Percy skipped that night dinner, because by now, everyone would have been talking about the things Professor Umbridge about Percy, and he was so angry at the new professor he could barely looking at her because if he did, he would forget about everything and destroy her. But Percy could not do that, he couldn't get kick out of another school and make his mother worry sick about him once again. So Percy skipped dinner that night to cool off.
Percy headed into the Forbidden Forest, to where there was no creatures and no man would set their feet there, Percy uncapped his pen and it transformed into Riptide. The dim, bronze light reflected from the moon lighten the ground surround him, and Percy swung his sword and started to going through all his moves. And from then, his mind was clear and his body take over him. Percy moved with elegant, wielding his sword and cut the air with it. It was as though Percy was dancing, and when he finally stop, and looked at the watch, dinner was already finished.
So Percy headed back to the castle, with his wand illuminating the light from its tip to light his path back to the castle. Percy passed the Whomping Willow as he headed upward to the hill and toward the castle, its leaf was starting to turn yellow and he noticed that there was no light in Hagrid's cabin. Percy met some Hufflepuff senior when he arrived at the corridor, who were whispered something about Harry and himself.
"Harry says he saw Cedric Diggory murdered …"
"He reckons he duelled with You-Know-Who …"
"Come off it … And did you heard what Umbridge had said… to Percy..."
"Brutal…"
And it make Percy wondered what he had missed. So Percy sprinted back to the Gryffindor common room, passed loads of other students and heard loads of other rumors and in a minute or so, he was at the stairs and before he knew it, he was in front of the portray of the Fat Lady.
"Mimbulus mimbletonia." Percy said before the Fat Lady could ask, then he climbed inside and found the trio were at the chairs by the fire, Harry was doing his homework while Ron and Hermione were having a small fight with the Weasley twins, while a long line of first and second year students were taking candies from the twins. Some of them were unconscious in their seats, some slid from the floor, others merely hung over the arms of their chairs, tongues lolling out.
"Yeah, you're right," said George, nodding, "this dosage looks strong enough, doesn't it?"
"I told you this morning, you can't test your rubbish on students!"
"We're paying them!' said Fred indignantly.
"I don't care, it could be dangerous!"
"Rubbish," said Fred.
"I say it dangerous," said Percy, and everyone looked at him. "and I say let's giving them to Umbridge."
And everyone was now looking at Percy, eyes wide open.
"No, we will definitely give it to Professor Umbridge." said Hermione.
"I'm just saying, it will be very cool to see what happen to that… jerk." said Percy.
"I heard what happened, all of us," said Hermione. "that woman is just…"
"Yea, we all do feel the same then, so… can we continue with the candy and Umbridge?"
"We agree." the twins said the same time.
"We will do no such thing." said Hermione. "just hanging there Percy."
A few first years were now stirring, and it seemed that only now the twins noticed them, and it probably because of the conversation about poisoning Umbridge.
"Feel all right?" said George kindly to a small dark-haired girl lying at his feet.
"I-I think so," she said shakily.
"Excellent," said Fred happily, scribble something into his clipboard before Hermione snatched it and the paper bag which Percy guessed that it contain the candy.
"It is NOT excellent!"
"Course it is, they're alive, aren't they?" said Fred angrily.
"You can't do this, what if you made one of them really ill?"
"We're not going to make them ill, we've already tested them all on ourselves, this is just to see if everyone reacts the same-"
"If you don't stop doing it, I'm going to-"
"Put us in detention?" said Fred, in an I'd-like-to-see-you-try-it voice.
"Make us write lines?" said George, smirking.
Onlookers all over the room were laughing. Hermione drew herself up to her full height; her eyes were narrowed and her bushy hair seemed to crackle with electricity.
"No," she said, her voice quivering with anger, "but I will write to your mother."
"You wouldn't," said George, horrified, taking a step back from her.
"Oh, yes, I would," said Hermione grimly. "I can't stop you eating the stupid things yourselves, but you're not to give them to the first-years,"
The twins looked thunderstruck. They both looked really concerned by Hermione's threat. And with a threatening look from Hermione, she thrust the clip board and the bag into Fred's arm, and stalked back to her chair and Percy joined her.
"Thank you for your support, Ron," Hermione said acidly.
"You handled it fine by yourself," Ron mumbled.
"And you, where were you? We disappeared at dinner." said Hermione, anxiously.
"Well you heard the news, I was angry, I need sometime to cool off." said Percy, looked down the coffee table and saw a dish of mashed potato with lamb chop on the side. "Is that for me?"
"Yea, we thought that you would be hungry so we grabbed you some." said Ron.
Percy didn't realized he was hungry, not until now. "Thank you," said Percy, and he digging in. "Oh, and I heard you have attention with Umbridge on Friday?"
Harry didn't say anything, he seemed annoyed, Hermione and Ron nodded. "Angelina is not going to be happy." said Percy, then started on his dinner.
Hermione has been stared at her parchment for a few second now, then said edgily, "Oh, it's no good, I can't concentrate now. I'm going to bed."
Hermione gather her stuffs and wrenched her bag open, but instead of putting them away, she pulled out two woolly object, place them carefully on the coffee table, covered them with a few screwed-up bits of parchment and a broken quill and stood back to admire the effect.
"What in the name of Merlin are you doing?" said Ron, looking up from his parchment.
"They're hats for house-elves," she said briskly now stuffing her books back into her bag. "I did them over the summer. I'm a really slow knitter without magic but now I'm back at school I should be able to make lots more."
"You're leaving out hats for the house-elves?" said Ron slowly. "And you're covering them up with rubbish first?"
"Yes," said Hermione defiantly, swinging her bag on to her back.
"That's not on," said Ron. "You're trying to trick them into picking up the hats. You're setting them free when they might not want to be free."
"Of course they want to be free!" said Hermione. "Don't touch those hats, Ron!"
"Okay, Hermione, I know that you think you're doing them a favor, but unless they wanted to, you can't do this to them," said Percy. "It's just… wrong."
"It's not wrong Percy," Hermione said angrily. "I am setting them free."
She turned on her heel and left. And not until Hermione was out of sight that they started talking again.
"They should at least see what they're picking up," Ron said. "Anyway …" he rolled up the parchment, "there's no point trying to finish this now, I haven't got a clue what you're supposed to do with moonstones, have you?"
Harry shook his head, "It's a potion ingredient," said Percy, another spoon full of mashed potato in his mouth and eat. "I think it's for the Draught of Peace?" It's sound more like a question. "And in several Love Potion."
Ron then opened the parchment again and both Harry and Ron scribed them down. "You know this?"
Percy nodded, and place the plate down at the table after he had finished. Harry and Ron then asked them a few more, about the Unicorn horn power and the Salamander blood. Before they all get tired and Percy started to get confused one by one, and they said they'll checked in the book for more before they all headed to bed.
The following day just as leaden and rainy as the previous one. Hagrid was still absent from the staff table at breakfast.
"But on the plus side, no Snape today," said Ron bracingly.
"Easy for you to say, I have him," said Percy grimly and take a sip of his coffee.
Hermione yawned and poured herself some coffee. She looked pleased, and when Ron asked why, she simply said, "The hats have gone. Seems the house-elves do want freedom after all."
"Wouldn't bet on it," said Ron, Percy nodded along.
"And it looked more like a pile of rubbish than hats." said Percy, "guessing they threw it away." and Hermione stopped talking with him that morning.
Double Potion could have been worse if Percy have failed the Draught of Living Death. On the board already were the instructions, it took Percy a few minutes before he could figured it out.
Add theInfusion of Wormwood
Add the powdered root of asphodel.
Stir twice clockwise.
Add the sloth brain.
Add the Sopophorous bean's juice.
Stir seven times anti-clockwise.
As Snape had said, with his lazily, low accent, "The Draught of Living Death brings upon its drinker a very powerful sleep that can last indefinitely. This draught is very dangerous if not used with caution ... This is an extremely dangerous potion. Execute with maximum caution. Now get to work."
And Percy did, with maximum caution, and with a little help of his power to wield water, he managed to make a near perfect one, while everyone else had trouble doing it. And when they he handled him a flagon with his sample, Snape looked at it for a while, then back at Percy, he then said, "Near perfect, needed a bit more of asphodel, the Sopophorous bean should been crush, not cut, to release more juice, and should stayed on the fire a bit longer." he then bit his lips and put it away. And Percy thinks that, even if Snape didn't admitted it, Percy knew he did quite well.
And only after lunch did Percy has another class, so until then, he headed to the Great Hall to do his homework, or at least to try to do it. "What kind of potion is capable of reversing the effect of Draught of Living Death?" Percy whispered as he going through his textbook, painfully. As word flow by and his feet started to tap, Percy could barely figure it out.
The day had become cool and breezy in the afternoon when Percy dragged himself to Herbology, and to heard lecture for the first fifteen minutes of the lesson before Professor Sprout started to talk about Venomous Tentacula. It was one of the most dangerous tree in the greenhouses, it could actually kill somebody if they wasn't careful enough.
"I want an essay in details of the Venomous Tentacula by the end of the course, and once again, be careful, use any precaution if necessary." said Professor Sprout.
Percy was glad to get out of the greenhouses that afternoon. And afar from the greenhouses, Percy saw the trio were near Hagrid's cabin, Percy guessed that they were having Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Grubbly-Plank. Percy also saw Ginny passed by with Luna trailing behind. Percy thought of going there as well, but the amount of homework he now has, Percy can't just let it lie there and covered with dust, so he headed to the library instead.
Percy didn't know how long he had stayed at the library, but he knows he felt asleep half way through it. Felling disappointed after a few seconds of being his head on the table, Percy putted his stuffs back into the bag and headed to the Great Hall for an early dinner. When Percy got there though, the trio already finished, or at least only Harry when he stormed out of the Great Hall and get his first detention with Umbridge.
"Angelina was furious with him." said Ron, who was chowing down a chicken wing. Sat across him was Hermione, sipping her drink from the goblet.
"Anyway to get him off the hook?" asked Percy as he sat down next to Hermione and poured himself some juice and filled his plate with some foods.
"Hardly doubt that." said Hermione, not rather looking up. "He made quite a fuzz."
"He has the right to," said Percy. "Even though he shouldn't have done it."
"Did you just suggested that he should let that Umbridge woman do whatever she wants to do?" said Ron, feeling annoy of Percy's idea.
"No, just saying that he should take it and leave it, shouldn't mess with teachers," Percy paused, taking a bite of his steak. "they are the higher power here." Percy then looked up, checking the ceiling which reflect the sky to see if Zeus was about to sent down any bolt of lightning to light him up, but then he remembered that here is where the mist is thickest.
"Anyway," Percy continued. "How's the classes?"
Ron, Percy and Hermione sit in front of the fire in the common room doing their homework. Percy was trying to read his book and writing his essay on Venomous Tentacula, while Ron and Hermione practice the Vanishing Spells on the stuffs around them. At one point, Percy was floating in the air, not realizing it, until Hermione Unvanishing the chair and Percy was sitting on his chair again.
And Common room, when everyone else was in their dorm while Percy just sit there and to bare the thought of having nightmare at night when he asleep when Harry entered the Common room and headed straight toward the dorm and not realized Percy was sitting there on the chair. But finally Percy gave up, and headed to his dorm as well, and he lay there on his bed and close his eyes and fallen asleep.
The next morning when Percy wake up and sat down at the Gryffindor table with Hermione and Ron but Harry was nowhere in sight. Not until they finished breakfast when he arrived. Harry said he needed some time to came up with something Divination, and he did, something to do with buying a new pair of shoes, which was normal enough so Trelawney won't make anything weird out of it.
Percy hurried himself to Binns' classroom, while the trio headed to the North Tower for Divanation. And not like many other teachers, Binns did not take his fifteen minutes to talk about this year changes but right away begin the lesson, and even though Percy tried his best to stay awake, he couldn't resist the urge to sleep. And so he missed half the class and from time to time he popped up from his desk without receiving any attention from Binns.
The rest of the day was the same and it was uneventful. Professor Burbage was still rambling about the Internet in her class, when Percy headed to the field near Hagrid's cabin for Care of Magical Creature to learn about the Porlock by Professor Grubbly-Plank, he noticed that the cabin still empty, and he was nowhere in it. And Professor Burbage and Professor Grubbly-Plank gave him more homework to be ready for N.E.W.T for newt year. And Percy is getting tired of being annoy from them.
And at dinner, Angelina tracked Harry down once again, and learning that he won't be able to attend Friday's Keeper tryout, and she was not impressed by his attitude and that she expected players who wished to remain on the team to put training before their other commitments. And she also warned Percy that if he gets into any trouble regard the team, she would kick him out. "Chaser are easily to find Percy," said Angelina. "And I heard there are some bright talents ready to took your place." And she was gone.
Harry on the other hand though, was a complete difference story. He just couldn't keep his cool.
"I'm in detention!" Harry yelled after her as she stalked away. "D'you think I'd rather be stuck in a room with that old toad or playing Quidditch?"
"At least it's only lines," said Hermione consolingly, as Percy took a bite of his pie. "It's not as it it's a dreadful punishment, really …"
Harry's about to say something, but he close his mouth and nodded.
"I can't believe how much homework we've got," said Ron miserably.
"Well you gonna have a lot more of that this year," said Percy, shared the same miserably.
"I heard you're doing quite well in class," Hermione said.
"That doesn't mean i'm doing quite well with my paper and my homework." Percy paused, a headache rushing toward him and Percy grabbed his ice cold goblet and put it at his forehead to numb the pain.
"What's wrong?" asked Hermione.
"I don't know," said Percy, still holding the goblet at his forehead. "I have these headache ever since last year."
And that keep them quite, and they all headed to class, and once again, the classes were uneventful, and Percy couldn't careless, after all he has been through, he could use a little uneventful, focus on his study, trying to get those grade up, making his mother proud, and living a little bit. But his homework situation, though, is a bit different from what he imagine hem would be. They were getting harder than ever, and Percy has little to no help with his homework.
Percy had sent a school owl to Annabeth, seeking help, and she said she would help him, she just need sometime and some document from the Hecate kids from camp. Annabeth also told him that Luke had moved to San Francisco with Annabeth as well, and now he's working for his father, at one of the Hermes Express at San Francisco. Annabeth's father though, was not very happy with Luke at first, "but he'll come around." Annabeth wrote in her letter.
Thursday passed in a haze of tiredness. They were all sleepy, all except Hermione. And Harry still has his detention with Umbridge, and Percy is trying his best to keep himself invisible in front of that Umbridge woman. He read his book, or at least try to read his book, tried to stay awake in class, sometime he succeed, sometimes he's not, and the time when Percy's not, he tried to remain as calm as possible, but of course he failed from time to time, and at one point, he made a water pipe in the class bursted and they had to vacant the room.
And that night when Percy returned to the common room, he saw Harry just also returned from his attention with Umbridge, and along with him was Ron, lingering out of the stairs.
"I'm not laughing," said Harry. "It's a brilliant idea! It'd be really cool if you got on the team! I've never seen you play Keeper, are you good?"
"I'm not bad," said Ron. "Charlie, Fred and George always made me keep for them when they were training during the holidays."
"So you've been practicing?" said Percy, appeared in font of them.
They both flinch, but then relief again.
"Every evening since Tuesday ... just on my own, though. I've been trying to bewitch Quaffles to fly at me, but it hasn't been easy and I don't know how much use it'll be." Ron looked nervous and anxious. "Fred and George are going to laugh themselves stupid when I turn up for the tryouts. They haven't stopped taking the mickey out of me since I got made a prefect."
"I wish I was going to be there," said Harry bitterly as the three of them set off towards the common room.
"Don't worry mate," said Percy, patting Ron's back. "I'll be there, getting through loads of trouble, would have been shame if i'm not there."
"Yeah, - Harry, what's that on the back of your hand?" asked Ron, Percy turned his head quickly toward Harry.
Harry, who scratched his nose with his free hand, trying to hide it.
"It's just a cut - It's nothing - it's -"
Percy grabbed Harry's hand, pulled it up to look at it. These are not cuts, Percy had seen enough of them to know what they looked like, but then again, these are cut, just not a normal cut, not by accident anyway. But instead, they looked like they were carved into his skin. Harry then pulled his hands back quickly.
"I thought you said she was just giving you lines?" said Ron, looking sick.
She's torturing Harry.
The thought arcing through Percy's head.
"The old hag!" Ron said in a revolted whisper as they came to a halt in front of the Fat Lady, who was dozing peacefully with her head against her frame. "She's sick! Go to McGonagall, say something!"
"No," said Harry at once. "I'm not giving her the satisfaction of knowing she's got to me."
"Got to you?You can't let her get away with this!"
"I don't know how much power McGonagall's got over her," said Harry.
"This is torture Harry," said Percy. "We have to do something."
"Yeah, something, Dumbledore, then, tell Dumbledore!"
"No," said Harry flatly.
"Why not?"
"He's got enough on his mind," said Harry, he seemed trouble.
"Well, I reckon you should -" said Ron, then the Fat Lady, who was sleepily now burst out, "Are you going to give me the password or will I have to stay awake all night waiting for you to finish your conversation?"
Friday dawned sullen and sodden as the rest of the week. Up at the staff table, Percy noted there was no sign of Hagrid what so ever, and Percy started to have a migraine. And not long from then, Percy realized he was standing on the Quidditch field, after a long day of sitting in classes, with the goggle from Hermione dangling on his neck.
Percy noticed Ron was standing in a somewhat small crowd, those who want to be the new Keeper. And George and Fred Weasley smirked at the sight of Ron, trying to hide his tall self. And Percy noticed Hermione, sitting on the right stand, watching them, with a book on her lap to keep her company.
And soon enough Percy was standing with Angelina as Chasers to test those who want to be the new Keeper. Percy and Angelina played with them, Percy glided and dashing through the air, they passed the Quaffle around, toyed with them, until they scored. The first one, Mormon Valdes, defending the goalposts poor enough, let Angelina scored twice and three times from Percy. After that, Vicky Frobisher doing a little bit better, blocked once or twice from Percy and Angelina, but almost fell from her broom. The third one, "Geoffrey Hooper" Percy heard, was pretty good as well, while the fourth one was terrible. And then there's Ron.
He dodged a Bludger exceptionally well, but then fumbled an easy save from Percy. And they can all say that Percy was going easy on him, and maybe some of that were true, and some of that wasn't. But in the end, Ron did exceptionally well, and he was chosen to be the team new Keeper.
Percy, Hermione and Ron celebrate all the way from the Quidditch to the common room, carry along with them were a few bottle of butter beer, drinking on their way to the common room, with treats filled all of their pockets. In the common room when they arrived, The Weasley twins welcome their brother as if he was a king now.
"Our brother, Ronal Weasley, the newest member of the Quidditch team," said George.
"Make us proud kiddo," said Fred. "Make us proud, or else kiddo."
"Did they just compliment me?" asked Ron, dazed.
"Yea, and threaten you at the same time," said Percy, looking at Hermione, then back at Ron. "But that's brotherly love i guess."
And then the twins disappeared, and a roar sounded around them, then with laughter. Harry then came inside from the other side of the portrait, into the common room.
"Harry, I did it, I'm in, I'm Keepers." said Ron, couldn't stop himself from smiling when telling Harry.
"What! Oh- brilliant!" said Harry, who seemed trying to force himself to smile.
"What's the matter with you," asked Percy, handled him a bottle of butter beer. "Have a Butter beer."
"I can't believe it." said Ron. "Even Hermione is celebrating."
"Of course I am," said Hermione, the book was no longer with her, but instead, goblet of butter beer was with her. "I'm happy for you, and I'm celebrating with you."
"Okay Hermione," said Percy, grabbed the goblet from her hand as he chuckled. "I think some of us are having a little too much drink for tonight."
And Percy placed the cup down before placed Hermione's arm around his neck and help her get into the couch to rest.
"We're gonna need someone to bring her up to the dorm later." said Percy. "She's so tired right now. I don't think she can even see right."
"Ask Ginny then," said Ron, then he drink again.
And as Ron moved away, Angelina came striding up to Harry.
"Sorry I was a bit short with you earlier, Potter," she said abruptly. "It's stressful this managing lark, you know, I'm starting to think I was a bit hard on Wood sometimes." She was watching Ron over the rim of her goblet with a slight frown on her face.
"Look, I know he's your best mate, but he's not fabulous," she said bluntly. "I think with a bit of training he'll be all right, though. He comes from a family of good Quidditch players. I'm banking on him turning out to have a bit more talent than he showed today, to be honest. Vicky Frobisher and Geoffrey Hooper both flew better this evening, but Hooper's a real whiner, he's always moaning about something or other, and Vicky's involved in all sorts of societies. She admitted herself that if training clashed with her Charms Club she'd put Charms first. Anyway, we're having a practice session at two o'clock tomorrow, so just make sure you're there this time. And do me a favor and help Ron as much as you can, OK?"
Angelina then turned toward Percy.
"You too Percy."
Harry nodded, then Percy nodded along after he putted Hermione down on the couch.
"Oh, Harry, it's you… good about Ron, isn't it?" Hermione said, blearily. "I'm just so - so - so - tired," she yawned. "I was up until one o'clock making more hats. They're disappearing like mad."
"Great," said Harry. "Listen, I was just up in Umbridge's office and she touched my arm …"
Hermione listened closely, Percy then leaned in as well, eavesdropping. Harry told Hermione about the pain, when Umbridge touched it, but instead of the cut on his hand, Harry felt it, across the scar on his forehead.
Hermione said slowly, "You're worried You-Know-Who's controlling her like he controlled Quirrell?"
"Well," said Harry, dropping his voice, "it's a possibility, isn't it?"
"I suppose so," said Hermione. "But I don't think he can be possessing her the way he possessed Quirrell, I mean, he's properly alive again now, isn't he, he's got his own body, he wouldn't need to share someone else's. He could have her under the Imperius Curse, I suppose …"
And then Percy took a sip from his cup, noticed everyone else in the common room. Until Hermione speak again. "But last year your scar hurt when nobody was touching you, and didn't Dumbledore say it had to do with what You-Know-Who was feeling at the time? I mean, maybe this hasn't got anything to do with Umbridge at all, maybe it's just coincidence it happened while you were with her?"
"She's evil," said Harry flatly. "Twisted."
"She's evil alright," a thought appeared in Percy's head, taking another sip.
"She's horrible, yes, but ... Harry, I think you ought to tell Dumbledore your scar hurt."
Harry seemed hesitated about the idea.
"I'm not bothering him with this. Like you just said, it's not a big deal. It's been hurting on and off all summer-it was just a bit worse tonight, that's all-"
"Harry, I'm sure Dumbledore would want to be bothered by this-"
"Yeah," said Harry, before he could stop himself, "that's the only bit of me Dumbledore cares about, isn't it, my scar?"
"Don't say that, it's not true!"
"I think I'll write and tell Sirius about it, see what he thinks-"
"Harry, you can't put something like that in a letter!" said Hermione, looking alarmed. "Don't you remember, Moody told us to be careful what we put in writing! We just can't guarantee owls aren't being intercepted any more!"
"All right, all right, I won't tell him, then!" said then got to his feet. "I'm going to bed. Tell the other two for me, will you?"
Harry then walked passed everyone in the common room, passed Percy as well as he made his way to the dorm for a sleep.
