Note: So this is a no longer a one shot lmao.
Decided to make this a full on multi chapter fic because some people have asked and I did have a few ideas on how I could expand. Thank you to everyone who's read and supported me. It means the absolute world! You guys are awesome ❤️
This chapter was gonna be a lot longer before I posted, but it's been at this length for like two months and I'm too lazy and impatient to write 20k chapters every time lol.
Also un beta-ed :)
Hope y'all enjoy!
Hogwarts, 1993
It was nearly midnight.
The skies were dark and stormy as unyielding rain hammered down on the ancient school, turning the windows a solid, shimmering gray.
As thunder struck outside, Poseidon furiously stormed through a deserted corridor, his footsteps loud and imposing. Another set of footsteps echoed his, desperately trying to reach him. Athena was distraught; her dark blonde hair was sticking up in all directions and her clothes were in wrinkles. It was the complete opposite of her usual pristine, well kept appearance.
"Po!" Athena cried, trying to keep up with him.
"Don't call me that," he spat, picking up his pace.
He was livid. His hands were shaking; his anger rolled off him in waves as he tried to make his way back to his dorm as fast as possible. The corridors seemed to go on forever today.
"Poseidon! Please wait!" She begged. "I'm sorry!"
He was quick to round on her with fury marring his features, making her flinch and stagger backward. A few nearby windows cracked and a sudden wind surrounded them as he unconsciously released his magic.
"You're sorry?!" He growled. His face contorted and he laughed coldly, sending tremors down her spine. "Thank you, that makes everything perfectly fine."
"Listen to me, Poseidon, please…"
He sneered at her. "Just what do you think you can say to rectify this?"
"I—"
"You didn't mean to? You were drunk? It's a misunderstanding?" He shot off rhetorically, glaring at her with fathomless, red rimmed eyes. "Please enlighten me."
Athena felt her mouth go dry and sobs wracked through her chest. Her hand shot up to her mouth and hot tears dripped between her fingers. Ragged, gasping breaths escaped her mouth as the strength left her legs and she sank to her knees.
"I'm sorry, Poseidon…" She whispered.
His voice became soft, defeated. "Two years, Athena. Did none of that mean anything to you?" She was incapable of speaking and choked on her breaths as he turned around, but stayed rooted to his spot. "You should go and check on Frederick. I don't think he's feeling too well."
Athena opened her mouth, her entire being screaming at her to say something, anything, but no words escaped her. She swallowed roughly, tears frantically sliding down her cheeks as she clenched her fists tight enough to draw blood. Given her silence, Poseidon walked off without another word, drowning out the sound of her sobs.
They had graduated later that year. Following a ceremony held in the Great Hall, the seventh year students were asked to follow the age old tradition of riding the Hogwarts boats back across the lake just as they had in their first year.
Poseidon sat on the boat, staring out at the water, trying not to think about the earlier occurrences in the year. He took a long, hard look at the scenery. He wouldn't be seeing this place again in the foreseeable future. A terrible weight dragged at him and it must've been obvious. Everyone around was avoiding him like the plague.
When they got off the boats, he walked off to the side and glanced around. It was sunny and the
grounds around him were full of laughing students, and even though he felt as distant from them as though he belonged to a different species, it was still hard to believe that his time at Hogwarts had come to an end.
His gaze shifted to the castle and a melancholic smile found its way onto his face. Good and bad, the memories would be forever engraved.
-xotwod-
Ministry of Magic, 2007
A burst of green fire emerged from the fireplace and revealed four men. Three large, burly Aurors flanked Poseidon, the Head Auror, and ushered the queue of wizards waiting before the fireplace out of the way.
He smirked and shook his head as he walked down the hall with the three men following closely behind. He had walked down this hall countless times before never under these circumstances so he took a moment to admire the setting.
The group of golden statues that were larger than life stood in the middle of a circular pool, shining proudly as a symbol of structure and power. The largest statue of all was a noble wizard pointing his wand straight up in the air. A group of magical creatures surrounded the statues, looking up at them in reverence and companionship.
Glimmering jets of water flew from the ends of their wands, flowing down to the pool. The sound of the fountain coupled with the cracks of apparition that normally became background noise were now louder than ever.
Rumors had spread about what would happen today, making the hundreds of witches and wizards who would usually be bustling to get to their offices stop and observe the four Aurors. Poseidon struggled to keep his facial features neutral but was brimming with annoyance as whispers arose.
Leave it to a bunch of middle aged adults to whisper like some school girls, he thought disappointedly.
As they approached the fountain, Poseidon stopped and emptied his pockets of Galleons, dropping them into the water below. Please, keep my son safe, he wished.
"Let's hurry," one of the Aurors said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
But a sharp glance from Poseidon made him flinch and step back immediately. There was a dangerous, nearly animalistic glint in his sea green eyes that promised a painful death. His reputation preceded him; the Aurors were privy to some semblance of the truth of the rumors flying around, causing them to take extreme caution.
Moments later, the four men stepped out of the stream of Ministry employees and toward an area, over which hung a sign saying SECURITY. A large man with a billowing beard in royal purple robes stared them down as they approached.
"We're escorting Poseidon Jackson for his trial," the Auror in front said.
"Yes. Mr. Jackson, please step forward," said the security guard.
Poseidon walked closer to him and the wizard held up a long, golden rod and hovered it up and down along his body.
"Your wand, please," he asked, putting down the golden instrument and holding out his hand.
Poseidon glanced at the Aurors expectantly and they produced his wand, holding it out to the wizard. He dropped it into a brass instrument, which began to vibrate before producing a strip of parchment.
He tore it off and read off its contents. "Thirteen inches, thestral tail hair core, been in use for twenty-one years. Am I correct?"
"Yes," Poseidon sighed.
"Very well, I will hold onto it for now. Please proceed forward," he said calmly.
His eyes remained firmly locked onto the parchment in his hands, unwilling to meet Poseidon's piercing gaze.
The three Aurors nodded and ushered Poseidon inside through the gates into the smaller hall beyond, where at least twenty lifts stood behind golden grilles. A man walked up to the group, relieving the three Aurors and escorting Poseidon into an empty elevator shaft.
As soon as the grilles slid shut and the lift began to ascend, Poseidon slumped against the back wall and let out a groan.
"Bloody hell, Harry," he murmured tiredly.
Harry stifled a laugh, trying to stay respectful in front of his superior. "They seemed nice."
"Sure," Poseidon scoffed. "You would think they wanted to fuck me from how close they were."
Questionable images began entering his mind and with the severity of their current situation, Harry couldn't help it this time. He burst out laughing, nearly falling onto the larger man who chuckled slightly.
"You know you're supposed to be restrained right now, right?" Harry asked, smirking.
"Oh?" Poseidon replied dryly. "Has my fourteen years of service earned me some merit?"
"Something like that."
"So how's everything at home? And your girl?" Poseidon asked.
"Good. Hermione's doing well. She's in Australia right now for a conference," he replied.
Poseidon nodded appraisingly. "That's good. You've got a good one."
"I know," Harry smiled happily. "And your family, sir? Percy is three now, right?"
"Yeah, his birthday was last week," Poseidon said, smiling genuinely for the first time that day. "He's getting big. Before you know it, he'll be the one leading the charge."
Harry laughed. "I'm looking forward to it."
But their moment of happiness was short-lived. Poseidon sighed and ran a hand through his hair when the lift had slowly begun to come to a stop.
The telephone box rang out their destination, "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services."
Harry was supposed to be leading Poseidon, but he found himself following behind as the man went through the corridor and into an opening that led to a flight of steps. They reached the bottom of the steps and went through another opening when Poseidon let out a groan.
As soon as they stepped out into another corridor, Poseidon saw practically every Auror imaginable standing in line on both sides of the hallway with grim looks on their faces.
"Don't any of you have jobs to do?" He asked exasperatedly.
"None more important than this, sir," the closest Auror responded, not meeting his eyes.
Harry couldn't help but smile at his friend's annoyance. "You would understand if you met yourself, sir."
"I don't even have my wand, you idiot," Poseidon said. "And what did I say about calling me 'sir'?"
"Yes, yes. You're only a few years older, I know. Sorry, sir," he smirked cheekily.
Poseidon grumbled and sped forward, wanting to get this over with as fast as possible.
The corridor resembled a dungeon much like the ones in Hogwarts fit with rough stone walls and torches in brackets. There were heavy wooden doors with iron bolts and keyholes along the walls. And, of course, no one had bothered to make this place smell any better than a dungeon.
Poseidon stopped in front of a large black door with an immense iron lock and banged on it three times. An elderly wizard with a long white beard opened the door. There was a slightly annoyed look on his face when he stepped aside to usher Poseidon and Harry in.
This was a private courtroom but it was more like a large dungeon itself. It was where the fate of multiple dark wizards had been decided. Poseidon had been here before, presenting numerous culprits to stand trial. Except now… he was on the other side.
"Please take your seats," the elderly wizard said before waddling to a corner of the room.
Harry walked to the front and took a seat near the front bench where ten chosen officials sat, their pointed gazes firmly on Poseidon who flopped onto the chair in the center of the room, the arms of which were covered in chains. He had fully expected to be restrained as soon as he sat down but was surprised when nothing happened.
"All this for me?" He asked sarcastically, gazing up at the council with a challenging look on his face.
This wasn't the normal Wizengamot, he realized. In the very middle of the table sat Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, a tall black wizard with broad shoulders. He was bald and adorned a single gold hoop earring, sporting a Nigerian patterned robe.
Poseidon recognized a few of them, such as Ronald Weasley who nodded at him in greeting, but his eyes became cold when he spied the official at the very end of the table—Athena Chase. She was wearing plum colored robes with an elaborately worked silver W atop her left breast, staring down at him with an austere expression. Though, her eyes weren't as cold as most of the others.
"Very well, if there are no disagreements, let us begin," Shacklebolt started, his voice slow and deep. "Criminal trial of the twenty fourth of August into offenses committed by the accused, Poseidon Aegaeus Jackson, Head Auror of the Ministry of Magic…"
"Offenses," Poseidon mockingly muttered under his breath.
Shacklebolt raised his scroll of parchment. "The charges against the accused are as follows: the alleged murder of two Aurors, use of the Cruciatus curse, compromising a high level mission, risking the lives of his allies…"
He wanted to interrupt so badly. Whoever reported all of this clearly had it out for him. An ugly feeling rose in him when his eyes tracked to the gray eyed, dark haired woman on the council. Her gaze was firmly locked onto her clasped hands, not meeting his pointed glare.
Poseidon grit his teeth and swallowed the string of curses that threatened to escape his mouth. He was brought back out of his mind when Shacklebolt's voice brought him out of his head.
"Killed in action: Ian Porter and Hector Rodriguez.
"Witness to the crimes, all members of Auror Squadron Omega led by Poseidon Jackson: Seth Abner, Damon Barlow, Matthew Piper, and Brandon O'Tell."
Patience was not a quality Poseidon was known for. But these accusations were blown far too out of proportion. Shacklebolt continued his spiel of preliminary information and a few members of the council began to nod in agreement, which goaded Poseidon to speak out.
"Now, wait just a minute, Kingsley!" He barked, jumping to his feet.
"Mr. Jackson, I'll have to ask you to be silent until it is your turn to speak," Shacklebolt demanded.
Poseidon was nearly shaking with anger. "Until it's my turn? You expect me to sit here and say nothing as you spew this farce?"
The onlookers were starting to get agitated as a few Aurors slowly inched toward him, but Harry stepped up in front of Poseidon and waved off the Aurors.
Harry looked back at him with a slightly pleading look on his face. "Poseidon, please keep it together. The situation is bad enough as is," he whispered.
Poseidon reigned in his anger and reluctantly nodded, sitting back down. The members of the council grew more stony faced and the tension in the room was palpable.
Silence had never been so loud.
Kingsley unfurled another scroll of parchment. "The witnesses have testified that they've seen you use the Cruciatus curse on three dark wizards. As you're well informed, any use of the Unforgivables is strictly prohibited. Correct?"
"Yes," Poseidon said angrily.
"Two of your squad members were killed in action and it is said to have been by your hand. Do you deny this?" The Minister asked.
"I do," he insisted. "I did not kill them."
"He's lying!" Brandon objected from the corner of the room.
"Silence!" Shacklebolt barked, glaring at the Auror. "Please recount your memory of the events…"
This caused the witnesses of the trial to erupt in another series of protests, mainly asking for their version to be presented first. The council was muttering and fidgeting restlessly while Kingsley had risen to his feet, shouting and trying to get the atmosphere back under control.
Poseidon closed his eyes and the talk around him drowned out. He felt his anger surface once again as flashes of the battle passed through his mind. Or more precisely, the reason why the battle ensued.
In a run down manor located in the clearing of a forest, two groups of wizards stared at each other down, their wands drawn and ready to fire. On one side was Poseidon flanked by six other Aurors and on the other were four cloaked dark wizards.
"These pesky Aurors," one of them viciously spat.
"You can't win," Poseidon said pointedly. "Come along quietly. There's no point dragging this out any longer."
"'Come along quietly,'" a bulky man with muscled arms covered in tattoos mockingly repeated. His wanted poster identified him as a man by the name of Donovan Laroda, an ex-Auror. "You all think you're so high and mighty, but in reality, you're just a bunch of glorified training dogs."
The other three men laughed maniacally while Poseidon's team began to get agitated at their nonsensical behavior.
"You're outnumbered and clearly outsmarted," Matthew gritted out. "Do yourselves a favor and drop your wands."
"Don't taunt them, Matt," Damon murmured, starting to get anxious.
"Outnumbered, you say?" Donovan asked, grinning conspiringly. "Boys!"
With his call, five more wizards appeared out of thin air, having been disillusioned. They grinned as they surrounded the Aurors, pointing their wands at them.
"You were saying?"
"The odds still ain't bad," Seth whispered to the team. "We could take em'."
"Don't think I don't know who you are, Poseidon Jackson," Donovan smirked.
Poseidon raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yeah, and I know about your wife, Sally, too—"
At the mention of her name, Poseidon's entire demeanor changed. Gone was the stoic, calculating look on his face and in its place was barely restrained anger and unforgiving violence. The man was treading on dangerous territory, but he paid it no mind and continued.
"Pretty little thing. After I'm done here with you…"
The rest of his words were not repeatable. They were heinous. And foul. And disgusting.
And they had an immediate effect on Poseidon. His face contorted and a scream of pure rage and defiance left him as he snapped his wand at the nearest dark wizard. The spell hit the man's chest directly and he was no more. Blood splattered everywhere, but he didn't stop there.
No, not even close.
Poseidon fought like a whirlwind as jets of predominantly green and red light flew around him wreaking havoc and destruction. He was like a storm. A miniature hurricane of water and ice flew from his wand and churned around him as he fought the dark wizards.
Cries arose from all around as bodies dropped onto the ground. But anger washed Poseidon's vision with red. He surged forward with intention, obliterating all those who stood in his way.
The only remaining dark wizard was Donovan himself. His clothes were in tatters and he sported multiple badly bleeding cuts and bruises all over his body. He was whimpering and pleading for mercy, but Poseidon didn't hear a word.
He leveled his wand on the man. "CRUCIO!"
"... Jackson… Mr. Jackson?"
Shacklebolt's voice brought him out of his reverie and his eyes focused once more on the man in front of him.
"Yes," he breathed.
"Your statement on the events, please."
The members of the council were looking at him expectantly while Harry shot him a look of concern, silently asking if he was okay. Poseidon gave him a small nod and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
He gave them a short description of what he could remember but the memories were too blurry. In his rampage, he attacked anything and everything around him. But there was no possible way he would attack his comrades. Even when he lost all sense of self, it was not plausible.
Was it? Poseidon asked himself, biting down hard on his lip.
After him, the members of his squad gave their statements and none of them had one positive thing to say about Poseidon. They recounted how Poseidon lost his temper and initiated the battle, endangering the team and the mission. They made sure to sell it too.
Bloody cowards, Poseidon thought angrily. Stabbed in the back by my own team. I can't believe I spent so much whipping them into shape for this to happen.
But what stung the most was when Seth Abner also testified against him. He had hand picked the kid to be his right hand man in the squad. And he had been the epitome of loyalty up until now.
"Very well, thank you," Shacklebolt said to Brandon and turned his attention back to the front. "Now, the council may speak, if they wish, before the final verdict is made."
"I believe team constructs should be made clear," a woman started. Poseidon learned that she was Vicky Sol from the Department of International Magical Cooperation. "Poseidon Jackson was in charge of Squad Omega, therefore all… repercussions are his responsibility."
Most members of the council nodded along and agreed with the woman, voicing similar opinions. Poseidon sank deeper into his chair, feeling that all hope was lost. His voice was clearly undermined despite outranking everyone other than Shacklebolt.
"We must keep the use of the Unforgivables by the Head Auror quiet," Athena said, unwilling to look at Poseidon. "It would not do well for the Ministry if everyone was privy to that information."
"Agreed," Shacklebolt said, writing it down. "It is without question that Mr. Jackson will lose his position. The public shall be told he retired."
A previously silent voice entered the fray. "This entire thing is a waste of time."
Shacklebolt turned to one Ronald Weasley. "Do you have something to say, Mr. Weasley?"
"What I'm understanding is that you bunch of sissies want to imprison one of our wizards for being too powerful?! At the end of it all, he single handedly eliminated a dangerous threat. And we're sitting on our asses discussing something as idiotic as this when those who actually oppose us are ruining lives of the innocent!"
"Idiotic?! The murder of two of our wizards is idiotic?" Madam Sol stood up, glaring daggers at him.
"What proof is there that Poseidon was the one to kill them?" Ron shot back vehemently. "Casualties happen and there's no telling what could've happened in a crossfire like that. It could have very well been the work of Donovan Laroda and his group."
Shacklebolt nodded to his point but gestured for him to sit down. "Mr. Weasley, please calm down. We are here to discuss this in a civil manner."
"Rubbish!" He exclaimed, standing his ground. "With the new surge of dark wizards running amuck, we need all the help we can get! Poseidon Jackson is one of our greatest allies."
His voice sparked some initiative among the council, but with the beginning of the final vote, Ron's voice was ultimately subdued. Poseidon caught his eye gave him an appreciative nod which made the redhead perk up immensely.
He had initially scared Ron, but once he got to know him after a few missions together, Poseidon Jackson had quickly become an idol for him to live up to. The man was one of the most skilled wizards Ron had the pleasure of working with.
While the council worked to write down their votes, Poseidon's gaze traveled to Athena. He had ignored her presence during the entire evening, but it would be frugal to continue to do so. She looked up from writing, feeling someone's gaze, and his eyes locked onto hers.
She tried for a compassionate smile but froze. There was no doubt in Poseidon's mind that she was also voting for his imprisonment as he looked at her with pure loathing. Athena had never been as frightened in her life as she had in that moment.
Shacklebolt's voice shattered the silence. "The council and I have voted," he said with a hint of regret. "Poseidon Jackson, you have been determined to be guilty. You are stripped of your status as Head Auror; the public shall be told that you have retired. Any details of this trial or the contents of the mission are hereby sealed. Anyone found to have divulged these details shall be tried on grounds for treason."
There was a pause as the Minister took a breath. He shuffled the papers containing the council members' votes and looked at Poseidon with sad eyes.
"Mr. Jackson, with legal exception for the use of the Cruciatus curse and breach of protocol resulting in the death of your comrades, you are sentenced to twenty years in Azkaban. As such, your wand will be confiscated and snapped. You are barred from practicing magic once the sentence is complete. You will be given twenty four hours under surveillance to set your affairs in order."
It was like time itself went still. Everything hung in the air on the brink of collapse as all eyes in the room locked onto Poseidon.
"Twenty years…" Harry whispered to himself in shock.
He looked over at his friend and a wave of sadness washed over him. He was sitting perfectly still with his eyes shut tight. Harry couldn't imagine what he was feeling. Poseidon would be losing his wife, his son, his life… everything he's worked for, everything he's built from the ground up…
All gone.
Harry was one of the few who knew of Poseidon's story and resonated with the man. He was a halfblood and grew up as an orphan after his mother passed away. Poseidon was only nine when she died. With no other family members in the picture, he was left to fend for himself at an orphanage.
Harry empathized immensely, having never known his parents; that was one kind of pain, but growing close to them and then having them stripped away from you… he couldn't imagine how unbearable that must've been. But Poseidon made do with what he had, spent his time wisely at Hogwarts, and made himself into the man he was today.
The courtroom was silent for a long time. The Aurors who were supposed to escort Poseidon remained rooted to their spot. And the council all gazed at Poseidon apprehensively. There wasn't even a hint of a condescending smirk from all those who opposed the man.
He finally opened his eyes and revealed a calm set of sea green emeralds. His face remained neutral as he stood, unsettling many of the onlookers.
"Azkaban is not impenetrable," Poseidon finally spoke, shooting a knowing look at Harry. There was no arrogance or conceitedness in his tone. His statement was a fact, and they all knew it. "However, I will comply with your wishes…"
It was as if his statement was a command from the way the Aurors finally moved to surround him. They stood close but still kept a small distance as they ushered him out of the room. When they reached the exit, Poseidon glanced up to see Harry standing close by with a pained expression.
Poseidon stopped and beckoned him over. "I hope you're not about to cry, Harry," he smirked. "I already have one toddler to take care of."
Harry chuckled lightly and shook his head. Poseidon sighed tiredly and reached up to take off the trident necklace he was wearing. He took Harry's wrist and placed the necklace in his palm, closing his fist around it.
"Take over for me, will you?"
"I'll do my best, sir," Harry said, straightening up and looking at the man with conviction. "It was an honor to serve under you."
Poseidon scoffed and rolled his eyes, but there was a sad smile on his face.
"And tell Sally I'm sorry."
-xotwod-
Present Day
"I'm sorry, mum, but I have to!"
Sally sighed in frustration and rubbed her temples. She knew this day would come sooner or later, but had been putting off the conversation for as long as she could. Her gaze traveled to her son who was currently pacing back and forth with a half eaten cookie in his hand.
Despite her dilemma, a small smile broke out on her face.
Since he was young, Percy had always understood others in a way people wouldn't expect him to. When he was only five, he knew to give the little girl at the park his ice cream when she fell and scraped her knee. He knew to lend a helping hand to people in need without any expectation of anything in return. And he knew to stop asking questions about his father when he saw the forlorn look on his mother's face whenever he mentioned him.
But when something so drastic hits you in the face, it's impossible to stick to old regimes.
The moment Sally had seen the trident pendant on his chest at King's Cross, she knew their lives wouldn't be the same anymore. Percy had found out.
Though, that wasn't the only piece of news he brought back. Percy and Annabeth had finally started dating! She had been rooting for them since they had first become friends. She saw the way they looked at each other, so oblivious to their underlying connection.
Sally almost cried tears of joy seeing them step out of the train holding hands. And that's what she focused on over the last month.
Except she couldn't do that anymore. Percy had taken it upon himself to write to one of his professors and, of course, the man had readily agreed to help her son.
Sally sighed and walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer containing random kitchen utensils—something Percy would never glance twice at. She emptied the drawer and removed the wooden board underneath, revealing a photo album.
"Percy, baby, come here," she beckoned.
He walked in quickly. "Yeah, mum?"
"I want to show you something," she said. "I think it's about time you saw these."
He sat down next to her and gasped, seeing the pictures. Sally smiled sadly seeing the look on his face and placed a hand on his back as took in each photograph.
There were some of the magical variety and some normal. But he wasn't too caught up with that. There was a man in these pictures, a man that looked just like him. The similarities between them were uncanny. He had the same black hair, green eyes, light bronze complexion—even his dimpled smile was the same.
Percy lightly touched his father's face and swallowed. He blinked rapidly, trying not to cry, and continued looking through the pictures. A lot of them consisted of Poseidon and Sally together, making Percy smile seeing his parents so happy together.
"This one was on our first date," Sally told him fondly, pointing to a picture of the two of them on a beach with a carnival behind them.
As he turned the pages, he saw pictures of a pregnant Sally with Poseidon hugging her from behind with one hand on her stomach, a baby Percy laying next to Sally, another one in the same time with Poseidon looking down and caressing baby Percy's cheek.
But the last picture… it was during Percy's third birthday party where both he and his father had cake smeared across their faces and they were laughing, oblivious of Sally capturing the moment.
This time, Percy really did start crying. He couldn't even remember any of this happening but the sight of his little family being so happy together pushed him over the edge. One tear fell after the other as thoughts of how his father loved him, how their family was torn apart and he didn't even know why, but most of all… how much pain his parents must've suffered.
"You never talk about him," Percy said offhandedly, brushing his tears away. "Do you know why he's in there?"
"No, I don't," she said, causing his face to fall. Sally sighed and consolingly ran her fingers through Percy's hair. "Your father didn't want you knowing that he's in prison. And I agreed. You were better off growing up without any of that on your mind."
"I could've handed it—"
"There's also the matter of who your father was, Percy. With me, here in the muggle world, he was a loving husband and father," she explained, but then her expression grew despondent. "But in the magical world, he was a powerful Auror with a lot of enemies. Even our marriage was kept secret because there's no telling what any of them could do."
"He just wanted to keep us safe," Percy said slowly.
He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat and remained silent, trying to process the information. He thought about how there was clearly a lot he didn't know about. A lot that was kept under wraps in the magical world.
Brushing those thoughts aside, he continued flipping through the pages and stopped to stare at one of the pictures of his parents on a date. His dad was hugging his mum from behind and pressing a kiss to her cheek while she laughed, jokingly pushing his face away.
He smiled. "He doesn't seem so dangerous."
"Not around me, he wasn't," she snorted, fondly gazing at the pictures. "He was funny and charming and sweet. I see a lot of him in you."
Percy tried hard to ignore that warm feeling that bubbled in him hearing that and focused on the pictures. Then a nagging thought ate at him.
"A lot of time has passed since then so how come you never moved on?" He asked, though it pained him to say it. "I mean, you must've been so lonely."
She hummed lightly, stroking his back. "Well, I've always had you."
Percy smiled sadly and shook his head. "You know what I mean."
"There's no one else for me," she said. "You and your father are the only men I've ever loved."
Percy made a face. "So, like, is that just for consolation, or—"
Sally burst out laughing and squeezed his shoulder. "Go ahead and ask."
"Okay, so I need to know, do you still love him? Honestly?"
"Very much so," she affirmed immediately, gently brushing his hair out of his face. But then her face fell, lined with such defeat and pain that sent a pang of hurt through Percy's entire body. "He still has seven more years to go…"
Percy swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. "So you've been waiting for him… all this time he was in Azkaban—"
"I wasn't able to visit or write," she confirmed sadly. "Muggles aren't given that privilege, unfortunately. And Azkaban isn't any normal prison from what I've heard."
"Yeah, no kidding," he scoffed angrily. Then he looked directly into her eyes with a sense of purpose burning in them. "One day I'm gonna bring him home to you, mum. I promise."
Tears began to well in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around her son, pulling him in and holding on tightly. Percy's arms wound around her, embracing her with equal vigor and she let her body sag, her muscles coming loose. She had been strong for far too long.
"I'm tired, Percy," Sally said, sniffling when she pulled away. "We can talk more about this in the morning."
"Yeah, yeah, of course. You should go to bed; it's getting late."
She smiled softly at him and pressed a kiss to his forehead before leaving the kitchen. As soon as he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore, Percy flipped open the photo album to the picture of him and his father at his birthday party and stared long and hard at it.
"I remember this party…" He whispered to himself.
He remembered him and his friends playing hide and seek… his mum getting mad when they spilled juice on the couch… even his mum feeding him the first piece of the cake. The scene in the photograph must've followed shortly after, but he had no recollection of it whatsoever. Nor did he have any recollection of his father at all.
"Strange…"
-xotwod-
Athena Chase lived her life with pride.
At least that's what it looked like on the surface. And while most of it was true, she, like most people, had deep rooted regrets that plagued her every so often. But ever since her daughter began to attend Hogwarts… ever since she befriended Perseus, all of it had come back full throttle.
The boy in question was currently downstairs with her daughter getting ready to go to Azkaban to meet… him. Athena couldn't even muster the fight to refute Annabeth when she told her of the events of their sixth year. And as soon as she heard that they were dating, all her memories of her time in Hogwarts, the fiasco, the trial, the letter replayed in her mind on a constant loop.
She walked over to her closet, moving some clothes aside, and withdrew a black shoebox buried underneath years of clutter. Removing the lid, she took out a cloth wrapped bundle. Opening it, she felt a rush of nostalgia seeing all her memorabilia, but one item in particular stuck out.
A wand.
Thirteen inches, thestral tail hair core.
Poseidon's wand.
Athena held it between her fingers and smiled lightly. Poseidon was told that his wand would be snapped and she had asked Kingsley for the responsibility. Instead of destroying it, she kept his wand in her possession all this time, having snapped a false wand in its place.
But then that looming feeling of regret panged within her and she nearly dropped the magical instrument. She had tarnished Poseidon's trust, his faith in her. She tried to make up for it during the trial, but then she did something unimaginable.
That letter she sent to her daughter… she didn't know what came over her, but in a rash decision she exploded in anger, in worry and undeservingly insulted Poseidon's son. She worried if they became friends… only heartache and misery lied in their wake.
And Poseidon surely wouldn't want any trace of her in his son's life.
The sins of the father, or mother in this case, shouldn't be laid upon the children. Despite all she had done in the past, Poseidon would hate her even more if he found out she caused anything to happen to his son.
Putting on a brave front, she wrapped the wand in the cloth once more and made her way downstairs. His back was to her and she had to clench her teeth to not cry out in frustration. How is it possible that he looks exactly like him from the back, too? She thought exasperatedly.
"Percy," she called, the name foreign on her tongue.
He turned. "Yes?"
She was biting her lip, a stark contrast to the cold, confident woman everyone was accustomed to.
"I need to give you something," she started.
But then her mouth went dry when her eyes caught sight of the familiar pendant hanging from his neck. She swallowed as memories of all the times she'd seen it, played with it at Hogwarts filled her mind.
"Mum?" Annabeth asked, confused.
"I'm sorry," Athena said, snapping out of her stupor. "Please give this to Po—your father for me. When he's free, of course."
If Percy noticed her slip up, he hid it well as he nodded and accepted the cloth-wrapped package. Then a thought ate at him. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the first letter in the parcel he had received earlier this year. He looked over it for a second.
"Did you send me this?" He asked, holding out the parchment to her.
Athena gingerly accepted it and looked it over, reading the words carefully. She shook her head and handed it back to him.
"No, I'm afraid this isn't from me."
Percy released a breath and nodded.
"And Percy… good luck," she said, softly smiling at him.
"Thank you," he whispered.
With a last bid of farewell, he took Annabeth's hand and walked off.
-xotwod-
It was still early in the morning when Percy and Annabeth had reached the shores of the North Sea. The sun shone brightly over them, a sharp contrast to the dreary, bleak grayness of their surroundings. The only sound in the area came from the waves roughly crashing on to the coast.
As they got closer to the port, they saw a woman in muggle business attire waiting for them. She had fair skin, bright brown eyes, and a long mane of bushy brown hair tied back in a plait.
She was someone Annabeth recognized immediately, having seen her with her mother a few times before. The woman before them was every witch's role model.
"Hello," she greeted them with a warm look. "My name is Hermione—"
"Hermione?!" Percy interrupted, surprised.
She blinked. "Yes?"
"You're Hermione Potter? As in the head of the DMLE and Harry's wife?"
A fond smile grew on her face as she stared up at the teen. "I'm known to have those titles, yes."
"I've heard about you from Harry," he explained, rubbing the back of his head. "He talks about you a lot. All good things, don't worry."
I see what you meant now, Harry, she thought to herself, bemused.
"I certainly hope so," Hermione laughed. "Harry has talked quite a bit about you as well. You too, Annabeth. It's very nice to meet you both."
She smiled brightly at the young couple before ushering them to follow her. They went down to the coast, traveling down a small ridge and onto an awaiting dingy. The small boat was charmed to provide passage without the need for a boatman.
Percy began to feel the pinpricks of nervousness begin to claw at him as the dingy lurched on top of the churning waters. He would be meeting his father for the first time today. A man who had been a figment of his imagination for as long as he could remember.
He was lost in thought when the squeeze of Annabeth's hand brought him back to reality. She smiled at him reassuringly and he released a heavy breath before returning her smile. He gently squeezed back letting her know he was okay.
After some time, the fog cleared and the prison came into view, eliciting shallow gasps from the two who hadn't seen it before. The dark, foreboding fortress towered over them and cast an ominous shadow. The sun was nowhere to be seen as dark clouds circled the sky above.
Percy felt Annabeth shiver next to him and remembered she had never been in this type of situation either. It's not every day one ventures to a prison filled with some of the most dangerous individuals alive. He clutched onto her hand tightly and squeezed reassuringly.
Unbeknownst to them, Hermione watched from the couple with an unfiltered smile on her face. She absolutely adored how they looked to each other for peace and comfort. They were each other's pillar of strength. This type of relationship was uncommon and a beautiful sight to behold.
When they reached the shore, Percy stepped out and offered a steadying hand to both Annabeth and Hermione, making them exchange an amused smirk. Hermione led the way through an arched entrance made of stone and iron where two Aurors stood guard on either side, nodding at her in greeting.
"This place was once guarded by Dementors," Hermione told them. "I'm sure Harry taught you about them, right?"
"Yeah," Percy confirmed, shooting a smirk at Annabeth that she returned. "He taught us the Patronus Charm too."
Hermione smiled to herself. "Oh, yes, he's quite good at that one."
When they reached the courtyard, a stocky, middle aged man approached them, grinning at the three. Hermione nodded in greeting and they spoke a few hushed words. Percy watched the man's face go dark and he asked Hermione a question to which she gave a nod in confirmation.
He could guess what they were talking about and averted his gaze. He didn't care what the man thought, there was no deterring Percy of what he set out to do. He had come too far.
For the second time that day, he found himself being brought out of his thoughts by Annabeth. She had a hand on his cheek, staring up at him in concern.
"It's going to be okay, Percy," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his middle. "I'll be with you the entire time."
"Thanks, Wise Girl," he rasped, wrapping arm arm around her.
Annabeth said nothing and continued holding onto him. Having been fortunate enough to grow up with both parents, she couldn't imagine what was feeling right now, which, truth be told, irked her a little. She prided herself on being the only one who understood what went on in that seaweed brain of his.
"Percy, Annabeth," Hermione called, drawing their attention to her. "Everything's set. Are you ready, Percy?"
He released a heavy sigh and nodded, a resolute mask of determination marring his features. He saw a two burly Aurors approach, but when Hermione shook her head they stopped and looked conflicted. But after a heated glare, they nodded once and backed off.
Hermione led Percy and Annabeth down a winding corridor that had no other cells. Percy clutched Annabeth's hand tighter, growing increasingly anxious as they continued to walk. He knew prisoners were kept in solitary confinement in Azkaban, but he didn't know if this was the norm for every prisoner, or…
He would've walked straight into Hermione if Annabeth didn't tug on his arm. They had stopped in front of a massive iron door in front of a shadowed room, dim from the torches.
"Mr. Jackson?" Hermione asked tentatively, grasping one of the bars of the door. Receiving no response, she beckoned again. "Mr. Jackson… Poseidon?"
A grunt sounded from inside the room and Percy held his breath seeing a flicker of movement in the shadows. The figure moved closer, the soft sound of footsteps leaving his wake. Little by little, his frame came into view until he was fully exposed.
A soft gasp left Percy's lips seeing the man in person for the first time.
Poseidon looked… haggard—decades older and much thinner than the pictures he'd seen of him. The man was a few inches taller than himself. He had long, tangled black hair that hung past his shoulders, framing his face. A dark, unkempt beard touched with gray fell just above his chest. Just as he'd seen in the pictures, the similarities between them were uncanny.
"What could the ministry possibly want with me now?" He asked in a gravelly voice, staring directly into Hermione's eyes.
The sound of his voice sent a jolt down their spines. There was no warmth to it, only a deep seated tick of annoyance.
Hermione swallowed tersely. "You have some visitors today, Mr. Jackson."
His gaze flicked behind her and Annabeth gently nudged Percy forward so Poseidon could see him clearly. And the moment he did, the hard lines of his face instantly contorted. A series of emotions flashed across his face—relief, joy, shock before settling on disbelief.
"...Per...Perseus?" He said, his voice just above a whisper.
Percy, too shocked to say anything, blinked rapidly, banishing an onslaught of tears, before nodding hesitantly and stepping closer to the bars. Annabeth and Hermione stepped back and watched the two men standing in front of the other with melancholic smiles on their faces. At one point, the two of them had to brush a few tears away themselves.
Hermione moved forward, pointing her wand to the door and muttering an incantation. Everyone watched as the doors rattled and unhinged; the sound of metal clanking filled the room. The door opened, leaving no boundaries between Poseidon and the three of them.
"We'll give you two some privacy," Hermione said.
Annabeth reassuringly squeezed Percy's hand one more time and pressed a kiss on his cheek before following Hermione out of the room.
Percy and Poseidon stayed rooted to their spots despite the door now being open. Both were still too stunned to speak. Percy wanted to say something, anything, but how exactly does one start a conversation with a father whom they've never met? He knew his father must've been feeling similarly.
"I see that piece of junk made it to you," Poseidon rasped out finally, nodding at the trident necklace around Percy's neck.
Percy took the pendant in his hand and clutched onto it tightly. "Yeah…"
"You know I made it myself?" He huffed out a small laugh. "I was bored in class one day—back at Hogwarts—and I started carving it from some random piece of metal. Ended up fixing it up later on 'cause I thought it looked cool."
"You did a good job," Percy said, smiling down at it. "The details are really… detailed."
There was a pause before both of them leaned forward and let out a hearty laugh. Amidst their laughter, Percy couldn't help but thinking how even the way they laughed was the same.
"You're definitely my child, Perseus," he said, shaking his head and smiling widely at him.
"Percy," Percy corrected, though an untimely warmth began to spread in his chest. "I go by Percy. Less serious sounding."
"It's the Greek name, isn't it? What did Sally have to say about that?" Poseidon wondered, amusement lacing his tone.
"She was fine with it. Encouraged it, actually."
"Damn," he muttered jealousy. "I wish there was a cool nickname for 'Poseidon.'"
Percy raised an eyebrow. "Being named after the Greek god of the sea isn't cool enough?"
"I guess you're right," he laughed.
Poseidon looked up at Percy and smiled genuinely for the first time in over a decade. This was his son. His pride and joy.
"I see you got your good looks from me. You certainly have no problems with girls, I see," Poseidon said proudly, unable to keep the smile off his face when Percy snorted. "You're gonna outgrow me soon, too."
"Yeah, maybe," he chuckled sheepishly and rubbed at his clean face. "Now if only I could grow a beard like you, or at all."
Poseidon laughed, running a hand through his mangy facial hair. "It'll grow," he promised. "I didn't grow facial hair properly until I was in my twenties."
"That's a relief."
This was it.
This was all Poseidon had ever wanted with his life. After his mother died, there was no one he could call family. Not until he met Sally. He was the happiest he had ever been in the time he had spent with her. And it got even better when they made the beautiful boy standing in front of him.
He had passed the days rotting in his cell by imagining—fantasizing what life would be like if things had gone differently. Sally could've gotten the life she deserved—one with a husband who wasn't absent filling her with love every day. His son wouldn't have had to grow up wondering why everyone else's father was around but his wasn't.
They could've gone on family vacations and spend their days, spending their time doing idle, simple things that most take for granted. Simple pleasures were brushed over far too often. Poseidon imagined what it would be like coming home to a son who rushed into his arms, a wife who kissed his cheek in greeting, maybe even a dog running around his feet.
It was how he coped, how he lived through each day—each unbearable, agonizing day within these walls.
Poseidon swallowed painfully. "I'd love to talk to you forever about things like this, but I'm sure our time is limited and you surely have a lot of questions."
"Yeah… would you be okay with that?" Percy asked, repeatedly trying to crack the already cracked joints of his fingers.
"Of course," he said immediately.
Percy watched as his father looked back into his cell and jutted a hand toward the corner, causing a chair to come skidding across the floor. He pointed at it with two fingers and separated them, making a V shape with his pointer and middle finger. The chair in turn duplicated into two.
Poseidon flashed a wide smile at Percy and held out the chair to him. "By all means."
He took the chair with a roll of his eyes, muttering, "Show off."
There was no point questioning ex-Auror Poseidon Jackson about something like that. They sat across from each other, all signs of amusement now gone.
"You've been here since I was three?" Percy asked softly. And to Poseidon's nod, he continued. "But my birthday party… I saw the picture of us… so why don't I remember you?"
His father's eyes widened exponentially when he realized what Percy was talking about. A pained expression marred his features and his shoulders slumped defeatedly.
"Percy… hold still for a second," Poseidon said.
Percy did as he asked and watched as his father extended his arm and pressed a finger to his forehead. As soon as he made contact, Percy felt a rush go through him. It was like his mind opened up and his vision became clearer. He staggered back and nearly fell over in his chair, but Poseidon kept a firm grip on his wrist, holding him still.
His eyes fluttered open and closed and a hand shot up to massage his temples.
"You were there…" Percy breathed out. Flashes of memories flooded through him. "The cake… that time we went to the zoo… the baby dragon," he shook his head at the last one. "I remember it all. You Oblivated me?!"
Poseidon looked at him with sad eyes, watching as Percy tried to make sense of what just happened. He was rubbing his face as he tried to come to terms with everything.
"But… I don't understand—why did you take all of this away from me?" He asked, trying to reign in his anger.
"I thought… it was for the best," Poseidon said.
"For the best?!" He spat, his voice ringing
Poseidon extended a hand towards him, but he slapped it away. "Percy…"
Percy glared at his father with white hot anger written in his eyes.
"I've barely had any time to get to know you and you took it all away! How could you?!"
"I'm sorry," Poseidon whispered painfully. "I thought it would be better if you didn't remember me at all. Maybe it would've saved you some heartache…"
"Well, you were wrong," Percy gritted out. "Do you know how long I wanted to know who you were—who my father was? And then I get this letter after sixteen fucking years telling me you were still alive?"
"Percy—son, everything I did, I did for you and your mother. But being locked in here—it wasn't exactly planned," he tried desperately.
"Clearly," Percy muttered.
"There were things at play—things that I can't explain because I don't know the full details. It's what I was trying to do during my last mission." Poseidon was clearly frustrated as he stood and started pacing in front of Percy. "But what I do know and you know it too—I did everything for us, for our family. If I have to stay away to keep you all safe, then I will."
Percy was crying now. He rubbed furiously at his eyes, turning the skin around them red, but a constant stream of hot tears continued to escape. A gasp escaped from him when he found himself being pulled into an unfamiliar yet completely familiar embrace.
Poseidon held his son for the first time in thirteen years and together they cried. For they had suffered for far too long. But now, a weight had been lifted off both of their shoulders.
"I'm sorry, dad," Percy choked out.
"Shhh," Poseidon murmured, running a hand through his son's hair. A feeling of elation blossomed in his chest. Percy called him dad. "Everything's all right now, son. Everything's all right."
They had spent the better part of the next hour talking when Hermione walked in, telling them the warden would have her head if she allowed any more time. She flashed them an apologetic smile and stood at the doorway, waiting for Percy.
Percy was torn. He turned to his dad, but before he could say anything, he was caught in another tight hug.
"I'll be out of here before you know it," Poseidon told him, his voice hoarse. "The three of us will be a family again soon. I promise."
-xotwod-
Poseidon sat on his stiff bed, slumped against the wall. His head was leaned back as he stared up at the monotonous, stone ceiling.
For the first time in over a decade, he felt something other than pure loathing and sorrow. He had devoted his entire life to the Ministry, and though he had his faults and misgivings, it was a slap in the face being treated as a criminal—being betrayed by his own team. The anger from that day rose in him every so often until he thought of what else he had lost—the more important loss: his family.
Percy and Sally.
They were his world. A small smile played at his lips. He had finally met his boy.
For the second time that day, Poseidon's cell door had opened, and in came his son's escort, Hermione Potter. Poseidon watched as she tentatively approached, giving him a small smile.
"Please don't break out," she pleaded, only half joking. "I'm sure you've thought about it, no offense, of course. But it would lead to an uproar and a lot of paperwork for me. I lead the DMLE, you see—"
"I know who you are, Hermione," he said, bemused. "Harry never shut up about you."
She laughed lightly. "Well, I want you to know that Harry told me all about your situation and I will do everything in my power to see to your early release."
"Really?" He asked skeptically. "Why, may I ask?"
"You don't deserve to be imprisoned," she said simply. "I've acquired my position recently so I've only just had access to your case, though Harry's told me a fair bit about it. And after reviewing it, I noticed some… anomalies."
He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of 'anomalies'?"
"I can't exactly…" She trailed off at the uptick of his eyebrow and a shudder passed through her. She steeled herself before continuing. "We determined that the ruling was biased. The whole purpose of the private council was for that to not be the case."
Poseidon hummed thoughtfully as he stared at the floor. He thought back to the trial, as if it hadn't been replaying in his mind every day he rotted inside this cell, and recalled how some of them did seem to outright dislike him. Even if they didn't vocalize it. Though there was that annoying wench, Vicky Sol.
"And how did the Ministry miss that?"
"I wouldn't have," she smirked. "I'm sure you know this already, but the Aurors that were under you, they lied during the trial."
Poseidon grimaced. "Yeah… but I'm pretty sure there's more to it than that."
"I'm afraid so," Hermione confirmed. "And because of that, among other things, I'm changing the ruling."
He glanced up at her skeptically. "Oh?"
"Yes, you've faced more than enough punishment for the use of the Unforgivables."
"I got off lucky for that one. I'm sure some would've preferred me to have taken the veil." He laughed at the thought, though it contained no mirth. "The Unforgivables are grounds for a life sentence."
She nodded. "Yes, but there was a legal exception made since you were dealing with high level dark wizards. Your actions, as unconventional as they may have been, were key in eliminating a very dangerous threat."
"Donovan's group was just the start," Poseidon said gravely. "There's still the matter of—"
"Names have power," Hermione interrupted, though a small smile played at her lips.
He burst out laughing. "That's a good one."
"As such, your sentence is now nullified, meaning your release should be in the next few weeks," she said in a congratulatory tone. "Oh, and the 'no practicing magic after your release' bit? That's rubbish. You're free to do as you wish once you're out of here."
"Can you actually do that? Is it… legal?" Poseidon wondered, a small sense of hope rising in him.
A mischievous smile tugged at her lips. "Probably not entirely, but with Harry and I, not to mention the Minister of Magic, backing your case, the Wizengamot will have no choice but to agree."
"Athena?!"
Poseidon was taken aback. Athena Chase was vouching for him? The sun might as well have burnt out before that happened.
"Yes," she agreed, confusion written on her face. "She was very happy to do so. Why is that a surprise?"
"That's a loaded question," he sighed tiredly.
"Oh… well, she was one of the four who voted 'innocent' in your trial…"
His head snapped up and confusion and shock marred his features. "What? You're absolutely certain about that?"
She nodded. "One hundred percent."
He slumped back against the wall, his thoughts going a mile a minute. Someone has to be fucking with me right now, he thought, nonplussed. So all these years…
"Thank you for telling me that, Hermione," he said, softly squeezing her hand. He stood up and gathered her in a tight hug, catching her by surprise. "Thank you... for everything."
-xotwod-
The ride back across the North Sea was painfully quiet.
Annabeth sat next to Hermione and stared worriedly at Percy's back. He was staring out at the water, emotionally taxed from the day. The missing piece of his broken family laid in the walls of the fortress behind him.
Suddenly, he turned in his seat with a wild, distressed look on his face.
"Madam Potter," he started. "My dad—h-he's innocent. He swears it and I believe him. Please, you have to help—"
"Percy," Hermione interrupted kindly. "I know. And I believe you."
He ran a hand through his hair in aggravation. "Well, then isn't there some kind of… law or some kind of limitation, or... something?! He's been in there for so long!"
"Percy," Annabeth muttered worriedly, watching the back and forth between them.
"Percy, honey," Hermione stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his arm, staring up at him with determination. "I promise you I'm going to do everything in my power to make this right. Trust me. Poseidon Jackson is a hero and your family will be whole again."
He swallowed and looked at her frantically, eyes flitting between hers, trying to look for any sort of deceit. He glanced to his left at Annabeth and then back at Hermione before sighing.
"Okay," he breathed out. "Thank you for all that you've done, Madam Potter. And please tell Harry I said thank you as well—for setting all this up. It means the world to me."
"No problem, Percy," she replied with a smile. "Oh, and call me Hermione. We're friends now."
its probably gonna take me like 17 years to write the next chapter :)