Chapter 16: Secrets, Doubts, and Duels
Words: 4,921
Recap: Just when you think things can go on as normal, either the gods or just the universal in general just likes to prove you wrong when you put a case of the mysterious asleep quidditch player on me. You think that's weird, oh wait till it gets weirder.
Things became normal the next day.
It wasn't what I expected to find when I got up to the Great Hall, but barely anyone talked about the Quidditch Incident when they're still fussing about the screaming, wailing ghosts that disappeared on Hogwarts. I learned soon after that they all weren't expecting anything serious happening to the girl. Some made wild guesses that she was put into a sleeping hex from someone in the crowd or she unknowingly drank a small dose of Sleeping Draught Potion before the match. The most ridiculous story would be some otherworldly being or a vengeful ghost knocked her out in the air.
Yet I know, and so does the teachers, that this may not be just a normal hex-the-girl-prank. From that height, she could have broken few bones or worse, no way any sane kid would try to risk hexing for just a prank or any other kinds of attempt without a slight amount of ill-will. Though none looked worried and assumed Madam Pomfrey, the Hogwarts' Nurse would find a cure soon enough. But my gut tells me that the case won't settle that easily and this might just be the beginning. The beginning of what... even I'm not sure.
The game had stopped midway that day.
It's been a few days since then and I tried to ask Lily or any other Gryffindor if Grenda (that's the girl's name by the way as I found out) had woken up and came to class. Yet there was still no sign of her presence since.
It only gets worse when I passed up with James and Sirius by chance through the hallway. The glare they gave me the moment we locked eyes was something I did not anticipate, and cause me to freeze up.
What unnerved me was the fact they passed me by, just like that as if I didn't matter. They sneered near my ear how I was a 'Cheater'.
It threw me off that I found the out-of-nowhere comment ridiculous "How am I a cheater? What did I do?" I couldn't help but asked them.
"Oh don't act like you don't know," James growled, "We saw you trying to pull Grenda off her broom but was struck by the bludger while you're doing it."
I gaped at the accusation, couldn't quite believe what I was being accused of, "Excuse me?!"
"You probably hex her too, didn't you?" Sirius added, flaring my temper further.
"I did not!" I denied it firmly.
"And why should we believe you? You're just a first-year and you've already managed to be on the rooster team. I bet you trick them that you're actually good enough to play."
"Oh, that's rich since you conveniently forgot that we were the ones who were winning!" I pointed out with my voice raised.
"What's going on here?!" The stern voice that belonged to Professor McGonagall snapped us from our heated glare. Beside her were Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch, strutting toward the circular crowd we find ourselves in after having too caught up in our arguments.
Sirius, using his polite tone and smile to charm people, was the first to answer her, "Nothing Professor, we were just having a slight disagreement and the argument got a little too heated. We weren't looking for any trouble."
The Professor's eyes swept between us and the crowd, most likely assessing how much his words rang true from the scene she was seeing. Looking disbelievingly but satisfied with his words. "Then I suggest you all dismissed now, it's almost time for the next period."
The crowd began to move on from their spot including us. The boys sent one last dirty look toward me and I sent one of my own 'Death Glare' at them. There was a small satisfaction, seeing them try to hide their shiver when they saw my look.
Still, I didn't like the possible rumor that might creep up from our fight and found myself cursing softly. Just when I thought I couldn't draw any more attention to myself.
The tension had returned to the school when students became wary of the absence of ghosts, reminding them of the event on Halloween. Especially when Professor Binns had turned History into Self-Study which is a big deal because Professor Binns never skip a class. How someone could love as teaching as him that he came back as a ghost but be so bad at it was beyond me.
To clear my head, I spent my time alone by the Black Lake early morning. I had brought a warm non-blue waffle. I hadn't quite mastered the Color Change Charm yet so I had to be satisfied with my current state of breakfast. The chilly morning air did help clear my mind but didn't help with any solution.
There's no proof that the quidditch incident has anything to do with Jack O'Lantern. Maybe like the masses said, it was just someone's prank but my gut didn't let me dismiss the problem that easily and I learned to listen to it enough times so I'd stay alive.
The more I think about the quest, the more I felt it was impossible for me to do. I ran my hand on my hair, feeling frustrated. How could I ever think I can handle this quest alone. I'm just a Seaweed Brain. I never do the planning, planning is my weakest suite and it barely worked most of the time.
In what way did the gods think I could handle this?
My brooding moment was disrupted when a giant shadow passed over me.
"Oi, who goes ther- Oh! Well 'ello Percy. Fancy seein' yeh here."
I turned, looking up and was met by the sight of a familiar giant man with shaggy mane of his tangled beard. But that did not hit the crinkle of warm smile underneath it. My eyes slit, trying to remember his name and widen when I did.
"Hey Hagrid, just felt like spending time near the water. It always helps calm me down despite being ADHD."
Hagrid tilted his head questionable and I knew his confusion before he even asks, explaining what ADHD is to him. He leaned in curiously to know what it is and was faintly shocked when he found out.
"Blimey, that must have been hard learning in class and staying still with that condition."
"I learn to deal with it. It's not so bad once you get used to it, not easier but not bad."
"Still, I've been working here for more than a decade, and I could tell ya that not many could handle it as well as yeh. Yer a special lad Percy," he said with genuine admiration he had for me, and I couldn't help but blush. I decided I like Hagrid and how he finds the little things about me easy to admire.
He then became thoughtful as he scratched his shaggy beard before his eyes glint with indecision, "Well I can't have yeh loitering aroun' then can't I?" He lifted the bucket he had on hand, "Why don' we go feed Greg? Would yeh like that'?"
I looked up at him with wide eyes before a broad grin split on my face. Hagrid showed me where the boathouse was and together we rowed to the middle of the lake. He made sure to bait it first so he knew when it comes and doesn't just throw the fishes and let other creatures eat it for themselves. Once Greg appeared, he there a fistful of fish which the squid snatched in mid-air and pulled it down. Hagrid looked surprised that I found the scene laughable instead of scared like any other first-year would.
He offered me a few fish for me to throw and I eagerly did so, much to Greg's joy of being feed by the 'Son of the Sea Lord' making me roll my eyes fondly.
"So Percy, what's been botherin' yeh?"
The fish I was about to throw slipped from my hand and fell on my head, it didn't stop Greg though as he slipped his tentacle inside the boat and took the fish across my feet but both us didn't take much heed to him.
"Wha...what makes you say that?" I couldn't help the blush when my words stumble out even though I tried to shrug him off.
"I see it on yer face, I know a troubled look when I see one," Hagrid said it with understanding in his tone, his large hand patted me in the back wit reassurance how he wouldn't judge. "Yeh don' have teh say ter details, I'll jus' len' you an ear fer yeh teh listen. Sometimes, that's all that people need y'now?"
I looked up at him, a bit of a shock and I have to quell myself from laughing. Here's a guy whose three times my size and could have scared off anyone, kids and adults alike, but obviously has a soft, caring, heart with a bit to the naive side. He reminded so much of Tyson that I found myself liking the guy even more.
I didn't know what came over me then. Maybe because I do need someone to talk to, maybe because being reminded of Tyson got me homesick. I started spilling my gut.
I didn't say anything too revealing though. Just that I was handling a request from a family of mine and I had to juggle up with schoolwork and stuff. I may have revealed I wasn't too keen on doing it at the start and was practically forced into it which explained the bitter tone I use. Then I told him how I don't know how to handle their request and wasn't sure how to finish it. Making me feel like I'm failing. It's like having to play a Rubix cube. You know the goal but you can't piece the method to it yet.
"Well I don' know abou' this reques' yer family has fer yeh, bu' it sounds mighty difficult on yeh."
I snorted, "You don't know the half of it."
"Then why can't yeh jus' ask fer help?" he asked as if the solution was the most obvious thing for him.
"That's the thing Hagrid, I'm on my own. Didn't you listen about the part of me being sent alone?"
"But yeh have that Lad, Severus, right? An' that girlfriend I kep' seeing with ter two of you. Aren't yeh mates?"
"First of all, she's not my girlfriend. Second I...I can't Hagrid."
He tilted his head, "Why not?"
"I just can't okay! They're my friends, and that's exactly why I can't ask for their help. I can't risk them."
"Risk? Is this reques' dangerous?"
Ah, Styx. I gulped. Knowing it's too late to take back what I said, I continued "Yeah, a bit. I know how to handle it since I'm used to it but Lily and Sev don't." Since they're mortals and all. "If anything happens to them then I won't be able to forgive myself."
All was silence on the boat, other than the sound of the constant water rippling, the creaking boat underneath our weights, and the few chirping of the birds greeting the morning sun.
"I guess if yeh feel strongly that way, I can't really force yeh to do anything. But y'now just remembe' when everything fell apart, yer friends are ter one yeh could coun' on. Nothin' w'ong with askin' help when yeh need it an' it's always bette' than dealin' things alone."
His voice was sincere and pleading like he had experienced what it felt of needing help but never got any. The feeling of when your life was broken apart and no one was there when you needed one.
A smile made up to my face, "Thanks Hagrid, for a half-giant, you're not so bad." I laughed at my own joke, but rather than laughing, Hagrid turned weakly pale and almost staggered out of the boat.
"Who tol' yeh?"
"What?"
"Who tol' yeh I was a half-giant?!" he cried out a bit desperately.
"Wait, you're really a half-giant? I was just joking about your size!"
Awkward silence befell us as we let my work sank in when an unintentional secret was leaked.
"Uh...you want me to keep it a secret?"
"Tha' be nice, thanks."
"Hey, since you've been hearing me out this long, it's no big deal."
"Yeh not afraid...tha' I'm a half-giant?"
"True, I don't have the best experience with giants but I know for a fact that blood or race doesn't define you as a person." A sigh of relief escaped him and I couldn't help but feel for the guy
"If you need reassurance, my half brother is a cyclops."
"Wha...fer real?! I thought cyclops are myths!"
"Oh they are as real as dragons and unicorns my friend. So don't think you're the weirdest people I've met and befriended. In fact, after knowing all my family, you'd realize it just doesn't matter what you are or where you're from." I must have hinted how much I miss them because Hagrid gave me a sympathetic smile.
"Yeh mus' have a really great family."
"Pssh, wait till you hear all the messes we got ourselves into then maybe you'll change your mind," I said, reminiscing of all the trouble the campers can get into.
Considering he had leaned forward in interest, I say he does want to hear it. "Oh? Do tell."
I leaned forward, just as eager to tell him the story of home.
. . .
I thought things wouldn't get any worse but clearly I was wrong.
For some reason, the past few days Sev and Lily had been a bit distant lately. Sure they dismissed it when I pointed out subtly but they couldn't fool me. I could tell how they've been looking jumpy when I appear suddenly around them, the whispering they had with just the two of them they kept me out of the loop. The shifted wary glances they gave me when they thought I wasn't looking. It was obvious they were hiding something but I wasn't sure what. I wasn't in the position to complain when I'm putting a lot of things from them in the dark, and it makes me feel more guilty when I thought if I had pushed them away too hard from my problems. The distant made me question more times than I can count if the secret was worth keeping.
They didn't stop talking to me so that was a plus, but it might not be long before they couldn't keep ignoring the secret I kept from them and outright ignored me altogether.
I shoved that doubts whenever we did get together and talked even the most random thing, but that day we had our mindset on one thought.
"So you haven't joined a club yet?"
Lily shook her head as she scanned the stack pile of fliers in her hand, "Nope, I had thought about joining Quidditch in the future before but seeing it first-hand makes me doubt if I'll ever handle such intense sport."
"Then how about joining the Potion Club," Sev suggested hopefully, "It'll be great to have you around."
"I do love Potions, but I want to explore the other clubs a bit more," she answered absentmindedly, her eyes never left the paper on hand.
Sev sighed that his intention was lost to her and I couldn't help the sympathetic smile I sent him.
Lily then froze when she shuffled the paper to a new flier. One that had the word 'Dueling Club' she looked confused at it since she's been reading up a few familiar clubs not so different to her muggle-school-clubs like Wizard Chess, Wizard Choir, and Broadcasting Club. She only needed to turn one look at Sev before he explained it to her. He didn't look impressed by it if the unamused frown he often used was any telling.
"Essentially it's a club where wizards duel one another to knock each other to best one another with spells. They have some ranking system there I'm not too familiar with, but it's where you'll find the most competitive and stubborn people there."
Lily somehow find that funny and turned to me. "Sounds like your kind of club Percy."
"Ugh...I already got drag into doing Quidditch so no thanks, but a club that teaches you wand dueling does sound useful. Not to mention you get to legitimately knock off - how do you Brits said it - a few blokes and get praised for it."
"See... you are interested," Lily giggled.
"Guess we should have expected from a brute," Sev lightheartedly joked.
"Oi- wait... did you hear that?"
Their laughter stopped as they tried perking their ears but both said they hear nothing. Shrugging that I must have heard things and our banter continued, the conversation then somehow dissolves into visiting the club itself. Why we did it, couldn't quite remember, I think it involves proving whether there is a case of a wizard dueling that had them died from tickling. A ridiculous notion I know, who would even use a tickling spell in a dueling match? That's just stupid.
We had the paintings help us led to the Dueling Club's room. The classroom lacked anything different other than the absents of tables and the aftermath of Peeve's newest prank by ransacking the books and tools and by drawing the walls with colored chalks that specifically insulted Mr. Pringle as he washed it out. Noting that he doesn't seem to bother much from what his expression could tell as he always has. It's kind of creepy how emotionless he was and never even see him make a frown or smile. Like he was a puppet made to look like a cheerful Scrooge.
Other few students from various years were all helping sort out the room so they would remember which item was put where. Not to mention the fact most of the magical items don't look that safe to touch without someone knowing what it was.
We glanced around the room, feeling out of place until we locked eyes with an older student, most likely a fifth-year Ravenclaw. His electric blue eyes widen then made a mega-watt smile at us as he strolled toward us.
"Hey there, I'm Albert Runcorn. you three are first-year yeah?" He looked over our ties and his eyebrows arched slightly, "From different houses I see, can't say I'm not surprised that you look like you're getting along so well."
"That's because they're my best friends, any reason why we shouldn't?" I huffed and crossed my arms.
The teen raised his hand in slight surrender. "No offense intended there it's just something you don't see every day that's all." Hearing it, I couldn't help but smirk. It's not the first time I got the better over long-lasting rivalry, otherwise, I wouldn't have even dreamed of dating a Daughter of Athena.
The teen clapped and hadn't let loose the eager smile on his face. "So… are you three interested in joining the club? Luckily today, we have Professor Rose coming to instruct us so you'll have a proper experience what being in the club feels."
"The Professor doesn't instruct the club that much?"
"Depends who your instructor is, you usually have the upperclassmen from fifth to seventh year - meaning me - be the one instructing and help you out along the way and the Professors usually just come and go from either weekly or monthly, maybe even twice in half-term."
"You know this from experience?"
"Yeah... DADA teachers are usually the ones assign to instruct us so...we don't have much luck in regular Professor."
"How come?" Lily asked.
The Ravenclaw looked at her quizzically, as if the answer was obvious to all, but his eyes widened. "Oh, right...first years...you don't kn...forgot what I said it's nothing." He waved the subject off which only got me more curious. Unknown to me, Lily and Sev were thinking the same thing.
Before any of us could press further, the sound of throat-clearing made us turned. Professor Rose was standing behind us, "If you all don't mind, I'd like to step in."
Her voice wasn't stern but there was a bit of a reprimanding tone in it, not exactly stern but firm and demanding, the kind of tone I'd recognize from a commanding officer rather than a teacher. I find myself watching her as our small group step aside the next second as she strode inside the classroom, he confident stance somehow was capable to part the students into two side and locked on to her without so much as saying a word to get their attention.
I was convinced at that moment she wasn't just an ordinary teacher, but seeing this is a wizard school and she's the professor of DADA, it might just be the norm here. Still, it won't hurt to be a tad bit watchful over her.
"Students," she called out. "I apologize my schedule has been keeping me busy from instructing you all these few weeks plus my own assignment the Headmaster has personally given me."
I was immediately reminded of the conversation I snooped on days ago that Dumbledore had assigned her to investigate the Ghost Mystery. Maybe I should talk to her later on and fished out some intel, or even sneak into her office one day.
"Now I'm sure you all have significant progress and I noticed there are a few newcomers so why don't we start things straight with the Captains from each House and impress them, shall we? I would hope you'd perform better than the last time I saw you."
Albert gulped and his hands fiddled with his tie before shooting us a nervous smile, "Wish me luck."
Three other students went on the front alongside Professor Rose, each from different houses. The Professor stood in the middle, and with a loud clap of her hand. A pair stood face to face on each of her sides, one was a Ravenclaw-Gryffindor pair and the other was a Slytherin-Hufflepuff one. "There are rules and custom when dealing a proper duel as most of you already know, first you hold out your wand, then you bow…"
The four wizards and witches took their wand out and bowed curtly. "...the referee will count to three and with a quick draw you shoot out your spell, the duel will end when one of the other disarm their wand or unable to continue. Either by Injury, spells, or death."
Well, that sounds cheery.
"Like so: One... two... three!"
As if on cue they turned back simultaneously, pointed their wands and each shouted a different spell as seconds later different flashes of light crisscrossed one another. Albert and the Gryffindor guy managed to knock each other out, Albert by shooting out the rope that tied the guy up and him being frozen. On the other side, The Slytherin managed to push the Hufflepuff girl to the wall and briefly knock her out.
The exchange was brief and swift.
The whole room clapped at the display.
I had to admit, while the exchange might not look much. I did stand there in awe how much one spell, one stroke of the wand, and one's speed might have decided life and death if it had been a death duel. Only to shake that thought away, remembering this isn't Camp-Half Blood, but Hogwarts, I doubt they teach any deadly spells to the kids, now when they don't have anything to fear for their lives.
'Not yet anyway.' the ominous thought said from the back of my mind.
Professor Rose clapped along with the rest of the class, making the first wide smile I ever saw her with.
"Well done, a one spell knocked out for almost each of you. Definitely an improvement since most duel would need a few more exchanges between duelers before a winner could be made. However, a bit disappointment none of you thought of using a Blocking Spell. Clara, I suggest you buy a new wand next time. Had you used a more compatible wand, you would have knocked out your opponent first with your stunning spell," she said, making the Hufflepuff girl smile. The Slytherin guy must have whispered some scathing remark if the glare and hard elbow he received showed any indication of it.
I didn't notice it though because just during the duel, on the corner of my eyes, I saw the slightest glimpse of an ethereal glow of a blue fire floating. I blink, and it disappeared making me question myself if I had seen that Professor flicked her wand and dispelled the pair that got a tie then turned to locked eyes with the three of us. "Now which of the three of you would like to test their luck here."
Lily, Sev and me all exchange look but didn't quite get our message across one another since I never imagined Lily eagerly shooting her hand up with a smile. Leave it to her, charging head-on to try out new things. Sev looked a bit worried for her and I didn't think he was overreacting because so was I.
"Lily, don't you think you might get hurt from this?!" I whispered harshly at her.
Lily waved me off at that, "Oh relax Percy, it's not like I'm going against giant hound dogs or magic rhinos. Besides, you won't get any better using magic if you don't start practicing."
I was about to protest but Lily had bounded over, facing against a senior guy Professor Rose had called out from her fellow Gryffindor House, one or two older than her.
They exchanged names and greeted one another before he smirked at her while he brandished his wand. "Don't worry Missy, I'll be sure to go easy on you." He winked at her and I could sense Lily's urge to not roll her eyes. Instead, she smiled sweetly at him as she said her thanks for her consideration.
Professor Rose watched attentively at the two before her, "Face your opponent, bow... Wands at the ready!" Both of them did just that in synch, Lily stayed smiling through all that.
"When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents, only to disarm them, we don't want any accidents. One ... two ... three!"
It was clear that the Gryffindor Senior was lazily calling out his spell as his way of 'going easy' on her, so he didn't expect the sudden hard look Lily had as she waved her wand over her head and shoot out streams of water to her opponent face. Making him gurgle his mouth off and unable to say any spells. Lily followed it up with a second spell that got him skidding across the floor and letting his wand roll out of his hand.
Everyone stood agape at the display they were shown, including me before I caught myself smirking proudly for her while she shot me her blinding grin at me.
Professor Rose gave an appreciative glance and lightly clapped for Lily's performance. "Well done Miss Evans, that was quite a display for a first year, you are a natural."
Lily beamed at the praise.
A hand shot out from the crowd, "I'd like to challenge her."
It got the room's attention as their clapping and cheer diminished into silence, watching a fifth-year senior strolled confidently toward the platform, she sniffed and stuck out her chin high like, what's the word, a haughty posh person would act. Her blue eyes were cold and calculating, every step she stood closer to Lily, she found herself flinching and would have back away had she not kept glancing at us for silence support. Even she felt intimidated by her icy demeanor. Her features were also memorable, slim, light blonde hair that's almost white, pale skin showing she barely got out under the sun. Her silver-green tie showed her house was the same as Sev's, but he didn't seem to recognize her.
It was only when facing her that she smiled, a warm smile that broke the previous air she made for herself and make one doubted which one was her real face or even either of them was.
"Professor, I hope it's fine that I like to take on this… peculiar first-year girl."
"Miss Black. Not that I'm saying it's a problem but are you sure you, a fifth-year, wants to deal with a first-year?"
"If little Miss Lily Evans would like to accept off course, I can understand if you don't. You're still...inexperienced in many things. I won't be offended if you deny me of a friendly spar with each other." she yawned and her eyes watered a bit before brushing it off and smiled sweetly at her.
Lily looked angered and conflicted. After learning what her status of being a muggle-born meant, she refused to let anyone undermine her, but she's smart enough to know that challenging a senior, a fifth-year to boot just spells all sort of trouble I would do.
She shifted her gaze to us and the two of us mouthed the word no with a slight shake of either our hand or head. However, it somehow made the opposite reaction when Lily turned to her with an even glare, and after long contemplation, she slowly nodded in acceptance, much to my and Sev's frustration.
Lily's been spending way too much time with me.
"By the way Percy, I'm blaming you for this."
"Don't worry I'm blaming myself as well."
Miss Black, as I know her, showed a toothed smiled that seemed welcoming but didn't ease the tension in Lily's nor mine. Professor Rose looked between them two and barely made a visible sigh.
"Face your opponents, bow, wands at the ready, and one... two... THREE!"
AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger and thank you, everyone, for the love you gave me from the reviews. You don't know how happy you make from them. :))))
Some people are also very impatient at a Remus-Percy relationship so again, I like to say be patient. They'll be meeting soon and I have a special story in mind for them in the later acts. You all have 6 acts more to look forward so be patient y'all.
Best wishes with love, Author.