'

The voice trailed off into sobs. Didn't Harry know that voice? Yes, yes he did! That was Percy Weasley. Why was he here? Hadn't he fallen out with the rest of his family?

Gradually the blind panic faded, and Harry clawed his way out from under the rubble. He could see one, two, three members of the Weasley clan around him. And there was Hermione. But where was Fred? And what was Percy crying over...

Suddenly, the dots connected in Harry's head. Oh god. Oh god. Not him. For fuck's sake not him. He couldn't be gone. He couldn't...

Suddenly Harry was awoken by screams. It wasn't an unusual occurrence these days. Everyone had nightmares now. These screams were different. Worse. And for once they weren't his. Harry's body finally caught up with his mind. Someone was screaming. Harry leapt out of bed, grabbing his wand on his way. He looked around the dorm frantically, searching for the source of the distress. It wasn't hard to find. Ron, Jason, and Nico were all crowded around Percy's bed. Staring down at him in anguish.

Percy Jackson was thrashing in his bed, soaked in sweat and - was that blood? He was screaming incoherently in what sounded like another language in some places. Tear tracks ran down his cheeks, a stark contrast from the dark blood oozing onto his face from where it looked Percy had scratched at his own face.

'Why aren't you trying to wake him up?' Harry asked, his voice hoarse. What would you have to go through to get nightmares like that?

'It's not a good idea. Just-just believe me. He has to get through it on his own. Or if she was here...'

Harry wasn't sure who had replied. He was still staring at Percy in horror when the boy's body convulsed even more violently. Suddenly Percy's eyes snapped open and he took a massive, gasping breath. Before a shudder ran through his entire body, and he curled himself in on himself, lying in the foetal position as his breathing calmed.

'Percy,' Jason whispered eventually, his voice eerily calm and pained. 'Explain. Right now. I thought they'd stopped?'

'They hadn't.' Percy's voice was scratchy and lower than usual from screaming. 'I guess I just forgot to put up the silencing charm Harry taught me.'

'But you don't usually wake up covered in blood.' Jason continued to press, crossing his arms over his chest. 'What was it this time? Titan war? Giant war? You know... down there?'

'Uhhh... None of the above? And this was a bad one. I guess I reopened that hellhound scratch on my back. Will said it would probably take a while to heal.' Percy continued to mumble into his pillow. Harry was starting to get very confused now. Two wars? And where was 'down there'? Bloody hell, what had this guy been through?

Jason wasn't backing down.

'Shirt off then, if you're not sharing. Let me stitch that wound back up.'

Stitch? Like in muggle medicine?

Percy suddenly stood up, looking frantic.

'No, no it's fine Jase. Honestly. I think it's just a couple of stitches. I can do it myself.'

Percy backed away towards the bathroom, grabbing two fresh t-shirts and a couple of pairs of boxers on his way, before spinning and slamming the door shut behind him. Why would he need two? Weird. Jason sighed and put his head in his hands. He stayed that way, then started to strip the blood and sweat saturated bedsheets off of Percy's bunk. He dumped them at the door, before walking calmly to a wall, yelling and punching it. He climbed into bed with split knuckles, and a smear of blood on the wall by his headboard. Ron looked at Harry, obviously not sure what to do, then shrugged and pulled the curtains around his bed. Nico walked out of the room and then reappeared a couple of minutes later from the bathroom, looking exhausted, collapsed onto his bed and promptly fell asleep.

Harry decided to go back to bed, and fell asleep to the sound of running water, a girl's voice coming from the bathroom, and Percy's groans and gasps of pain.

Percy had no intention of leaving the bathroom for a very long time.

After waking up to the entire dorm crowded around his bed - and an interrogation from Jason - Percy stormed off to the bathroom, praying that Nico would know to go and pick up Annabeth. He had only been waiting for a couple of minutes when Nico and Annabeth melted out of the shadows, Nico stumbling slightly at the amount of power he would have had to have used to shadow travel across the Atlantic Ocean twice in a row. Percy stared at his feet, leaning on the edge of the bath tub. He didn't mean to cause such a disturbance. He scowled. Annabeth was busy. She shouldn't have to come here for him. Percy vaguely heard Annabeth thank Nico for coming to get her, and telling him to get some rest. Why didn't that silencing charm work?

'Percy?' Annabeth was crouched in front of him. She looked blurry as tears clouded his eyes. 'Percy, you have to tell me about it. You know that's the only way it's going to get better. Now tell me. What was it?'

She knew better than to list options. He looked at her properly for the first time. He stared straight into her eyes and whispered:

'Gabe. Smelly Gabe.'

'Gods Percy. I'm here. You know that don't you? I'm here for you and I love you. Come here.'

She hugged him tightly, avoiding the long, still bleeding, jagged gaping wound running down the length of his back.

'Now turn around. Let me see what you've done to yourself this time. Shirt off.'

Percy turned and obliged, yanking his blood-soaked camp half blood shirt over his head, smiling at Annabeth's firm yet gentle tone.

'Oh my gods.' Annabeth mumbled incoherently about Seaweed Brains and hellhounds and Apollo. 'You're going to need more stitches you idiot. Four have come out. Lie on the ground.'

Percy did as he was told, pressing his face against the mercifully cold floor. Annabeth started running a bath, then grabbed a needle, some thread, and some nectar out of her bag. She poured the nectar over the wound in his back. It burned, and he gasped in pain. He could see the mixture of his own blood and the godly drink running onto the floor.

Percy closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of her hands and the sound of her voice as she constantly talked while she worked, trying to distract him from the fact that his back was literally being stitched together. It nearly worked.

After she had finished, Percy reached behind him and cupped her face in his hand. Turning his head sideways, he looked into her eyes, and gently stroked her cheekbone with his thumb. He knew she understood.

'I love you too Seaweed Brain. We'll talk about you're dream later. Now get up. Into the bath - the water will help.'

Percy stripped. He didn't care what she saw anymore. There wasn't anything she hadn't seen at this point, and trudging through the deepest pits of hell with her had broken any boundaries he might have had. He slowly lowered himself into the steaming hot water, gasping slightly as it touched his fresh stitches. He settled into the water, relaxing as he was surrounded by the heat. He heard the door open and close as Annabeth snuck into the dorm to grab a couple of pillows and a duvet off Percy's bed. She came back and changed into his boxers and old t-shirt.

'I love you so much Wise Girl. So much'

He watched her sit on one of the pillows next to the tub he was in, avoiding the pool of blood and nectar on the floor. They could clean it up in the morning. He reached up and took her hand, smiling.

'Seaweed Brain, you have no idea how much I love you.'

Annabeth reached down, tracing the map of scars that covered his body. They talked quietly for hours, about the dreams, and the quest, and school, and the kind of nonsense they always talked about to distract themselves. Eventually, Percy climbed out of the water, dried off, and put on the second pair of boxers - not bothering with a shirt. He preferred to sleep shirtless, but he couldn't let the others see his scars. He just couldn't. They wouldn't understand.

They put the pillows and duvet into one of the dry bath tubs. Percy got in and lay down, and Annabeth climbed in after him. She lay on her front on his stomach, their legs tangled together. He knew she would be listening to his heart. It reassured her.

They talked quietly for a bit longer. He reached down and interlocked her fingers with his, then kissed her gently on the top of the head. Neither of them slept much. They just stayed there in silence, revelling in the other's presence, and warmth, and breathing, and heartbeat.

Harry stretched in his bed when he woke up. He yawned, then frowned, remembering why the bed across from his was empty and stripped down. Jason was sitting on his bed, slowly bandaging his busted hand. Harry lay in bed for a bit longer, staring at the ceiling, not talking. Just thinking. Where was Percy? Maybe he had gone to the hospital wing after getting cleaned up a bit. There was nothing Madame Pomfrey couldn't fix. He rolled over and grabbed his glasses, seeing Ron's foot (which was sticking out the gap in the curtain) beginning to stir. He slowly sat up, subconsciously rubbing his scar like he always did when worried. He looked around the dorm again. Jason was still just sitting there, glaring at the wall. Ron's curtains had been opened, and his mop of ginger hair was hanging off the edge of the bed. Nico was still completely out of it.

Harry stood up and started walking towards the bathroom.

'You might not want to go in there'

Harry ignored Jason, not really sure if he was the one being talked to, or even what it meant. Why shouldn't he go into his own bathroom?

Well... Harry opened the door and found out. The first thing he saw was a manky reddish-brown stain on the floor, that he was certain wasn't there yesterday. Was that blood? And if it was, why was it so... gold? The second thing Harry saw was the more unexpected of the two. And given that one of those things was a huge pool of blood...

There was a very scary, athletic looking girl lying on Percy's stomach, with her legs between a nearly naked Percy's. They were both lying in the bath tub. The girl glared at Harry, and slowly put a finger to her lips, before glancing up towards Percy. He was asleep, and she obviously didn't want to wake him by moving.

'I told you you shouldn't go in there.'

Jason had appeared at Harry's shoulder and talked very quietly, obviously not wanting to wake Percy. Harry felt Jason's hand close around his shoulder, pulling him out of the doorway and closing the door gently behind him. Harry was very confused.

'Who was that? What's she doing here? Why are they in the bath? How did she get in here? Did Percy not go to the hospital wing? Was she wearing his boxers?'

Evidently Ron had woken up, and seen past Harry into the bathroom.

'Look, I'll answer you're questions, but please be quiet. He doesn't sleep well most of the time, as you may have gathered after last night.' Jason sighed and sat down on the edge of Percy's bed.

'Before I start, understand that they've been through more than you can even imagine'

'Excuse me, we fought in a war last year. I don't remember any of you Americans coming over to help.' Harry wanted to facepalm. Ron had already interrupted.

'Well they've been through two. Percy led a war at age 16.' Jason retorted, glaring at Ron.

'That was Percy's girlfriend, Annabeth. They really love each other, and I've honestly never seen a couple who care about each other more than they do. You both know that Percy had a nightmare last night. I'm hoping you managed to suss out on your own that it was pretty bad. Percy is an idiot. He would never let anyone worry about him, hence the silencing charms and the clamming up. Annabeth is the only one he really talks to, because most of what he's gone through, he went through with her. Why they're in the bath? They probably didn't want to lie on the floor, but also wanted privacy. No, Percy wouldn't go to the hospital wing. That would mean he was badly hurt, and like I said before, he doesn't like to worry also doesn't let anyone other than Annabeth see him shirtless - ever. If he went to the hospital wing, everyone would see him. She probably was wearing his boxers, she won't have waited to pack before coming. And they're 18, so... they've done stuff, sometimes in places they shouldn't and they constantly get walked in on. But they're really comfortable together, and he likes it when his shirts smell like her. As for how she got here... that would be Nico.'

'One more question," Harry said, shifting on his feet. 'What's that stuff on the floor?"

'Oh is that all? That's just blood.' Jason was looking at Harry like it should have been obvious.

'Yeah, sorry about that. Hope it doesn't stain.' Percy was leaning against the door, holding hands with Annabeth, his signature smirk plastered across his face.

'If story time is over, I need to get back to camp. Sorry Seaweed Brain, but my mum needs to see me.'

Percy pouted as Annabeth talked.

'Are you sure you need to go? Can't you stay for one more day?'

'Sorry, but I'm needed at the Empire State Building - Piper's mom has a problem with her temple.'

Percy grimaced before responding.

'Okay you better go deal with that' he conceded. 'We wouldn't want her to get mad at us again.'

Jason hugged Annabeth, though she still held on to Percy with one hand, then turned and walked over to wake Nico up.

Annabeth stood up on her tiptoes and gently kissed Percy.

'Love you, Seaweed Brain. I'll see you soon. And if you pull any of stitches I swear by all the gods, I will gut you like a fish.' She smiled sweetly and walked away with an extremely groggy and angry looking Nico.

Percy looked a bit lost for a moment now that Annabeth had left, but was obviously in a much better mood than he had been the previous couple of days. Harry walked over to the window and looked out. It was only 10:00 in the morning and the sun was already beating down (as much as it did in Scotland anyway).

'What should we do today guys?' Harry asked, turning to face his friends. 'It looks like it's going to be a scorcher.'

Percy suddenly got a very mischievous look in his eyes, turning to Jason and yelling.

'Swimming!'

Jason groaned, but quickly gave in and agreed to go. It seemed that - like Harry - Jason didn't have the heart to refuse while Percy was obviously so happy.

Harry didn't like swimming. He was bad at it, and he hated taking his shirt off. Would he go? Yes. Would he actually swim? No.

'Come on,' Percy exclaimed, excited, 'trunks on - meet me at the lake in 15 minutes!'

Harry watched Percy go through his trunk, picking out some clothing and disappearing back into the bathroom.

By the time Harry got in to change into his trunks and a t-shirt, the 'blood' stain on the floor was gone.

Percy crashed down the stairs, wearing his trunks, flip flops, and swim shirt. He never went swimming shirtless with other people. Except for Annabeth. Annabeth was different. To distract himself, Percy grabbed Hazel from where she was on the sofa in the common room, throwing her over his shoulder.

'Percy!' She squealed. 'Put me down right now.'

'Fine.' Percy dropped her back on her feet, pouting. 'But you have to come swimming with us.'

'Okay, just let me go get my swimsuit, I'll meet you at the lake?' Hazel ran off to the girls' dorm without waiting for an answer.

Percy sprinted out of the castle and down towards the lake, as though he could somehow outrun his problems and his nightmares. As though he could run to Annabeth. He reached the lake and lay down in the grass, fiddling with Riptide in pen form. Every item of clothing he owned had at least some sort of pocket - he had never forgotten that time with the laistrygonians and the gym shorts where people had nearly died because he hadn't had it.

He sat there, lost in thought, until his friends joined him.

Hazel was walking down with the other girls. She had obviously stopped to grab the other girls in her dorm, as Piper and Hermione were both carrying towels and wearing their swimming costumes. Jason was holding Piper's hand, and looking at her appreciatively. Ron and Harry were trailing behind looking somewhat uncomfortable - although Harry was still wearing a shirt. That was weird. Percy didn't think Nico would be joining them, after all there was no way Will would let him shadowtravel back yet.

'Hey, Aquaman. Heard you had a visitor last night.' Piper teased, winking at him conspiratorially.

'Shut up and start swimming Beauty Queen.'

Harry and Ron had finally arrived, and Ron was moving to join Percy, Jason, Hazel, Piper, and Hermione in the water. Percy frowned. Why was Harry wearing a shirt? Then suddenly, something clicked. Something that Hermione had told Hazel. Something he could most definitely understand. Percy pulled Ron over to the side before he could join the rest of the group in a game of chicken further in.

'Hey, man. You've known Harry for what, eight years yeah?'

'I think so, yeah. Why?'

'In all the time you've known him, have you ever seen Harry take off his shirt?'

Ron stammered, obviously confused. 'I dunno, mate. I mean - I must've at some point, but... I don't know... I can't seem to... I mean, I've shared a room with the guy for 8 years.'

Percy may not have been Einstein in the book smarts division, but gods was he good at emotions and instincts and street smarts.

'And his relatives,' Percy continued, 'Hermione told Hazel about them. They didn't treat him well, did they?'

'No, they didn't. They ignored him, and neglected him, but Dumbledore never let it get worse than that.'

Percy turned, and continued to walk out of the lake. He could hear Ron calling after him, but the voice ceased and Percy could sense Ron moving further in towards his friends. Percy had way to much experience with the Dumbledores of the world. Never let it get too far. Yeah right. Percy needed to have a little chat with the boy who lived. Everyone else was going to find out eventually, and hey. No time like the present.

Harry sat down at the edge of the lake with a sigh. He watched as Ron went in and talked to Percy - who was sending him concerned glances - before continuing deeper to the rest of the group. Percy stood where he was for a couple of seconds, during which Harry wasn't sure what was about to happen, before turning to face Harry and making his way over. Percy walked up the bank and sat beside Harry in the grass. He was quiet for a few minutes, before taking a deep breath and beginning to talk.

'Everyone's always made fun of me for not being smart.'

Harry winced slightly at this statement, having thought it many times himself.

'But while I might not be the most academically achieving,' Percy continued, 'I am very good at reading people. I'm very good at following my instincts, and I'm very good at seeing other people like me. Which is why I'm about to do what I'm about to do.'

Harry was getting worried now. What was going on? But then Percy seemed to steel himself, before reaching over his head and pulling his swim shirt off in one fluid motion. Harry gasped at the scar tissue underneath - who wouldn't? - but then everything suddenly made sense. Because Percy had them too. He wasn't alone.

'I just wanted you to know. It isn't your fault. It was never your fault. It was whoever did this to you, and whatever dumblybastard left you there. And you don't need to talk to me, or show me, or anything. But you aren't the only one who has scars.'

Because Percy had scars. Terrible scars. Ones that looked like knives had been driven deep into his body. Patterns of claw marks that had ripped flesh from bone. Bite marks and deep cuts. Harry could just see a still healing, possibly infected by the looks of it, cut running from one shoulder to the opposite hip on Percy's back, held together with dozens of neat stitches. There were other, less noticeable scars in his eyes, too. But that wasn't what mattered most to Harry. What mattered most to Harry were the small circles of burned flesh where cigarettes had been extinguished on Percy's skin, the jagged cuts on his arms and chest that could only come from a broken bottle, and the pattern of once flayed flesh Harry knew from experience were left there by a belt. Percy was right. Harry wasn't alone, it wasn't his fault.

Harry pulled his shirt over his head. Because if a guy a broken as Percy could face his inner demons, so could Harry.

I (thankfully) have no experience with abuse. I did my best with what I know, but if anyone better informed wants to contribute, I will listen and amend this accordingly.

- FeatheredShadows xx