Chapter 23: Why Half-Bloods Don't Ask for Directions
Words: 4,065
Recap: Tik… tok… time is up.
"Percy!" Lily cried my name, and I didn't fight the hard tug she had on me. "You can't just separate from us like that."
Sev nodded by her side, his usual pale look all the more stricken, "Yes, it's all the more important to stick together during a crisis like this."
I was dragged into joining the rest of the student body. I heard Slughorn informing them to remain calm while following the teacher's direction. Dumbledore's voice then echoed throughout the school, urgently informing everyone else to follow their Head of House's directions.
The kids are reasonably scared and confused. There was a piled up tension in the air as if waiting for the gun to pop from the slightest panic. The faculty didn't exactly prepare them with Active Monster Drills. I know the professors are trying their best to keep them safe and contained within the school walls, but I know first hand you can't find the answer from standing still.
I pulled both Lily and Severus aside, but Sev got swept away with the Slytherins, and only me and Lily got to be out of line. Without much time to search for him, I kept pulling her away until we were hidden a corner away from the mass.
"Percy, what—"
"No time to explain, I'm going out."
"Out?! Out where?"
"Out there." I pointed at the misty forest.
"The bloody hell you are."
"Listen!" I gripped both her shoulders and made sure there's no mistaking what I say, "The prophecy states the answer to this mess is in the Forbidden Forest. I need to find and save the school."
"Then I'll—"
"You can't come with me." Before she could get a word of protest out, I took her hand in mine and placed the bronze pen in it. The gesture reasonably shook Lily that she barely got two words out, "Percy... but this… this is—"
"—yours now. I'm giving ownership of Riptide to you. And I want you to use it to keep yourself and everyone else safe. There's no telling how long I'll be out there; until then, hold on just a little bit longer."
"But, but, what about you? I can't leave you all alone out there."
"I won't be." Technically, I'm not lying. I've got Ivan with me at all times.
Lily had a brief scowl where she was suspicious but then she looked resigned, tackling me into a hug. "Just hurry back, okay?" she softly said.
I hugged her back and gave a pat on her shoulder before we separated. We stood facing one another. I turned around first, taking a stuttering breath in. Then ran to one of the many backyards of the school that reached the Forest fastest.
"Perseus!"
I barely had gone a foot out before Albus had come and called me out. The sage-old man, who had shown to be infallible in one's face most of the time, was instead haggard. Never had I seen him with bags under his eyes, and his usual prim beard was tousled.
"Damn, Albus. You look like a mess."
The older man chuckled, but there wasn't a hint of his usual humor. "I was never good at handling Dementors; you're not the only one struggling with demons within."
A profounding statement, but so not the time. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be helping the other professors holding the line?"
"I figured that you would be marching into the enemy's stronghold by now, so I came to give you this." Albus waved his wand, and I waited two seconds of awkward silence. I began to think it was some kind of weird wizarding ritual to send people off with a silent treatment when a silver streak came flying. It came down, revealing to be the Gryffindor's Sword that had been the cause of my migraine for the rest of my day. Albus had no problem catching it. His fluid swing of the blade made me believe it was not the first time he handled a weapon in hand as all Half-bloods tend to have.
"Take it. May your darkest fear shall fall in the face of great courage."
I looked down at the Sword; the torches from the hall were enough to see my reflection from the silver blade, looking strained and determined in equal measure then back up at Albus. "How come you're sure I gave up my sword?" I asked him.
"There are many things I do not know, but I know you, Percy. And I know a true Hufflepuff would easily shed any burden to do what they believe was right."
I reached out my hand, hovering over the handle before accepting the weapon. I swung it once and twice, familiarizing the foreign weight in my hand. My heart already ached at the thought of not having Riptide with me.
"You're wrong about one thing, Albus." I glanced back and tried not to keep the pitch look on my face, "It wasn't easy."
Then I began running into the mist until the Headmaster was nothing but a mere shadow. While it wasn't all that thick, it certainly hyped the tension around here. The night's chill had shivers crawling down my skin. Oh, wait, no, wait... that's not the cold, that's just one of them, Dementors sneaking from behind—silly me.
I wasn't sure how I'm supposed to do this. Dumbledore said the sword could be summoned by someone worthy who needs help. And I vaguely remember Ares saying something about turning all weapons into my soulmate while I was zoning out that time I was summoned three years ago. Damn, has it been that long?
I wasn't sure what Albus meant about asking help from a building, but I closed my eyes like all the previous times I prayed for help. Skeletal fingers creeping up my shoulder like an unwanted message. And with a hard turn, I swung my silver sword. The blade went past where the wraith's neck should be and it snuffed out like a wisp of black smoke.
The relief pulled the breath out of me. My knees felt like jelly and hit the muddy ground. I took a moment to regain my bearing. I didn't need the hazy reflection from the sword to know I had a battle-ready grin.
The Dementors won't know what's coming for them.
. . .
"Seventh years with me, along with everyone else who masters the Patronus. Remember, you shall all remain calm and listen to what I tell you. Huddle together and do not, I repeat, do not go off by yourself!" Professor McGonagall made a strict order to her Gryffindors.
Lily watched as the nerves in the room only heightened. The rest of the professors tried their best to spread their version of Keep Calm and Carry On rhetoric to the other houses without the "Carry on" bit. The Great Hall felt more spacious than ever with the tables being set aside. The students were forced to huddle together 'less they want to join the teachers to defend the school. Though Gryffindors being Gryffindors, most of them already had their wand out and ready to be McGonagall's beck and call if need be.
Lily would have no problem joining them if she hadn't known beforehand what they were up against. Maybe a few others picked up on it, with the Patronus being a big clue, but none of them had experienced the literal soul-sucking experience she had with them while losing any will to live.
That and Lily couldn't bring herself to master the Patronus. Just thinking about having to face one of those Dementors was enough to give her cold feet. Not even Severus could master it in due time in all the time they practice together, and he was a way better wizard than her.
Mary clutched on her friend's arm, tight enough that it might leave an indent. Lily couldn't bring herself to say a word despite the numbing of her arm. "What's happening? Why are we supposed to stay put?" Her friend asked.
"The Professors aren't saying anything because there are Dementors inside school grounds," MG whispered from her other side.
Mary's face turned white sheet and she looked ready to scream if Lily wasn't quick to cover her mouth. "Quiet! Do you want the Hall razed from panic?"
"But, but, but Dementors!"
"Yeah, we got that." MG deadpanned, "Which is why we're huddled together like this so we won't be easy picking."
Her words didn't seem to reassure Mary, so Lily tried to soothingly pat her back. "Don't worry, the teacher here wouldn't let anything happen to us. I'm sure they know what they're doing." I hope she mentally finished. But it worked soothing the worry on her friend's face.
"At times like this, I would expect Potter to be the loudest in his 'Gryffindor way' and try being your shiny armored knight," MG commented.
Lily groaned, "Don't get me started on him."
That got her friends to chuckle, and her lips curled up from easing the frigid tension.
MG smirked, "Would that not be because Lily only has eyes for Jackson as her knight?"
She blushed frivolously before stabbing her finger to her side, "Don't even go there, Em. Because one, I can take care of myself. Two, a myopic chihuahua would make a better knight than Potter will ever be."
"He's not that bad," Mary twiddled her finger, head tucked down to hide the evident blush. "He's actually nice if you give him a chance."
Lily rolled her eyes, seeing her friend fawn over the 'nice guy' act Potter's putting on but said nothing.
Speaking of Potter, he's been quiet.
Too quiet.
Suspicion and trepidations assaulted her, "MG, have you seen Potter?"
"...no, I don't think I have." Her eyes widened, probably having the same realization as her, "In fact, I do not remember seeing him or any of his friends."
Gut dropping, Lily bulldozed her way through the crowd. She asked along the way whether anyone had seen Potter, Black, Pettigrew, or Lupin. The foursome's reputation spanned across even the other years. And yet, none seem to recall the last time they saw the guys, nor did she see them around the common room.
"Oh no," Mary gasped, "I remember hearing them about visiting the Forbidden Forest, something about 'muggle camping' they want to try. I didn't think that was today."
"Oh, those ragtag, bobtail, damn firebrands." She broke out from the crowd, her friend's cry falling deaf ears. The red-head was persistent in her push, stepping onward out and searching for her Head of House.
She was quick to spot McGonagall but didn't get so much as a foot close before her Head Girl, Bertha Jorkins blocked her.
"What are you doing here, Evans?" she said, "Didn't you listen to the teachers? Go back in there!"
"I know that. But Jorkins- "
"No buts! Maybe it's hard to wrap up with your little muggle-head, but this is a serious magical business. You can get seriously hurt." The Head Girl looked down at her as if she was disappointed after figuring out Lily as if it was that easy. "I know you're a brilliant student despite your background, but that doesn't make you any better than the rest, so stay put!"
"That's not… that's not what I… Jorkins listen to me, the boys-"
"I don't want to hear any excuse from anyone for that matter. If you try to get in the way of the teachers, then I'll personally paralyze any one of you, is that understood?!" The warning was addressed to everyone in hearing range, which is practically the whole hall. Considering the decibel in which she said, everyone heard and fell into a silent murmur.
Before Lily could even make another word of protest, she was fiercely pushed back into the crowd. She heard her housemates trying to dissuade her from complaining, calming her down as if she had not vanquished the eidolons in her first year, nor solved the mystery of the Founders, nor slain the Golden Dragon of Gryffindor, all while saving her supposed knights. Her cheeks turned flush from anger when no one, no one is remotely interested in listening to her.
Never had Lily felt as helpless as she did then.
'Fine, I'll do it myself.' She fell back to the crowd as asked. Since she can't go through from the front, she'll just have to go through the back. It was laughably easier and sneaked to one of the statues that held the secret tunnel to the side hall. Once out of sight, she broke into a run. Quickly as she could toward the Forbidden Forest, unbeknownst she was tracing Percy's step before pausing. Lily gulped at the sight of the mass trees. Dark flashes of the Dementors gliding within the shadows. She slipped her hand into her pocket and gripped the pen like a lifeline.
"Those boys better owe me big time for this," the red-head grumbled before running off into the misty woods in wild abandonment.
. . .
"I swear to all the gods, by the time this mess is over, Hecate better give me a damn good vacation spot because the Olympians owe me big time!" I shouted at the empty space once I cut down who knows how many Dementors. I shouldn't have gone headfirst toward the forest with only a Four-Step Plan in mind;
Step one, get past the Dementors.
Step two, go into the Forbidden Forest.
Step three, find the Primal Tree.
Step four, think of step five.
In hindsight, it's more of a concept than anything resembling a plan. Pursing my lips, I regret not bringing my broom to make the scouting easier because I'm having trouble with step three already. Even when there weren't Dementors on sight, the chill and terror they brought wasn't going away. The Forest too soaked with their auras; it was hard not feeling like I'm constantly one tree away from being the dumb friend in every horror movie.
"What's a guy gotta give to get some directions here?" I huffed as I strode further, careful to step over the roots with the help of the silver light guiding me. I occasionally gazed up at the stars, making sure not to lose sight of where I am as much as my mediocre astronomy knowledge allowed.
The sound of twigs snapping alerted me, and I had my sword facing at the source. The figure stepped into the moonlight, hooves stomping down the muddy path until revealing a lone Centaur with a bow ready at hand.
I had my hand promptly up in surrender, "I have an alibi; you can't prove anything!" I exclaimed immediately, extremely hoping they aren't one of the hostile bunch. I certainly do not have time to get sidetracked by one of them stubborn-headed mules.
Even as I stayed still, the Centaur kept on trudging onward. I braced myself for any sign of attacks until he began clopping past me without so much as a passing glance. My eyes warily kept him on sight even as he kept striding further away. I knew in my head there's no need to poke the sleeping snake, but there was no one to stop me waving a hand by his face, poking him with my sword, or nudging him by his shoulder. However, that last one was the last straw because he raised his bow, then pointed and shot at me.
I couldn't so much shout, "Wait!" before ducking. The arrow wheezing passed by me before I heard it lodge at a nearby tree. "Dude, you almost drilled a hole in my head."
Silence. The Centaur stilled before suddenly losing strength, and like a puppet with its strings cut, fell lifeless to the ground. I hastily went to his side to check his condition, he was breathing, but one look at his eyes and I knew what got him. I felt a lodge in my throat before deigning to close his eyes, letting him rest for as long as he could until real peace could take him.
"I'm so sorry," I mourned.
The shadows around me began to move, dim light emerging from the trees into a silhouette of a person. I held my breath and my grip tightened around the sword. Then, shimmering into existence were the forest nymphs. It was my first time meeting a dryad since becoming a knock-off Martin McFly. While the dryads from Camp Half-Blood were green and elf-like, Hogwarts dryads are turquoise and ironically mermaid-like compared to the merfolk. I wasn't sure if it was by choice or not, but they kept their legs attached to their trees' roots.
They crept close to the fallen centaur, lower body stretched out while she did. They waved their hands. Vines grew spontaneously from the ground and covered the weakly breathing body in green bindings. One of the dryads looked up at me. Her sad, piercing eyes met mine.
"We will take care of him," she said, and the ground collapsed beneath him. The hole then swallowed up the centaur before it closed up. I was about to ask what she'd do with him when a single sprout of plant began to grow as if to replace a life that was lost. Even though this was a kinder fate, I still felt queasy at the thought of a quadrupedal warrior becoming a fertilizer.
The dryads broke away from the group, and I cried out for them to stop. "Please, I'm looking for the Primal Tree. Can you help point to where it is?"
The group of wood nymphs exchanged glances with one another before turning back to me.
"There is little we can do to help."
"And little more for what we're willing to offer."
"Our Rotten sisters still roam for our spirits."
"The Forest is dying. We are dying."
"We wish not to court death into our arms."
Ooooh… kay… times like these that I miss Camp. The dryads and centaurs I know are less dramatics in their doom gloom.
"Look, I know things may seem bleak now but there's still hope. I just need to find the first planted tree of this forest so I could… do… something…" Way to be convincing, Seaweed Head, I berated myself.
The ladies were reasonably skeptical of me. But the one next to me kind of glides closer. Her face closely scrutinized me. I kept still even as she began sniffing on me. I was half-expecting her to lean in disgust after smelling like sewage spill onto a beach.
"He has the scent of our patron," she proclaims to her fellow sisters. They were shocked by the news before whispering incoherently.
"A blessing from the goddess?"
"What does this mean?"
"Could he really have a chance?"
The few whispers I managed to catch gave me a favorable outlook. They then ceased conversing before going back to their trees, leaving me on my own.
I gritted my teeth and tried to keep my temper at bay. "Oh, well, thanks a lot. Guess I'll venture through this quack course through your rotten brain sisters and hope they spare my soul."
The leaves rustled and branches creaked, but I was too pissed to notice there was no wind to make that noise.
"In fact, have fun hiding then. I doubt Mother Earth would have a good time laughing at you—" A tree branch bent abnormally and promptly slapped with enough force for me to whiplash. It didn't quite hurt but it did shock me senseless. Who would ever think I'd get slapped by a tree?
"You didn't… have to be that mad..." I rubbed my cheek, annoyed.
The tree flexed exaggeratedly before lifting my chin up and pointed at the big green arrow intricately made out of the numerous branches from different trees. The leaves glowed in the dark at the edge of the arrow and made out writings that said 'THIS WAY!' like a giant neon sign for any dumbass with no sense of direction.
"Oh," I said dumbly, "Err, thanks, I guess." The Dryad's hand popped out and gave a thumbs-up before ceasing out of sight. I looked back at the arrow then onward on the forest path until I found the next one. Deeper did I went into the forest, the more it became a different kind of forest altogether.
What I'm saying was how the trees here were white as bone. They were also as skinny as one that you'd have more luck hugging yourself in Hug a Tree day. However, the branches were almost abnormally large, and I wondered why it hadn't fallen off. It was snake-like in shape that I wasn't sure which branch started in which tree. I kept marching through the foreign trees, ducking under one branch and climbing another to find the next arrow.
'Honestly, just how far am I supposed to go?' is what I thought while wiping the sweat from my face. The wood nymphs seemed to have navigated me without attracting attention from any of the Dementors. I know the dryads are helping the best they could but I'm hoping the trees here would have a bit warmer welcome- wait!
Different trees… different dryads… now that I think about it, I hadn't seen a single Arrow Tree since stepping into Twilight Zone.
Di immortales.
I made a one-eighty and backtracked my way out of the weird section of the forest when I spotted a group of Dementors coming my way. My body hid behind a tree in instinct then realize it was too thin to hide me, so I looked left and right for a solution before deciding to climb up the trees, hanging on the branches,
Once I had a grip on it, I held my breath and waited. The chill crawled up my spine that I wasn't sure it was wholly because of the night breeze. Discreetly, I shifted to spot the three Dementors below. So I stayed still even as my heart wanted to burst. Waiting, waiting, waiting till they glided grimly away and out of sight.
"Urgh, this is the worst hide-and-don't-seek ever," I muttered under my breath. I rolled on my back and released a heavy sigh. My head was still drumming clearly for me to hear. I berated myself to get it together, but the pounding had been annoyingly persistent before realizing it wasn't coming from my head.
A loud boom without warning. Like a thunder without its lightning shocked me into jumping down onto the nearest obsidian stone, but slipped and tumbled down onto the glassy grass—sharp jaggs piercing my side. I bit my lip to keep my pathetic whimper silent. "What the… what was that..." and why does it sound familiar?
Getting to my feet. I was about to start running when the tension that had been wrapping the chilly air turned its claw on me. My muscles betraying me as I can't seem to get a grip of it, reminding me of the mounting terror that overwhelms every rational sense in your head.
Because standing up ahead, a figure that's not at all supposed to be here was there in his all imposingly regal black armor. Familiar purple skin with muscular arms, helm made out of magma, and the face of a whirlpool. My jaw loses strength at the impossibility before my eyes.
Tartarus turned his face toward me, and despite not having a face, there was no mistaking the cruel smile he had.
AN: Thank you for your patience, guys. I'm in the middle of a big project for my last year in college so it's been hectic enough that I have a hard time having time and inspiration to write this. I wanted to write Severus but sadly, he's put aside for the moment since I have a hard time shoving him between the scenes.
Anyway, time for the QR&A where I answer your questions and thank you for the luvs.
EinfachMia: Maybe I'll make a reference to that if I ever get the chance to introduce the Viking dwarfs.
BrightToilet: Thank you so much for the ever kind words. I try my best to not let the minor plot drag on and disrupt the main plot, but still get my point across so the readers will get the big picture of the situation.
Brade1991: Thanks for that, it's been fixed.
123www: ...and it still get worse muahahahahahaha
Scl04: Hehehehe, yeah it got dark. HP's dark theme and PJO's lighthearted narrative is such a good mesh that I have fun with it. I can't say much to your review because spoiler~
For now, the school strategy is for people to huddle up together. Because if you find yourself alone, then you'll be easy picking. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you as always for the luv :))
66buttercup99: Thank you as always :)
Folkluz21: No worries. We've gotten along so well after many reviews that I genuinely miss what you have to say. It's not a PJO story without some realistic shenanigans. And aaaawwww, I'm so happy that I manage to… drug… you.. I suppose?
I have no experience with trauma so the only reference I have is my own coping mechanism and things I research. I want to carefully write how Percy learns not to cast away trauma but to live with it without putting aside the story's plot. Michael the Lion isn't just Rhea's mascot and it needs to be reminded so! You have a bit Lily in this chapter and ye shall have more Sev in the next as well as the Marauders.
Oh, so you have Color Theory Class? I only learn one thing from youtube and I found the Magenta/Cyan/Yellow to be a fascinating theory behind them. My family is safely locked inside but sadly, my dad got covid. He's fine and isolated in his home, and shows no symptoms. I pray that he'll be fine.
Looking forward to hearing from you again, sampai jumpa!
CherryStoll: Thank you so much for the luv! Yes, Dumbly is a demigod. Hecate's his mother. And his brother and sister are mortal wizards.
Stjinbus: Firearms are useful but they waste ammo. Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold are not infinite and the kids mostly used either what they've been given or used weapons from the armory. Arrows are easier to use again after used on the field, but not bullets that can be squashed from impact.
I don't know about you, but I don't want a purgatory sword for a weapon. And mind if I take that Sir Render for future character? Because that's such a stupid name that no way A HP character wouldn't be called that.
PercabethPotter: You make me blush. No, I'm a wholly amateur. But writing fanfic does help me hone my writing through reference. My method is to outline the story in my head and then make it up as I go so not much I can teach you in my QRA. Go chat or ask me on my tumblr marisandini-chu if you're free and serious for advice.
Trashbake123: Thank you so much for the luv. I'm glad you enjoyed the characters so much. Rhea was supposed to teach the class how to handle Boggart but had to change it to accommodate the Patronus lesson. Also, Percy will show his big guns if the other side does as well so you don't get monstrous badass Percy just yet. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.
Zoomingaway: Every good fantasy needs that one wacky character, don't you think ;) Ivan is that character. I didn't think "take a trip" would give a whole new meaning there XD
As always thank you so much for the luv and review you took your time to write. I always love the reaction you gave though there's a lot of OH in this case so there's little for me to reply. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.
Person: Thank you for the warm words and criticism. I know the feeling of having to read a fic that hits the good part so the kinks make it all the more noticeable for any one to nitpick when reading. Though be patient with the epilogues here, Percy is revealed because more secrets are revealed in the later acts. Honestly, Percy is not the biggest foreshadowing in this fic. Have a little faith that I know what I'm doing (most of the time). That, and Harry deserves to have some bonding time with him. The poor boy has little to few people to look up to already.
I regret not expanding the side-character during the Lost Treasure too. But the Marauders got me caught up in their pace. So I showed more characters in this act. Also, canon is subjective. And I go down with the canon that Dementors can outfly a broom because it's scarier and cooler that way.
Black Victor Cachat: I doubt it was changed halfway, honestly. JKR confirmed she planned that way from the first book. But at least movie!Snape was more tolerable rather than hateful like in the book. There are things in the movie that didn't get the character from the book 100% right, but surprisingly after watching a review of it from Cinema Therapy, the direction they made for both Snape AND Harry in the movie became much more layered by cutting some scenes.
Annabeth will have her shine in the next act. Thank you for the luv, as always, and good luck on your fic!
Estelled Maxwell: Thanks for the luv!
NyxAndHemera: Thank you for the luv!
LoftyCloudCreed: Thank you for the luv but no guarantee for love.
