Chapter 12.0

Percy


It was the final day before Christmas break, and he was working with Snape in the dungeons. The two were wearing aprons, elbow length gloves, and goggles. It has become increasingly clear that nectar reacts incredibly violently to any attempt to alter it. It may not even be possible. Still, they kept at it.

Percy was starting to think Snape could almost be a person under all that grease and spite.

"Hey Snape, what's up between you and Lupin?" Percy had onced asked the same about Harry, only to be sneered at. Snape looked up from his report, and his eyes were cold.

"He and his friends played a prank on me that nearly killed me, and spent several years making my school life hell. We have a long history, Percy." Snape said, voice flat. Percy hadn't expected an answer, and certainly not one like that.

"Well, then I can see why you don't like him. I really hate it when people act like that, no decent person would spend his time putting someone else down." Snape looked surprised by his answer, and gave a short bark of laughter.

"You look a lot like one of the friends he was always with, but you couldn't be more different. Get back to work on your report, no more useless questions." They finished in silence, and Percy was thoughtful when he made his way back to the dorms.

Percy sat with his friends during dinner, which was a goodbye feast for the students leaving for Christmas. When they eventually filed out of the Great Hall, everyone was full and tired. They stopped short when they saw the empty, torn frame of the Fat Lady. A student ran for Mcgonagall, and she arrived a minute later. Peeves was floating over them, blowing raspberries.

"Peeves, do you know who did this?" Mcgonagall asked, looking up at him. Peeves laughed maniacally.

"I did, yes I did. Nasty temper he has, that Sirius Black." A few students were openly terrified, but Percy and his friends grouped closer to Harry. Percy kept his pen in his hands the whole way to the Great Hall, guarding the rear. A clatter of footsteps had him leaping into action, sword and shield activating instantly. He had Professor Lupin pinned to the wall, and the group of students had stopped. Percy didn't let go.

"Prove to me you're Professor Lupin, not Black using Polyjuice. What creature did we face in our first lesson?" Percy kept a cold glare on the man in front of him, and Mcgonagall stood with her wand at ready behind him. He surprised them with a chuckle.

"Moody would love you, right Minerva? Percy, we first faced a boggart. Yours had three forms, one of which is yourself." Percy lowered his sword, and let go of his teacher's collar. Lupin rubbed his neck, and Percy took a step back.

"Sorry about that. It wouldn't be the first time one of my teachers tried to kill me. And two of those people in question had your current job." Lupin gave a wry grin, and Mcgonagall returned to the front. Lupin joined Percy at the back, and Percy kept his sword out the rest of the way. They saw the other Houses in the Great Hall when they arrived, and he put away his weapons.

"Head boy and girl, I leave you in charge of your peers." She whisked out of the Great Hall, and Percy immediately began to rally them. Percy and his friends stayed close to Harry, silently giving him support. Dumbledore walked in through the massive oak doors, and the talking stopped.

"You will have to spend the night here, I'm afraid." He waved his wand, the tables flew to lean against the walls. A bunch of soft blue sleeping bags appeared.

"Curfew is in half an hour, do not leave the Great Hall." He left, and chatter filled the hall. The mere sight of Dumbledore was enough to calm them from the verge of panic. When the time came for everyone to sleep, Percy refused.

"Sorry Percy 1.0. I know what I'm doing, this won't be my first overnight watch. I'll do it with or without your permission, so you might as well let me take a watch while you sleep." The two Percys argued for a bit, but the older boy eventually relented. Percy took up a spot to the right of the doors, guarding his fellow Gryffindors. Other Percy sat in the middle, and the other Head Boys took up spots. It seems the boys would be taking the first shift.

After a few hours, the door creaked open. Percy shot to the ready, sword drawn in his right hand, his wand in his left. Dumbledore walked in, but Percy didn't relent.

"Tell me something the real Dumbledore would know. Either you tell me the other House that the hat wanted to put me in, or I start swinging." Other Percy was looking at him in horror, but Dumbledore chuckled.

"Remus was right when he told me you would hit it off with Alastor. If I remember correctly, Percy, you were a Hatstall between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff." Percy lowered his weapons.

"Why are you awake?" Percy gave a wry grin.

"I've got a bit of experience with late night watch, danger and I are old friends. And like you just saw, I'm one of the only students here who are paranoid enough to make sure you were you." Dumbledore chuckled, and Snape strode in. Snape hardly gave Percy a glance, he probably guessed Percy wouldn't meekly go to sleep.

"The dungeons have been cleared, and Nick tells me the other teachers haven't found anything either. Would you give some thought to what I told you at the beginning of this year, Headmaster?" Snape looked angry and exasperated, and Percy guessed it had something to do with Lupin. The only time he was that bitter was when he was around the raggedy teacher.

"If you are suggesting one of the Professors in this school helped him get in, no I will not. I have complete faith that no one I have hired means harm to my students." Percy grimaced.

"Uhm, what about Quirrell? Or Lockhart for that matter? In my experience, being paranoid keeps you alive. Trust shouldn't be given easily." They both turned to look at him, and Snape looked surprised he was taking his side.

"You can hardly expect us to believe that on face value, people trying to kill us isn't really something new. It would make it a lot easier for us to make sure we stay out of dangerous situations if we knew what danger we are trying to avoid. Quirrell and Lockhart both turned against us, who's to say it won't happen again? Either Hogwarts isn't as well protected as you say, or we have a traitor. Not my first time seeing that, either. But I wouldn't tell the students that, it would probably just cause chaos." Dumbledore seemed at a loss for words, but Snape gave him something that might have been a smile. Percy smirked at Dumbledore, who composed himself.

"We haven't figured out how he managed to breach Hogwarts, and I still hold firm in my belief that I can and do trust my staff. However, I do see that some information must be given. You and your friends can visit me after dinner tomorrow, I will let you know as much as necessary. In the meantime, I will go join Hagrid as he searches the grounds." He left the Great Hall, and Other Percy went to go wake up the second watch. Snape stood with Percy, and Percy spoke first.

"Why do you suspect Lupin? Is it because he's new, because of his past, or does he have some kind of reason to be particularly suspicious? Or is ir because he's a werewolf?" Snape again looked a little shocked, and Percy laughed quietly.

"That essay of tours made it easy to figure out. About six or seven of us Gryffindor students know, but we're keeping it from Lavender. You only look that bitter when you talk about him, or Harry. I understand why you would hate Lupin, what he did was wrong. I don't know what you have against Harry, but Lupin is the most suspicious of all the staff." Snape nodded.

"Lupin was a friend of Black's when we were students. Their little group was inseparable. Dumbledore will tell you the rest, but if he doesn't I sure as hell will. Being a werewolf is dangerous enough, but school pals with a convicted murder?" Snape looked quietly furious, and Percy couldn't help but grimace. It seems being half human is damming as he feared.

"I'm going back to watch, these kids don't have what it takes to do it right. And I'm the only one who could really do anything anyway. Their only dueling experience had Lockhart involved." Snape left, and Percy went back by the doors. He kept low, sword always in hand.

As the "watch" set by the Head Boys and Girls struggled just to stay awake, Percy remained alert. Aeto stayed by his side, just as alert as him. Percy thought about making the puppy get some sleep, but decided it was good for him to have his keen senses ready. As the magical ceiling showed the first hints of dawn, the door again opened.

The drowsy Head Boys and Girls stood clumsily, but Percy had the intruder pinned to the wall lightning fast. It was Professor Lupin again, or at least he appeared to be.

"Alright, teach. Answer the question, prove you aren't an impostor. What is my boggart?" Percy kept his voice pleasant, but his eyes burned into Lupin's. The teacher knew he was dead serious. The Head Boys and Girls cried out in alarm, and made to stop him. A few students woke up, and were shocked at the sight of Percy holding a teacher by his collar.

"It had three forms, a pile of corpses, a shadow monster, and yourself." Percy nodded and let him go, and Lupin stumbled. Lupin rubbed his neck with a wry smile.

"That was the right thing to do, Percy. Did you spend the whole night awake? You look tired." Percy scoffed, and finally sheathed his sword.

"No offense, but a bunch of kids aren't going to do much against a convicted murderer." The reast of the students were soon awake, and Percy went to where his friends were sitting. He laid flopped in his bed, and went to sleep.