Chapter 4: Becoming a Wingman

Words: 4,577

Recap: Okay, recap! Giant pig-nosed bull appeared, and I'm in trouble.

I know... sucks, right?

I pulled out my pen, ready to uncapped it at the slightest move it makes. I couldn't take my eyes off it, so I don't know how far those two have gone far. I'm hoping they were as far away as possible from here.

"So...are you going to stand there or can I leave and you can just enjoy your day?" The answer was clear when it began to bellow loudly and rushed toward me with big, heavy steps. The Pig-Bull looked surprised when I uncapped Riptide and rushed at it head-on.

"Percy, you idiot !" I heard Sev yelled out, but I didn't think of it much since I've heard that word too many times to count.

I jumped and landed at the monster's face. Then using it as a footstool, jumped once more to land on its back. It stopped on its track and began rocking its body as to flung me away. I held on though because this ain't my first rodeo pal and I've ridden on worst monster than...whatever you are. I tried to attack its head next but was surprised to find it was easily deflected this guy has an iron skin!

"Alright, new plan then. Let's see if I can put it in place, shall we?"

I grabbed onto its horns and jerked it aside to steer him away, making it dashed toward the monkey bars. I jumped away at the last minute, hoping the monster got stuck at the gaps. The sound of crashing made me turn, and I smirked at the success as the monster struggled underneath it. The smirk fell when not long after it somehow pulled the monkey bars away and now it's like a badly decorated Christmas bull.

"Percy! Cut the horns, you need to cut the horns!"

Okay. Cut the horn. That's one idea, but easier said than done. I rolled away as the monster was about to tackle with said horns. When the Pig-bull turned to me once more, I used my first tactic, but it turns out the bull was smarter than it looks. The moment I jumped, it used its horn to sweep me away like a fly.

I groaned for a while and only got up because someone kept shouting my name. The monster was ready to tackle me once more, and I was still hurt and disoriented to move away.

"Get away from him Ugly!" At the corner of my eyes, I saw who I thought was Lily throwing a rock at the monster but missed. I wasn't sure if the rock could do anything, but it then grew out wings from both sides and made a U-turn right into the monster's eye. It didn't stop there though, the winged stone kept on bashing toward its eye until the bellowing creature had enough and just swallowed the thing.

The monster's attention turned to my two friends, and I was desperately trying to get up, but I might have broken a rib. Damn, being a kid is a lot more fragile than I first thought. I managed to withstand the pain and got up, trying to come up with a way to get its attention once more.

To my luck, a drop of water fell.

It had only been one drop to my cheek but they one after another, the rain started to give me strength. I straighten my stand, and my eyes slit in rage that he even thinks he could attack my friends. I stretched out my hands and made sure the water swirled on the palm of my hand like a mini tornado then shot it at him with great force as the tornado grew in size making the monster toppled. It eyed me once more and made a jump, I waited for the right timing, sword in my hand I jumped to the side at the same time I tried cutting the horn cleanly as it rushed past me. I dropped to the ground and smiled, swiping the horn that was rolling toward me.

I then flicked my sword in a twirl, almost in a lazy manner, and weighing the horn on my other hand, "One down, one more to go."

I didn't feel scared facing the monster. It had one less horn, and I had water my side.

"Done already Pig Face? Because I've met bigger pigs faster than you." I wasn't sure if he understood my pig insults, but if it did, it explains the sudden wild trashing it was making. The park was beginning to look unrecognizable. He did, however, was reluctant to attack me. Looks like cutting one of his horns showed him I was no pushover.

"Okay then, if you won't I attack," I growled lowly, "I will." I controlled the water to flow beneath my feet and had it propelled me up few feet in the air. "tróne skatá álogo " I said in greek unknowingly, which in English would roughly mean to 'Eat horse crap!' Then with one smooth arc, Riptide cut through the second horn.

The monster squealed louder, but for only cutting its horns, he acts a whole lot weirder. I eyed it curiously as he shook his head like he just realized he lost his horns then began backing away slowly. As if losing his horns was like losing his dignity; his body curled, his tail hiding beneath his body, and was looking up at me with wary in his eyes. It was almost like I just slashed apart his favorite teddy bear, and I know how that feels.

"What just happened?"

"You showed your dominance; that's what happened." Sev was with Lily, who was hiding behind him as she clutched his oversize coat. Sev tried to look serious, but I notice the small curve at the end of his lips.

"Dude, what are you doing here? Stay out, the monster could attack any second!"

"Relax Percy, that beast is called a Graphorn. It's an aggressive animal, but once you cut down its horn or overpowered him in a wrestling match, it will back off and admit your strength. Look it's running back to the forest." I turned toward the Graphorn and just like Sev said he was scuttling away toward wherever he came from.

"What I can't understand is how a beast from the mountain area could appear..." Whatever Sev was going to say was cut off as Lily ran up to me. Holding on to me as if I might disappear from her sight and looking up and down for any injuries.

"Percy are you okay? Are you hurt? Should we send you to the hospital? Or-"

"Calm down Lils, I'm fine." I put a hand to her shoulder to emphasize my attention, and she heaved a sigh as her shoulder slump down. She then looked at the two of us, and she perked up at her thoughts.

"You two, why are you both calm? This isn't the first time it happened, hasn't it?" Sev and I froze, and we looked at each other, both of us wearing a straight face, but we honestly don't know what to say to her. Lily took our silence as a good enough answer.

"It has, hasn't it? Is this what wizard often get into?" She asked suspiciously.

"Woah, no. That's just me, I'm not really sure what a normal wizard life is like, but mine is just curs–" I clamp my own mouth before I got to the last word, but Lily didn't miss it.

"You're cursed!" she said wide-eyed. She looked at me like some sort of alien life form then she turned to Sev and demanded an explanation. He tried looking away, yet he was not infallible to her intense glare that was enough to make both of us sweat. "Sev, I want you to explain it to me," she inched closer to him with upturned eyes and tugged on his sleeve, "Please?"

Oh, that's just not fair! If she'd realized his feeling for him, then she could make into Slytherin.

Sev eyed me pleadingly, and I made a resigned sigh as an answer. A minute later, after a short explanation of my so-called curse, Lily was teary-eyed once more and decided I should be confronted with a hug. "Oh Percy I didn't know, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

" Hehe ...well...I...thought...you...would...a...avoid me! You know, with me getting chased by beast and monster I thought the less you know, the safer you'll be." The lies came out more fluid at the end that I honestly felt terrible telling her this.

"You're my friend Percy, I wouldn't even think of abandoning you." Her sentiment was honest and sweet, making me glad to have a friend like her in this world...well, this time period to be exact.

There was the sound of crowds, and all of us had just noticed the groups of people that were observing the ruined park. "Lily, I'm sure you're shaken so you should go home let's meet up another time, okay?" She nodded and waved goodbye at the two of us.

Sev and I were quiet as we watched Lily's retreating back. "Why don't I get to have hugs?" I heard Sev muttered.

"Just tell her your sad life story, it works for me." Sev eyed annoyingly at me, and when I thought he would say another smite remark, instead he asked;

"What did you yell out when you cut off its horns? It sounds like a foreign language."

Damn, and I had hoped he didn't notice.

"I did? I must have yelled out something gibberish. I sometimes do that when I get high-strung.j

" Uh-huh ." Sev didn't press, but he was clearly suspicious of my response, but he let it go and decided it's time to go back home. Well...I said home, but if we don't hang out with Lily, then it's crashing to my place where we usually just watch shows like Captain Scarlet or The Prisoners. Either that or I secretly sneaked into his house as he practiced on potions from every book he can get his hands on.

"Say, Percy, do you need that horn you have?"

"No, why?"

He took the horns from my hand and made that greedy smile on his face. "Oh, no reason" he chuckled darkly, though to me that's just when he's excited at something.

Looks like we're going to his house today.

…

After that exhausting day, I went back to my flat. My feet moved on its own toward the sofa, and I quickly fell asleep. Not long after, I was greeted by three identical women, all three had a torch on hand, but only one had a polecat and a she-dog.

"I see you have adjusted your life here quite well," the three women said, echoing their own words.

"You could have met me in person rather than in my dreams, it feels like an invasion of privacy."

"I have much less time than you think to spare for one demigod Percy Jackson." Her two shadows then shimmered, and she became one person.

"All right, now that you're here I have a lot of questions I need answering."

"Such as?"

"Why did you...I mean, your Future You warned or clued me on Lily and this James Person. Who are they, and why were are those two mortals- well, wizards - could be so important for Circe to go bother them? Also, why are monsters that aren't even Greek going after me?"

Hecate held out her hand in a way that showed her palm, "Calm down young Demigod, no need to raise your voice." Her tone patient and calm, "To answer your question, it is not Lily Evans herself that will play a key in fate, but the child she will carry in the future. Whose fate has been known either to destroy or be destroyed by the Dark Lord himself."

Okay, wasn't expecting that (Especially the disturbing similarity it sounds to my own Great Prophecy). Then wouldn't that mean that James guy is the–

My face blanched, "Oh gross, you want me to play matchmaking? I'm not the son of Aphrodite you know," Hecate had the pleasantries to laugh, not chuckled, laugh. Even the polecat and dog sniggered. I know I'm not the best matchmaker but do they have to laugh that much?

"As interesting as that idea is it's highly likely you were only tasked to protect them, how their feelings for each other develop will be entirely their own. As for the non-greek monsters you've encountered are those that are born within my jurisdiction rather than the Olympians, and so they are hidden from the demigods and only involve themselves with witches and wizards. However, now that I have given you my blessing and allowed you to my jurisdiction, the monsters are now aware of your presence."

"Great, more monsters after my blood."

"No need to despair just yet young demigod, for once you have reach school, no monster could go after you, at least those who fear their lives that is."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, is this what you meant that all become clear this summer?"

"Yes, you have been treated as a wizard in this place, so I expect you will act as such."

"Act like a wizard, got it."

"Good luck Percy Jackson, may the Fates be with you."

...

"Percy! Severus!" Lily cheered when she saw us waiting by the new fixed playground by the park.

"Hey Lily, you've been doing well?" I asked of her with a hint of concern. I was hoping she wouldn't attract or notice any monsters now that she knew about them.

"Fine, good actually. I just took the final exam last week, and I got first in class."

I grinned, genuinely happy she's doing well. I thought the incident with the bull would have kept her up with nightmares, "Good for you, Lils."

"You're amazing Lily," Sev followed up.

Lily blushed but took the compliment in a stride, "How was your week you two?" She changed the subject.

While I had the guts to opened my mouth, Sev shot me a glare. "Don't you dare," he warned me.

I could have continued, but I compiled for him just this once. Lily looked a lot more curious, but I mouthed the word 'later,' and she didn't pry further. I must apologize Sev about this, but there's no way I wouldn't tell her we're both working at a flower shop.

FYI, we had to wear an apron.

"What does Professor Snape offers to teach us today?"

"Professor Snape, what's that about?"

"I thought you'd need an appropriate name for teaching us about the wizarding world and all. In fact, I think you would make a great teacher." It was a light joke I said yet Sev laughed a lot more hysterically then I first thought. Me and Lily couldn't help but feel dumbstruck looking at a laughing Sev with his back on the grass. That just shows how rare he ever laugh even in front of us.

"Me?! A teacher, teaching the same thing over and over to kids? Never in a million years Percy."

"Hey, you're a kid too!"

"A smart kid at that." Ugh, he got me there, it's one thing to hang out with a smart kid. It's another to hang with someone who knows they're smart, you can't really win with them in an argument. "Anyway, I think you guys need to know more about the ministry of magic. It'd be bad if you guys to break any law and get sent to prison."

"That will be difficult," I grumbled under my breath.

"Go on then, tell us," Lily said excitedly and sat crossed in front of him.

Sev looked down to hide the apparent blush I saw from my point of view.

"Okay, there are 7 ministry departments; Magical Law Enforcement, Magical accidents and catastrophe, Magical Transportation, Mysteries, Magical Game and Sports, Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and the International Magical Cooperation. The first department is the one you need to know, for now, they're like the Home Office in Britain, and they have what muggles called the police, but us wizards called aurors. Anyway, their task is to track down or apprehend Dark Wizard, and they make sure no one broke the Statue of Secrecy or misusing muggles item by punishing them."

"What kind of misuse does wizard do with muggle items?" Lily asked one of the things I was curious about.

"Imagine you charmed your muggle cloth to turn into a robe and a muggle friend of yours accidentally used it. it will take a lot of explaining to do so it's best you don't charm your muggle things at all."

"Darn, there goes my plan on charming my bathtub into a jacuzzi."

"Then be glad I explained this first," he deadpanned at me.

"What other things we shouldn't do?" Lily pressed for more information, her eyes glint in concentration to take in everything she needs to know.

"Well, you should never use magic in front of a muggle or outside of school for that matter at the underage of 17 otherwise you will know when the ministry gets wind of it and can punish you, you get letters."

Lily gasped at the news, "But...I've done magic outside of school!"

"Not to mention me and we're not even in school yet!" I'd set a new record if I'd be kicked out of school before I even start.

"Calm down the two of you, we're out of the woodwork since we haven't gotten actual wands for ourselves yet and since we're children, we can't help the accidental magic we caused. But once you're eleven–" he made a slight pause and nodded gravely. "They'll start training you then you've got to be careful."

Lily fell into a thoughtful silence, picking up twigs and tracing it in the sky. I figured she was imagining the trail of sparks from her imaginary wand. "It still hard to believe all this talk is true; magic, wands, beasts, and Hogwarts. Petunia kept insisting you two are lying to me, that's not true isn't?"

I made an extravagant gasped and held my chest with a hurtful look, "To think, after all we've been through, you would even think we lied to you."

"Oh, come off it Percy, I'm a muggle-born, it's a lot for me to take in all this."

"Lily, you saw a 7-foot purple bull and hit it with a flying rock." I pointed out, "You've taken in a lot more than you think already."

"And sometimes I wondered if I had imagined it all if I hadn't seen the construction on the news. Even now I wondered if Hogwarts is really out there somewhere and if my letters would really come by owl."

"Normally," Sev answered. "But you're a muggle born so someone from school might have to come to explain things."

There was a small silence until she finally said, "Everything...about your tale of Hogwarts...it's really real right?"

"For the three of us, yes," he said confidently with a brimming smile, and I had to smile too seeing them this happy. Usually, I would tell anyone they're mad if they're excited to go to school, but Magic School is an exception I guess.

Then Lily's expression turned a bit grim, "Does it make a difference, being a muggle born?" She asked with obvious worried. I turned to Sev, and I noticed he was hesitating.

"No, it doesn't make a difference, " he said after gaining his bearing. I made a thought at that point that I should talk to him about it.

"Good." she relaxed with a sigh.

"You've got a lot of magic, Lily," said Sev, "I saw that all that time I was watching you..."

" Cough … stalking… cough ." Sev made his point across with a punch to my side. Sadly for him, it didn't even tickle. Lily didn't take notice of us then and just lay at the leafy ground, stretching out as she watched the canopy of leaves. I decided to copy her and lay on her right side, and Sev couldn't help but copy us on her left.

"Percy, you've been doing fine, right?"

"If you mean fine as in eating and sleeping properly then yes, yes I am."

"Don't you get lonely in your room?"

I was lonely if I was honest, but there was no way I'm going to admit that. I didn't survive two apocalypses just to be a wuss from being left alone. "Nah, I got Sev to keep me accompany when I need one."

Lily nodded and turned to her left. "What about you, Sev?"

I didn't need to look at him to know he had a crease on his eyebrows.

"Fine." he simply said.

"They're not arguing anymore?" She asked, hopefully. I began to recall our conversation, where Sev took my advice and told her about his situation at home. Oh he didn't do it willingly I tell you that much, it just sort of happened.

Lily had always respect Sev's privacy despite the hearsay around his family, they weren't normal whether they were a family of wizard or not. Though I could tell she was curious and kept skirting around the issue.

It was when Sev came to the park with a nasty bruise on his head did he finally told both of us how bad his household was. I don't know if I can say that fortunately the injuries were from an accident rather than domestic violence, but it was still caused by falling down the stairs when his Father was having his mood swings and throw a bottle of beer and almost hitting him, making him slip.

He didn't want any pity or for her to look at him differently but from the make of his face, suffice to say that the hug was worth it from her.

"Oh yes, they're still arguing." There was a slight pause as if he had a stone stuck on his throat. "But it doesn't matter, it won't be that long until I'm gone anyway."

"Doesn't your dad like magic?"

My fist clenched, remembering the few encounters we had. "He doesn't like anything much," Sev finally said.

"Severus?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the Dementors again." It was an odd and sudden request, and I had to rake my brain, remembering what kind of creature it was.

"Those things said to suck out happiness? Why would you want to know that?" I asked when I realized what they were. I've met monsters that seduce, breath out fire or acid, and even copied voices, but sucking out happiness just sounds plain wrong.

"If I happened to use magic outside of-"

"They wouldn't give you Dementors for that," Sev said, sitting straight up. "Dementors are for really bad wizards, they usually just guard the prison Azkaban. You're too–" he stopped mid-sentence and a red flushed colored his pale cheeks, giving me insight on his next words. I gave a sly smirk, which made him turned to examine the leaves like it was his ingredient for the next batch of potions.

There was a ruffling sound, and the three of us turned to the source. My hand instinctively reached out for my pen, but I loosened my grip when I was met with Lily's sister, hiding behind a tree. "Tuney!" Lily cried her tone surprise but welcoming all the same.

Sev got up to his feet though and didn't look pleased. "Who's spying on who now?" Sev shouted, "What'd you want?"

"Sev, there's no need to shout like that." I came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, hoping it would calm him down.

Petunia, on the other hand, had wide eyes and was her gaze went everywhere. She bit her lip for a bit before she shouted back at him, "What is that you're wearing anyway? You're mother's blouse?" She said, pointing at his chest.

Before I could say something back to her, there was a snapping sound and a branch fell. Lily screamed when she saw it hit her sister's shoulder. Petunia staggered back and burst into tears. "Tuney" Lily shouted again, but Petunia was already running away.

Lily rounded up Sev and looked at him furiously, and let me tell you this is the first time I saw her angry, and for a 10-year-old, she looked pretty scary. "Did you make that happened?"

"No," Sev denied and looked just as taken aback as me.

Lily then turned to me, "Then did you?"

"No, I don't think so. I was only going to tell her off, I didn't even know a branch was hanging over her."

"Well, one of you did that, and it hurt her!" Lily was slowly backing away from us with looks that could burn until she finally ran off to catch up with her sister, not forgetting sending us one last look.

Things were all silence until Sev groaned aloud, "She's only a muggle, why does she care if she's hurt?!"

"So you did had the branch fell on her?" I made a disapproving stare at him, but he ignored it.

"Not on purpose!" He admitted, "How was I going to keep my emotion in check after what she said?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have yelled at her in the first place?"

"She spied on us!"

"And you spied on Lily and her before."

Instead of calming him down, Sev glare became heated towards me. "Why are you on her side, Percy?"

"I'm not, but what you did is wrong Sev, have you thought of that? Sure she wasn't being nice, but she didn't deserve getting hit by a branch unless she throws you peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches on the head."

Whatever Sev was going to retort was lost at his throat, "Who eats peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches?"

"Apparently, kids with emotional problems."

He had no retort to that.

"Listen, Sev! Muggle or no muggle, you did something wrong, and you need to apologize for it." Oh, gods, I'm beginning to sound like my mother.

"To a muggle? Not a chance!" He turned his heel and then went on his way home. It was the shortest meeting we have so far, and I just hope things don't escalate too far from this.

AN: Thanks for reading, following, and reviewing everyone! I'd like to apologize if there was a few grammar mistakes that I missed and I hope you still enjoyed it. I would also like to address my reviewer.

Mr. E: If your review was a joke then hahaha, it was pretty funny. If it's not...What the f***?

How in the world did you come up with that? Of course, I'm not making Percy cheat on Annabeth, that's like writing Harry to be a Death Eater. Never gonna happen! When I say love life, I never meant him to cheat. It could be because yes Lily might fall for him, or maybe a fangirl of his put a love potion on him, perhaps he had to pretend to be someone's boyfriend, heck I could even make Sev has a crush on Percy instead! Anything could happen but doesn't mean it should involve Percy cheating.

Anyway, sorry for exaggerating. Please R&R