Chapter 36: Loss
Harry whipped his wand up to deflect the spell which hurtled towards him. After rounding the corner he, Ron and Hermione had run into Percy and Fred battling with eight Death Eaters. The three of them had thrown themselves into the battle eagerly. Harry had woven a single large shield over their little group as they battled, though now the earth magic was starting to drag on his strength.
The Death Eaters were all dressed in black robes which gave off a sense of wrongness. Last time Harry had seen the Veil cloaks they had been decorated with runes; apparently someone had refined the technique because Harry didn't see a single rune, though he was focusing more on the Death Eaters wands than on their sense of style.
As Harry hurtled his own spells through the faltering earth magic shield he became increasingly glad that he had convinced Yugi to remain with Yami. "Stupefy." Harry snapped. One of the Death Eaters deflected the spell.
Hermione gave a cry of pain as a flash of spell-light ricocheted of a stone, shattered Harry's shield and grazed her shoulder.
"Stupefy." Harry yelled spinning to protect Hermione. A flicker of something in the corner of his eye distracted Harry, but he forced his attention back to the opposing force as a stunning spell shot past his face. Percy was battling two on one with a pair of the Death Eaters and Fred lunged forward to join him.
Harry was forced to jump backwards as a wave of killing curses shot through the air over his head. Harry shoved Hermione aside and suddenly two Shades whirled through the air over their heads.
It took Harry only a heart-beat to recognise both Shades. Yami and Bakura. "What are you doing here...Stupefy." Harry snapped and aimed at one of the Death Eaters. Hermione was scrambling to her feet. Yami didn't reply, instead his shadows dropped closer to the ground and became incredibly still.
There was a hesitant pause in the battle when everyone else noticed the two Shades, then Bakura surged forward with a snarl of fury. Harry's eyes were on Yami. The Shade was curled in on himself and Harry could hear a low groaning coming from Yami's vicinity. Yami sounded like he was in pain. Harry hesitated as Bakura hurtled everything he had at the Death Eaters.
Thankfully the Death Eaters had all turned to the greater threat and Harry was given a moment to think.
Where was Yugi?
If Yami was here then Yugi had to be somewhere nearby, but if Yugi was nearby then he was in danger. Yami had given him his word that he would keep Yugi safe. It wasn't Yugi's fight and the young elf had promised Harry that he wouldn't get involved. Harry realised he should have made Yami promise as well, but he hadn't thought that the Shade would want Yugi to be fighting.
Harry cast his eyes around, but they were inevitably drawn back to Yami's agonised form. If Yami exhausted himself protecting Harry then Yugi was in danger. Yami was Yugi's only protection from Voldemort. Harry was no use as a guardian while the Dark Lord hunted him.
Yami needed all his strength. Harry dragged out his wand; Bakura was focusing his attack on three of the Death Eaters so Harry took on a fourth. The more Death Eaters that died, the less Veil magic there would be to damage the Shades.
"Stupefy." Harry roared. His spell caught the masked man dead centre and he collapsed.
Bakura surged forwards and with a final scream of fury he slammed full force into the wall behind the Death Eaters. The wall buckled, the stones cracking under Bakura's raw power and the ceiling began to collapse. Harry grabbed Hermione by the arm, noticing Ron doing the same from the other side, and they bolted through the raining stones for the safety of the corridor behind them.
As they ran down the corridor, the ceiling and walls collapsing behind them, Harry was thrown to the ground by something slamming into his back. Hermione and Ron tumbled down on top of him.
Instinctively covering his head to protect his skull from the boulders Harry could hear tumbling down behind them Harry hoped that Bakura hadn't brought the whole school down on them.
Harry slowly lifted his head as the crashing stilled. Hermione lay to his left with Ron half over her, shielding her from the potential collapse of the ceiling. Fred lay half on Harry a nasty cut decorating his forehead. Percy was nowhere to be seen. Fred crawled to his feet carefully touching his head and wincing. "What the hell happened?" He asked groggily.
Harry scrambled to his feet. "Yami and Bakura happened." He said through gritted teeth. As soon as he found Yami Harry intended to give the Shade a piece of his mind. He was supposed to be looking after Yugi, not following Harry around trying to drop the castle on their heads. "Yami where are you?" Harry yelled.
There was a sudden rush of shadows and Bakura flashed out from the sifting dust and shot back up the hall. Harry shuddered as the Shade passed around them and then peered through the dust for Yami. Their Shade's exhausted voice filtered through the dust. "Here, remain where you are and I will find you." Harry gritted his teeth, folded his arms over his chest and started tapping his foot against the ground.
Ron and Fred had started searching for Percy, calling and pushing aside rocks.
Yami came much slower than Bakura had. His shadows seemed stiff and tired, however he had fought the Veil magic had obviously taken a lot of Yami's strength. "Yami." Harry snapped.
The Shade shifted over to him and struggled into human form. For a moment he just looked at Harry blankly, his eyes dull with exhaustion, then Yami's eyes widened and his head snapped around and fixed on the wall. Yami snarled something which Harry was certain was a Shade curse. "Yugi. Yugi, where are you?" He called through the dust.
Harry froze. "You brought Yugi with you?" He demanded. Harry's heart was clenching painfully in his chest. If Yugi had been under the rocks when the ceiling fell...Harry shoved the thought aside, it was an option too painful to think about.
"Of course I did, I could not leave him alone. I left him near here..." Yami's voice was high and utterly terrified. "I heard him, just a second ago..." He had stepped closer to the rocks and was peering through the rubble desperately.
"Yugi!" Harry and Hermione both yelled out.
Coughing came from nearby and a dust coated Yugi crawled out from behind a rock. Yugi's skin shimmered with elfin magic, a shield to protect him from the falling ceiling. He wobbled over the unsteady ground and fell into Harry's arms. Yami shuddered and stepped closer. "Are you alright?" Harry asked, still glaring at Yami while he hugged Yugi tightly.
"Fine." Yugi said on the breath Harry squashed out of him. Harry had to admit that he look alright, he was dirty but unharmed.
A cry of agony and desolation rocked around the collapsed corridor, cutting off any further thoughts of reprimand.
Harry looked up and saw Ron and Fred. They were shoving aside pieces of the walls and ceiling. Harry's heart skipped a beat. They had found Percy.
"He shoved me aside." Fred choked out as he pushed the last stone off of Percy's chest.
Harry looked down at Percy's crushed and bloodied face. He seemed almost peaceful; Harry wished the dead wouldn't look that way.
Ron crouched next to Percy. Harry set a hand on his friend's shoulder, feeling his form tremble beneath his fingers as he sobbed for his brother.
It was strange to think that the Weasley's would be devastated by the death of their least liked brother, but Percy had finally seen the light. To die just after he had been reunited with his family was overwhelming. Harry's arm tightened around Yugi, the little elf was shaking with tears.
Fred slashed away the tears on his cheek and pulled out his wand. "That's it, they're going to pay." He growled. Red sparks shot out of the end of his wand.
Yami hummed softly, his eyes lifting as Fred and Ron's anger rose. "There are no others alive, they were all crushed." The exhausted Shade noted.
Fred grabbed Percy's limp arm and tried to pull him free. "There's a whole army out there." He told Yami.
Yami nodded and bent to help Fred pull his brother free of the rocks which had killed him. "Revenge is a dish best served boiling." Yami commented.
Fred gave a hollow laugh and with Ron and Yami's help they hid Percy's body in a nearby alcove. Fred pulled out his wand. "Hey Harry, I thought you were supposed to be finding Voldemort." Harry swallowed; he had never seen the normally cheerful twin look so cold. Yami shifted his weight, his eyes still on Fred as he drunk in what energy he could. Hermione reached out and touched Fred's arm, her other hand was being held by an equally angry Ron.
"Don't worry Fred. We'll get him." Harry promised.
Fred nodded sharply and then as the sounds of the battle reached them again, he turned and bolted down the still empty corridor. Ron jerked slightly as though he wanted to follow his brother, but Hermione held him back.
Yugi shivered. "Harry are you alright." He asked quietly.
Harry looked down at Yugi. He looked worried and when Harry glared at him, Yugi flinched. "Don't think I'm not angry at you." Harry looked over at Yami, who was doing his best to be invisible while retaining human form. "Or you, I told you to keep Yugi out of this. That was the deal." Harry glanced back at Yugi.
Yami growled. "I am aware Harry. However when the darkings abandoned you due to your proximity to Veil magic Yugi convinced me that we had to do something to assist you."
"We would have been fine and Percy wouldn't have died." Harry snapped.
Yami twitched his shoulders in a vaguely dismissive and uncomfortable shrug. "While your anger is refreshing I believe there are more important things to be done. We need to find Voldemort and kill the snake."
Hermione silenced Harry by grabbing his wrist, and then she looked over at Yami. "Do you know how everyone else is doing?" She asked. Harry knew she was trying to defuse his anger, but it wasn't helping. Percy was dead and they were no closer to killing Nagini than they had been before.
Yami shook his head. "The darkings are all gone from the castle. I can sense the Shades fighting, but they are very tired. Fighting the Veil magic is exhausting and there are more Death Eaters than I had originally thought." Yami sighed. Yugi wriggled in an attempt to go to his Shade, but Harry held him tight. Yugi had used up a lot of strength and he needed to stay close to Harry to recover.
Ron sniffed. "Look this is all great, but we need to kill You-Know-Who." He pulled free of Hermione and looked at Harry. "Where is he?" Ron demanded. "Look into his head."
Harry met his friend's furious gaze, he wanted to refuse, but in Ron's eyes Harry could see the pain of Percy's death. It wasn't Harry's place to refuse his friend something now, so Harry nodded and allowed his eyes to fall closed.
It should have been easy, to fall into Voldemort's mind. Harry's scar had been throbbing so constantly that he no longer noticed it, but when Harry was ready, nothing happened. Harry opened his eyes. "I can't." He said.
"Oops." Yugi said softly. "Hold on Harry, let me undo some spells." Yugi tiny hands brushed against Harry's face and the pain in Harry's scar increased ten-fold. This time when Harry's eyes fell closed a familiar set of rotting walls rose to the surface without conscious thought.
Lucius Malfoy stood uncomfortably on the other side of the small and dusty room. "My Lord, I only ask that I be permitted to find Draco." Lucius begged. He looked worse for wear, his robes tattered and his face stained with dirt.
Voldemort tightened his grip on his wand. "If Draco were alive then he would come here. If he has defected to Harry Potter then his death is of no concern." Voldemort's voice was high, cruel and utterly untroubled. Something else was bothering him. "No Lucius, you will go and find me Severus. I have need of him." The wand was cool to the touch despite his grip on it. The wand was powerful, but it fought him. Something would have to be done about that.
"My Lord, surely it would be best to go and look for Potter." Lucius tried, the coward obviously did not wish to enter Hogwarts and fight his way through the Shades. After all he had not been given a cloak made from Veil magic and his wand was not tied to that unfathomable power.
Voldemort turned and lifted the Elder wand, Lucius cowered away. "I have no need to find Potter, he will find me before tonight is over." Voldemort lowered his wand and glanced at Nagini. She was protected now within the glittering sphere the Elder wand had created for her. She was safe until Potter was dead. Of course it was possible that the Shade presence in the castle could still be a danger to her.
There was no telling if the infinite power of the Elder wand would be enough to protect Nagini from the anger of the Shades. Lucius was edging towards to door. A wand flick stopped the cowering Death Eater in his tracks. "Lucius, how goes the battle?" Voldemort asked softly. The better his Death Eaters fought the faster Potter would come to him.
Lucius swallowed and straightened up. "Well my Lord. The Shades are strong, but their method of fighting the magic from the Veil is rapidly exhausting them. They will not be able to fight much longer. Once the Shades are finished then the humans and the elves will fall quickly under our control."
"Good." Voldemort flicked his wand and Lucius bolted from the room as fast as he could.
Harry opened his eyes. "He's in the Shrieking Shack and the snake is with him."
"He's not fighting?" Ron asked.
"He doesn't think he has to, he thinks I'll come to him." Harry winced. "Well he's right I guess, we have to kill the snake and she's with Voldemort."
Harry looked between his friends and frowned slightly. Was it just him, or did Yami actually look worried. Harry looked at Yami and the Shade stared blankly back at him. "Do you wish me to come with you or shall I take Yugi back to the tower?" Yami asked.
Harry hesitated, there was a question. Yugi needed to be safe. No matter what else happened tonight Yugi had to survive, but Harry could see that Yami was in no shape to protect the little elf. Yami needed strength and to get that strength he would need to enter the battle and allow his emotive spells to function. "Come with us, at least as far as the Shrieking Shack. As soon as we get there you two go and stay in the Forbidden Forest, you should be safe enough there."
Yugi opened his mouth to protest, but one look at Harry's face was enough to tell him that arguing was not going to get him anywhere."'Alright." Yugi consented.
Harry considered Yugi's strength and decided that he was alright. So he handed Yugi over to Yami and pulled his wand back out. "Right, let's go."
Harry jogged off, following Fred's path. They left Percy behind; they would find him again later and mourn him properly. Yami shifted back to his shadows and Yugi vanished within them. The two of them led the way towards the sound of fighting.
Ron and Hermione ran half a step behind Harry, the presence of his friends was a comfort and helped to lessen Harry's nerves. It almost felt like stage fright.
As they ran they passed the remnants of battles. Death Eaters lay dead, but so did a frightening number of students and the occasional elf. Harry choked back tears at the sound of Yugi's sobs as they passed the slumped bodies of his kin.
As Harry jumped down a second flight of stairs they finally encountered some other humans. McGonagall, her hair loose charged around a corner towards a group of seventh years struggling against four Death Eaters, she had her wand in her hand and directed a herd of galloping desks towards the besieged group. "Attack." She yelled swinging her arm forwards.
She was so intent on the attack McGonagall didn't even notice the three humans and their Shade pause to watch. Harry shook himself out of the daze. He was tired and the throbbing from the over-active earth magic wasn't helping his concentration.
Harry took off at a run again. It took all of his strength not to turn and stop as they made their way through the corridors. Harry could do nothing more that send off the occasional jinx or summon up an earth magic shield around some of the overwhelmed groups of students and members of the Order as they passed.
As they ran they saw battles and death all around them. Some younger students, protected by elves, scurried around the school to gather the bodies of their fallen or injured comrades. Shade shadows flitted around the pale students, taking what strength they could before rolling away and re-entering the battle.
Harry had enough experience with tired Shades to realise that his army was nearing breaking point. The Shades couldn't keep up with the number of Death Eaters and the small number of students and adults who had arrived to help were not enough to turn the tide of this battle. Harry clenched his teeth. It was up to him, he had to finish this and stop the slaughter.
Harry hurried around the corner and skidded to a stop. The corridor where their Charms class had been was full of people. Hogwarts students, Kingsley and Tonks stood with their wands at their sides, watching four Death Eaters fight two Shades. Behind him Yami whimpered and backed around the corner. Harry shivered; he could feel the power of the two Shades running over his skin like a cold shower. Hermione and Ron edged closer together, pulling away from the emotive spells.
The Death Eaters had arranged themselves in a half circle all facing the two Shades. Harry had yet to properly watch the Shades fighting the Veil magic. Now Harry was given a good look at the fighting style Yami had devised.
One of the Shades, the older, hung back. He was very still and focused, ropes of his shadows reaching out and grasped two of the Death Eaters firmly. Or it should have been firmly. Harry could see the shadows shaking, whether from pain or exhaustion Harry didn't know, but it worried him. The younger Shade lunged forward, slamming his shadows into the two captured Death Eaters. Shields went up to defend, but as usual the shields were not effective. They buckled and faded and the Death Eaters staggered backwards.
However the two Death Eaters who were not being attacked by the Shades grinned at each other and lifted their wands. "No!" Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the other gathered watchers screamed. But they were too late.
"Avada Kedavra." Two beams of green light slashed out and both of them slammed into the older Shade's still shadows. Fourteen Stunning spells hit the two Death Eaters a second later. It was too late again.
The older Shade had given a faint scream of surprise and then he had simply vanished. His shadows wisped away like smoke on a breeze. The younger Shade snarled as his defence suddenly faded. He was forced backwards by the rising presence of the Veil magic. Taking human form beside Harry, who now recognised him as Sen, the young Shade glared at the spot where his partner had vanished. "Well that is inconvenient." Sen was panting with exhaustion and even as he stood there Harry could see that he was struggling to hold onto his human form.
The Death Eaters laughed in delight, but had to turn their attention to the humans who were now running forward yelling in anger. "Yami, come and help." Sen snapped.
Yami answered from around the corner. "No."
Harry winced, he knew that Yami wasn't currently strong enough to fight the Veil magic, but the Shade would never admit that to another Shade. Sen hissed in irritation.
Kingsley, Tonks and the Hogwarts students were now battling the two remaining Death Eaters and Harry itched to join them. The death of the Shade had encouraged the Death Eaters and the two left were fighting with greater enthusiasm now. They were probably trying to get through to Sen. Sen himself snarled. "You organised this, take strength from these humans. I need to continue to fight."
Harry was still frozen and watching the battle in front of him with horror. How was it possible that one of their Shades had been killed? Yami had told them that the Killing Curse couldn't kill Shades. Apparently the combination of Veil magic and Killing Curse was enough to destroy their biggest asset in this battle.
Sen was still hissing at Yami who refused to show himself.
Harry watched as more Death Eaters came down the corridor to join the fight. Sen gave growl of irritation and with a final snap at Yami he vanished around the corner, driven away by the increasing concentrations of Veil magic.
Hermione was pulling on Harry's hand and from around the corner Harry could hear Yami groaning in pain. Harry backed around the corner unwillingly. Yami's shadows were twitching and Yugi was standing beside him watching Yami's pain with obvious discomfort. "The Death Eaters killed…" Harry paused, he felt bad that he didn't even know the name of the Shade who had been killed.
Yami moaned and twitched his shadows. "Darvo, I am aware, please may we leave."
Harry bit his lip and looked around. He had no idea where they were and where the nearest secret passageways would be. "This way." Ron said, pulling back a tapestry. Yami was through it like a shot, scooping Yugi up as he went past. Harry and Hermione followed close of his tail.
As soon as Yami slowed down, obviously far enough away from the Veil spells to be comfortable Harry stopped completely. "Yami, if the Death Eaters can kill the Shades, what do we do?"
Yami took human form, his shoulders sagging with fatigue. "We finish this as quickly as possible."
Hermione shivered and hugged herself. "Sen didn't even seem bothered that Darvo died."
Yami shrugged. "You forget that we are not used to fighting together Hermione. The death of another Shade is not something that concerns us. Do not expect to see any Shade upset about the death of one of our kin."
Harry grimaced and was about to suggest that they make their way down to the Shrieking Shack when... "Ahhh!" Yugi screamed and pointed past Harry, eyes wide with surprise.
Ron's response was a little more drastic. He shrieked and ducked behind Yami. Yami had shifted towards Yugi and his shadows stretched out again to encompass them all. Harry turned with Hermione and his jaw dropped. Scuttling around the corner was an Acromantula. The huge spider paused for a moment and then lunged for them.
Ron bolted and Harry and Hermione followed quickly on his heels. Yami snatched Yugi up and hurried after them, pausing only to toss a spell at the spider which dashed after them. Thankfully Yami's attack was enough to deter the enormous spider long enough for them to reach the Entrance Hall.
Harry paused to catch his breath, only to notice that the doors to the hall were open and there were more spiders scurrying through them. Students and Death Eaters alike were screaming in surprise and turning their wands onto the attacking spiders.
Harry took a breath. "Right if we can make it through the spiders then we should be alright." He turned to look at Yami. "Yami, do you think you have enough strength to get us through?" Harry pointed at the spiders. There was a scurrying sound from behind them and the Acromantula they had already encountered skittered into the hall to join the fray. Ron shuddered.
Yami watched the spider for a moment before he nodded. "Of course."
Harry grinned and stepped forward. Yami thrust a surprised Yugi into Harry's waiting arms and surged forward. A huge figure appeared on the staircase. "No don't 'urt 'em." Hagrid roared. He smashed two surprised Death Easters over the head, stopping them from killing a nearby Acromantula.
Hagrid lunged into the fray, obviously intent only on stopping the spiders from being harmed. Harry couldn't stop himself. "Hagrid, stop." Their half-giant friend was running straight into Yami's path. The Shade was much more efficient in dealing with the spiders than the humans. Several Acromantula now lay crumpled on the ground, dead or alive Harry couldn't tell.
Too late, Hagrid noticed the Shade ploughing through the mass of people and spiders. Harry was running in Yami's wake, clutching Yugi to his chest when Yami's spells hit Hagrid. The half-giant froze up and within an instant the spiders had him.
Six Acromantula grabbed Hagrid and dragged him towards the door. "Hagrid!" Harry yelled, fumbling for both wand and earth magic. By the time Harry had cleared his mind enough to grasp the earth magic and had managed to juggle Yugi around enough to pull out his wand, Hagrid and the spiders were gone. Harry, Ron and Hermione were also now standing just outside the doors. People inside had barely noticed the three humans in the confusion of the spiders arrival and Yami's rampage through the hall.
Yami slid over to them. "Harry, give me Yugi." He said softly.
Harry could clearly hear the exhaustion in Yami's voice. Still he handed Yugi over as he watched the spiders carry Hagrid towards the Forbidden Forest. "Take him somewhere safe." Harry's heart was pounding. He needed to find Voldemort, but all he really wanted to do was to head for the Forest and save Hagrid.
"Where would be best?" Yami asked tiredly. A pair of dull half lidded eyes appeared in his shadows.
Harry didn't answer, his gaze remained fixed on the last of the spiders disappearing into the woods.
"Go to Dumbledore's office, it should be safe there." Hermione suggested.
Harry nodded slowly. "Good idea Hermione." He forced himself to turn away from the distant trees.
"Do you intend to kill the non-human now?" Yami asked. Yugi floated, still visible in Yami's shadows watching Harry with large sad eyes.
Harry shrugged. "If we can. I promise if I can't kill him or Nagini without putting ourselves in danger then I'll leave and come to Dumbledore's office. If I can then…well I guess you'll know anyway in that case."
"Very well." Yami murmured.
"Good luck Harry." Yugi whispered reaching out a hand to Harry.
Harry gave Yugi a tight smile and took his hand, squeezing his fingers. "Stay safe Yugi okay." Harry begged the little elf.
Yugi nodded. "I promise." He dropped his hand and Harry mimicked him.
Yami shadows tightened around Yugi and the two of them vanished around the corner of the castle.
Harry turned and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak. "Under here." He told Hermione and Ron.
"We can't fit under there." Ron pointed out.
"It's dark and hopefully we won't run into anyone." Harry said and threw the Cloak over himself and his two friends.
Walking arm in arm the three friends made their way towards the Whomping Willow. Harry grimaced; his scar was throbbing stronger now that Yugi's spells had been removed. Each time he blinked he received a flash of Voldemort's position. The Dark Lord was still in the Shrieking Shack. He was awaiting Snape's arrival and he was getting impatient.
Once they arrived at the Whomping Willow Harry pulled off the Cloak, they had passed several small groups of Death Eaters hurrying towards the castle though they hadn't noticed the three pairs of bodiless feet wandering around the grounds. The Whomping Willow, sensing people nearby began to swish its branches around threateningly. Ron grumbled. "How are we going to get through? If we had Crookshanks he could press that knoll."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "What do we need Crookshanks for? Are you a wizard Ronald Weasley or not." She snapped.
Ron's ears went red and Harry very politely and purposefully studied his shoes. "Right, err...Wingardium leviosa." He muttered.
The tree froze as a branch prodded the knoll on the side of its trunk. The three of them hurried down into the hole between the roots of the tree. They had been thirteen when they had last made their way through this tunnel and it seemed that Harry had grown a lot in that time. Now forced to crawl on all fours Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way as silently as they could through the tunnel and into the Shrieking Shack.
Harry wriggled around and pulled out his wand, though he dare not light it he still felt the need to be ready. Relaxing his mind Harry reached out to the earth magic as well, best to be as ready for anything.
Inside the Shrieking Shack, Harry checked each room carefully before they crossed it. Judging by the silence which permeated the dusty old house Voldemort was the only one here. The Death Eaters were all up at the school.
Harry paused and closed his eyes, a flash from Voldemort's mind told Harry that Snape had just arrived and that Nagini remained with her master. Harry snuck carefully around the corner and nudged the door open slightly. Voldemort's cold ringing voice echoed out of the doorway.
Hermione knelt next to Harry leaning in close to watch with him. Ron backed up a few steps and settled himself carefully on the dusty floor to keep an eye out. Harry was glad because as soon as Voldemort started speaking Harry's attention was entirely focused on the conversation between the Dark wizard and the traitorous Professor.
I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill Fred. I love Fred. I think that was the only part of the whole Harry Potter series which I genuinely didn't like. So I killed Percy instead. Sorry Percy.
Also this will be the last chapter for a few weeks. I'm off on another placement in the middle of nowhere and I'm not going to have internet access. The next chapter will be up in the first week of December.