Chapter Twelve

Percy

As classes came to a close, Percy and his friends spent a lot of time just hanging out. It was the last Sunday of the year, and they would be going home tomorrow. They sat under a shady tree, near the lake's edge. The squid waved lazily as it drifted passed, and they waved back. The squid was usually a troublemaker, but it seemed to like Percy and through him, his friends.

He thought about whether or not he should come clean to his friends. He had heard how half-humans were treated here, but he was sure they wouldn't mind. He didn't want them to have to carry his secret, though. Percy himself hated having keeping secrets. He remembered how painful it had been to know about Nico's parentage, to not be able to help him as he did things like travel the Underworld. He remembered his Achilles spot, and how paranoid it could make someone feel. He didn't want to do that to them.

He would tell them, but not now. Not while the sunshine was making him so sleepy, not while everything was so peaceful. Aeto sat in the sun, with Ron's rat Scabbers resting on his fuzzy side. Percy thought the rat was weird, usually animals instinctively fear hellhounds, but he supposed magical wizard rats might be different. At least Aeto had another animal friend.

Percy stood, stretching. He often ran through the grounds to keep in shape, and today he'd have his friends join him.

"You scrawny wizards need some training. You're coming with me today. Don't worry, I won't push too hard. For now, anyway." None of his friends seemed pleased by his announcement, especially when they realized he wasn't joking. They set off, jogging around the half mile lake. Percy sprinted effortlessly ahead of the panting wizards, and often looped back to yell inspiration.

"Wizards need to be fast too! You can learn to dodge anything with enough training!" He laughed at their sweaty faces. They did one lap, then the three wizards collapsed under their tree.

"You're…… bloody….. insane." Ron said, between gasping breaths.

"That was just one, little lap. I didn't even attack you, we'll practice dodging once you work up enough stamina." The three looked horrified at the thought of repeating this, and him making it worse. He waved at them, and set off on another couple of laps.

He stopped when he saw the merperson waving at him from the lake. He walked into the water, making sure none but his friends saw him vanish.

"Hey, I'm Percy. I've never met a freshwater merperson before." He said, and the merperson in question bared his fangs in a smile.

"We've never seen something like you, either. You walk on land, yet belong to the sea. Are you one of those wizards with their magical trickery?"

"Not really. I am going to a wizard school, but I really don't see myself as a wizard. I'm just a swordsman, giving me a wand was probably pretty dumb. I'm not a smart guy, and I've managed to blow up several things by accident. Wizards aren't all bad, by the way. My three friends are probably freaking out on the surface, they're good people." The merman nodded, green scales sparkling.

"We know not all of their kind wish to enslave us. The Headmaster has always been very generous and respectful to my people."

"I don't doubt it. I'll try to talk with you again sometime, okay? I'm going to go tell my friends I'm alright." He waved to the merman as he returned to the surface, heading towards where his friends stood on the lakeside. He pulled himself out of the lake, and plopped under the tree.

"Your clothes are dry!" Ron, and Harry sighed.

"Ron, he kept our entire team dry during the Quidditch match with the mad Bludger, remember?" Ron blushed, and grinned sheepishly.

"Oh yeah. Right."

"I've never seen a merperson in fresh water before, I didn't even know they would want to live inland. I wonder why he doesn't like wizards?" Hermione scowled, like she'd eaten something disgusting.

"One of the things I hate about the wizarding world is how poorly they treat creatures they think are inferior. Not just house elves, goblins, centaurs, and merpeople, but werewolves too."

"Maybe we could expand S.P.E.W, and make our cause helping all creatures who have been mistreated. It'll need a name change, but I think we're thinking too small." Ron groaned, and Harry looked uncomfortable.

"House elves like being enslaved. I don't know about the others, but we're just second years. Maybe you could lay off, let someone else save the mermaids." Hermione looked affronted, but Percy spoke up first.

"Being young doesn't mean you can't make a difference. I know a couple twelve year old midgets who took down old Voldy twice." Ron flinched at the name, and Percy crossed his arms.

"Names have power, Ron. But only when you give it. Say it with me, Voldy moldy Voldemort. Come on, it sounds like some kind of gross slime you find in a dumpster." Ron resolutely kept his mouth shut, and Harry laughed. Hermione seemed to think it was less taboo, and more like profanity.

They walked to Hagrid's cabin, Fluffy sleeping on a giant pumpkin. Hagrid had managed to somehow train him with rubber balls. They knocked, and Hagrid beamed at them. Fang and Aeto began to roll in the grass, and it woke Fluffy. Soon, all three were a tangle of wagging tails and play fighting.

They talked for a while, before heading back to the castle for dinner. The Great Hall was decorated for the end of term feast, and the excitement in the air could have been cut with a knife. Soon, Dumbledore stepped forward and expectant silence fell like a blanket over them all.

"Another year has passed us by, and a rather unique one at that. I thank you all for your bravery in the face of danger, and your ability to continue with your lives under the shadow of uncertainty. Not many can do it, but all of you did. You should be proud to call yourselves Hogwarts students. As tension rose and some chose sides, you didn't turn on each other like animals. " His eyes swept over the room, and the students sat up straighter.

"You didn't panic as your students fell one by one to a terrible monster cloaked in mystery. One of you even went so far as to sacrifice himself for the wellbeing of his fellow Hogwarts students. I would like you all to know how incredibly proud I am to have the pleasure of being your Headmaster." Dumbledore's eyes looked a little brighter than usual, and the students were still in rapt attention.

"Some of you will be leaving to find fortune on your own, and the rest of you will be returning to our fine school. However, once you wear a Hogwarts uniform, you are a member of this legacy. A legacy of persistence, bravery, loyalty, intelligence, and ambition! Join me, as we sing the school song." Everyone stood, and they began to sing. It was horribly off-key, and there was no set tempo, but it was beautiful. The twins finished last, singing in vibrant baritones to a slow funeral march. They remained standing, and Dumbledore spread his arms.

"The winner of the inter-House cup is… Gryffindor!" Cheers rang through the Hall as red and gold streamers filled the air. They then enjoyed the end of term feast, ignoring the glares from the Slytherin table.

Percy and his friends were again in front of the carriages with the odd horses, and they said their goodbyes. Most of them would be leaving on the train, but Percy had said someone would come for him after the ride. So, he stepped into his carriage, and vanished in a flash of blue.

Annabeth was standing beside him, and she blinked. Time had not passed here at all. Percy flopped into his usual spot at the Poseidon table with a sigh.

"You would not believe the year I just had." Annabeth laughed.

"I'll bet. Wizard level crazy or demigod level crazy?"

"Demigod level. Big snake and racism. I got Petrified, and had to fight Voldy again. But look at this:" Percy waved his wand at Jason, who was sitting just a little to their left.

"PERCY DON'T YOU DARE!" Percy smirked.

"Rictusempra" Percy said, swirling his wand with grandeur. Jason fell out of his seat, laughing his head off.

"Are… you… serious..?" He said between fits of laughter. It faded, and he pulled himself back up to the table.

"A tickle spell? You've been going to wizard school, and you use a tickle spell?" Jason huffed, but didn't pick a fight like Percy had expected. Maybe Piper had managed to turn him into a laid back guy after all.

"Well… I do know a few nasty curses. Like the Bat-Bogey hex and one that makes your toenails grow insanely fast." Jason looked like he severely regretted his last statement. Annabeth laughed at him, and Percy joined in.

Then, an owl landed on his head. It pecked him, and he swore.

"It's bad enough you owls terrorize me during breakfast, but now you're at dinner too?" Annabeth looked sympathetic, she knew it was because of the Athena- Poseidon rivalry that they messed with him. It was like her and spiders.

He tore open the envelope, to find a short letter in Ancient Greek.

His name is Thorne, and he can carry letters to your friends. He's yours now.

Percy looked at the owl on his shoulder, it was a dark brown with sooty spots. A white face turned to him, and it didn't try to take his eyes like most owls.

"Guess I've got a post owl now. His name is Thorne." Thorne hopped onto Annabeth's shoulder, and nibbled on her ear. Aeto leaped from his usual spot in Percy's hood, and tried to get him to play. This scattered everything on the table, but everyone was too busy laughing at the obvious look of disbelief the owl had on its face.

Percy smiled, he was back home.

That's it for Chamber of Secrets. Sorry if I didn't do well on this one, I'll do my best to improve. I have so many ideas on how to torture Percy- I mean so many interesting ideas about the future books. I'd love any kind of feedback, even hate. Constructive criticism is always welcome. It may be short, but I wrote it in like four days.

I couldn't find a way to stretch out the story without losing it's spark. Maybe there could have been more mystery, but I feel like it wasn't all that hard to figure out. Especially if you're a paranoid kid who's faced a bunch of monsters before. Wishing you the best,

Istalri