Chapter 17: My Reputation Turned Black

Words: 5,126

Recap: Lily and a fifth-year Slytherin Girl are locked in a duel match. Idiotic I know. Did it come from my influence? Most likely. Who else would impulsively do stupid things around her but me?

Professor Rose barely finished saying two before Miss Black brandished her wand and called out, "Esuffocto!"

Purple-colored light flashed by and hit her opponent. Not long after, Lily was struggling to breathe as she kept her hand on her throat. Her face was paler by the second, her eyes wide in panic, and her knee dropped to the floor. Professor Rose began yelling out something about strictly disarming and not harming the opponent but the Slytherin girl didn't seem to listen. I was already pacing forward, years of hero training kicked in instinct. Which was to pull out my wand and throw it right at the girl's eye. Making her cried out and let go of her wand.

What? I did say my first instinct. I just grabbed the first thing I have on hand and throw it!

I quickly went to her side and realize just distracting her didn't stop the spell on her, at the corner of my eyes the Professor went up to us and most likely ready to dispel it but Sev was faster. Already rushing to her side and using his wand to dispel it and making her breath a lungful of air before sighing in relief alongside the two of us.

My eyes darkened when I looked back at the girl who yawned and didn't look the slightest perturbed on what just happened. "According to Code 3 of the Rule of Dueling, you just violated the duel by obstruction on an ongoing duel. Hence forfeiting her victory." She stated simply which only enraged me more.

"Oh, and of course almost killing my best friend doesn't seem to warrant you any negative points," I growled with my teeth bared.

The girl blinked a few times. Pinching the bridge of her nose before glaring back at me, "I suggest you watch who you're talking to Boy. Your ignorant peasant brain has no idea who you're talking to, and I have enough skill to dispel the spell when I'm satisfied with the use."

"Oh, satisfied as in having witnessed a person choking? Yeah, a great hobby you have there."

"You know, your crude words are starting to aggravate me and if you don't stop. You'll regret it later. boy."

"First of all, the name's not Boy, it's Percy Jackson. Get it in your stupid blond head!" There was a collective loud scandalous gasp but I ignored them, "Second, you might be some fancy-schmancy noble or whatever, but I've dealt with worse. You could take away my wand and you don't scare me."

"Is that a challenge I'm hearing?"

"If it is, what are you going to do about it?"

Silence reign despite the number of people in the room, all watching our intense exchange. A wicked smile made way on her lips. She stood straight; with a quiet whisper and flick of her wand. My wand that had been left on the floor was thrown back at me. I caught it quite easily with one hand.

"Then what are you waiting for?" She taunted.

I pace toward the spot where Lily had dueled with her opponent, but that was after Sev had pulled me aside with a mix concern and incredulous look.

"Percy, no offense to you but you suck at spells."

"Thanks, Sev, definitely nothing offensive from that."

"I'm sorry but it's true! You messed up spells almost every time you used them, your aiming sucks and oftentimes you forget the spells that you are good at."

"So? I'll just use one spell that I remember and actually good at. See? Problem solved."

Sev looked like he wanted to scream but held back at the last second and breathed in slowly to calm himself. "Listen, Percy. There's a lot of things I'd like to say to you right now. Like your tendency with enraging High Social Class people like Narcissa Black."

Huh, so that's her name. Typical that she was named after the man who became the definition of narcist. I'm not sure how any parent would want to name their child with one who died loving his own reflection.

My thoughts halted when Sev continued, "That demo they showed us with the captains might look great, but real duels don't usually involve exchanging spells more than needed because once you're down, they usually make sure they stay down. It's not a game where you can use the same spell repeatedly and expected to win with sheer luck."

"Well good thing that I have a plan in mind."

"And we all know how swell your plans are," Sev said with a mix of sarcasm and exasperation in his tone.

A grin was my only reply as I stood on the same spot Lily had, facing Narcissa with my wand already on hand. Her steps swayed a bit before she stood firm once more, I should have noted the odd weary look she tried to brush off or her unfocused gaze she sometimes I had but I was too short-sighted and angry at the time to notice.

The Professor looked back between us, made a weary sigh at the scene she forced to be involved. The crowd kept our eyes on us, some looked disturbed by the event, some were holding back an eager grin, some were annoyed and others looked bored or even uninterested. Whichever which, they didn't look anywhere else but us.

"You can back down now before you get yourself hurt."

"I'd like to, but then I'll miss the chance to see your

That did it. Her face made an ugly scowl as she growled and shot a flash of spell at me that I sidestepped aside without flinching while I kept eye contact on her. Inwardly though, I was impressed. I doubt I could conjure magic as fast as her just yet but thankfully grateful my instinct was still just as sharp.

"Miss Black, I did not begin the duel yet!"

"I'm sorry Professor Rose, that was just a practice swing. It was meant to miss," she said sweetly without breaking eye contact with me. "Sorry about that, boy."

"No harm done Miss Black, doubt you would do any better than that."

The Professor's gaze sharpened as she scrutinized our response before repeating the same ritual: face, bow, wands at the ready.

"One...two...three!"

Quickly, Narcissa brandished her wand and yelled out the same spell as before, but again I sidestepped while managing one step forward and managed to dodge the spell. Narcissa frowned and shot out a different spell, and I dodged again with another step closer toward her. The smug look on her face began to crack somewhat before she shot another spell, this time however her aim was off course so I didn't need to dodge and just step closer. I should have noticed something wrong then but I thought I managed to rattle her. She made a step back as she shot another spell and I duck below it.

This time, her facade is truly and utterly gone as her shots were getting faster but clumsier as well.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Incarcerous!"

"Stupefy!"

Spell after spells she shot out but none managed to hit me, some had a close call but in the end when she was well within my range. I aimed my wand on her and ready the most basic stun spell on her. Before I could, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she slumped down to the floor much to everyone's surprise but none more than me. After all, I was just a kid who only recently learned magic so everyone doubted I could do Voiceless Magic.

Professor Rose was already by her side, snapping me out of my surprise and walked to her side. A tight knot on my stomach foreboded what it might mean. I had a confused and questioning gaze on what her state, prompting the Professor to answer me without voicing it.

The answer was the dreaded two words I feared.

"She's asleep."

It was such an innocent words, but in this case; it gave birth to a conspiracy to the student of Hogwarts and a confirmation that this Sleeping Ordeal is most likely linked to the Ghost Problem and that it will not be the last if it does not resolve soon. Worst, if there's no way of waking them up then they'll stay that way for a long time and I doubt True Love Kiss would be enough even for the Wizarding Standard.

Too engrossed with my own thoughts, I was snapped back to reality after both Lily and Sev pulled me away from the crowd that was forming. I faintly recall I hadn't responded to them calling out my name.

"Percy are you okay?" Lily asked me again.

"Huh? Oh...yeah...maybe. Do you think it's a coincidence this is the second case of unlikely sudden sleep deprivation on someone."

Sev shook his head with a snort, "Doubt it, and the rest will think so too which is bad for you Percy."

That got me to look at him confusingly, "What do you mean it's bad for me?"

Sev turned solemn, glancing anywhere but me while Lily looked guiltily at me...or for me. "Percy," she said softly with the kind of tone you use to reassure someone that they are most likely screwed, "You were the one who scared off the ghost and was around Grenda when she first caught...whatever this is...and some were already suspicious of you. Now you're here when another case happened and you know what this might lead."

It dawned on me what this all might look from an outside perspective and was on the verge of making a rueful smile. "Let me guess, they'll think I have something to do with this." I looked back at them who seemed very intent to not make eye contact with me.

"...And you believe them." I didn't mean to accuse them of anything, but my shoulders slumped and my voice strangled.

Lily snapped back at me and wrapped her hand around my own, "No! Definitely not. We don't believe this is your fault. We're just worried because you-"

"Lily!" Sev cut her off with a warning voice. Lily looked back pleadingly at him but after a few glances exchange, lips quirking and head shaking. Lily relented and I couldn't help feeling amused at their wordless conversation and annoyed at being left out.

"We just want to be sure you're okay. You know you can rely on us right?"

There was something in her tone of voice, a hint of pleading for answers I wasn't sure I could give.

"I'll be sure to remember that," I stated simply with a soft smile.

Lily pursed her lips while she looked up at me, my answer doesn't seem to satisfy her but she let it go at the same she released my hand from hers.

Soon enough our prediction came true. The whole school was abuzz at another Sleeping Incident, more so when the second victim was from the famous Black Family of the Sacred 28 ( I knew the name was familiar from somewhere.) Every occupant of the school knew it and I felt the heated look whenever I passed by a corridor when they recognized me. Some were accusing, some were wary, and I put all my will to quench down the urge to yell frustratingly at them. It's never a good experience of being the main subject of a bad rumor, the feeling made me sympathize with all those zoo animals being watched and taking notes for minding their own business.

I blamed the rumor circle for having news to reach Sirius. I should have realized the first moment Narcissa was called 'Miss Black' that she was related to him. He had searched for me when he heard about the news and pulled me up close by the collar to his snarling face and asked me what I did to his cousin. My confusion made him angrier and would have punched me in the face had Lily and James didn't pull him back so now everyone suspected I have something to with all this.

Even Gwen and Doc became uncomfortable around me, throwing me wary mix with an apologetic look on how they should act toward me as the distance between us grew.

To make matters worse it wasn't long after that I dreamt of another nightmare.

I knew it was a dream when I found myself walking sluggishly down the road, a bottle of ale on my hand. Swaying side to side down the dark path while I sang in tone-deaf, the soft sound of restless critters beneath the shadow of the restless forest. Ravens cawed, startling me when the flock of blackbirds flew up from beneath the trees. Making me fall on my butt and my head squirmed from dizziness.

It was finally then that I noticed the figure standing in the middle of the road, in the middle of town. Or maybe he only just appeared.

He was a handsome man who was lean and muscular, with a regal face, honey gold eyes, and black hair flowing down his shoulders. His skin is the color of teakwood, a color you never see in Scotland more than millennia ago but my drunken state doesn't seem to register that as odd. Not when he had large black wings hanging on his back.

I recognized him immediately but the me in this body didn't.

"Are you the devil? Are you Satan?" I found myself asking the man.

Thanatos tilted his head into consideration, "You know who I am Jack, you know why I'm here."

"Blast it all, so you're finally taking me to Hades." I let out a mirthless laugh that didn't hide well the fast-beating heart under my chest. My mouth dry and cold sweat dripped down my neck.

"Jack Blair," the man said 'my' name in cold detached tone that sent my spine-shivering, "You have lived your life known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator and otherwise dreg of society. It's time I collect your malevolent soul to the Underworld."

He stretched out his right arm and his shadow slowly shoot out his stygian iron scythe. His wings flapped, making him above me, ready to take out my- or this body's life. In one last desperate attempt, I held out in hand and cried out. "Wait, wait, wait! At least one request. One last request before my soul is reaped!"

Thanatos paused and tilted his head in consideration. They have a long staredown before the god of death finally relented, "Very well, a final request. What is it?"

My eyes glanced around, searching for whatever might put a hold of my death. I made a sheepish grin before showing him the empty bottle of beer I had on hand, "Fancy on sharing my last drink with me, mate?"

Again, Thanatos looked back at me silently. I gulped, thinking fast on how to persuade or better yet, trick the god to leaving my life alone. I knew I wasn't the first to think of that, wasn't the first to fail.

But won't be the first to succeed either.

"Just a drink in the nearest pub. You and me. It's not every day you get to say that I had a drink with Death."

His lips twitched upward at that, "You'd be surprised how much people still asked to have a date with Death. It's a running joke people like to bring to the Underworld that never gets old."

I laughed nervously at that, "You, Sir, certainly aren't bad looking for a last date."

Thanatos's expression turned blank once more and regarded me intensely, "Fine, one last drink for you."

I grinned and promptly showed him to what I assumed my favorite pub while keeping him at the corner of my eyes I took out my wallet and my grin turned maniacal at the celestial bronze cross hidden in it. It won't do much but enough to what he has in mind and inwardly I shuddered at his attempt to cheat death. I wanted to warn Thanatos, reason being I knew this guy was a downright bastard and half the reason because I kind of like Death. Sure he took away people's lives but that's his job and compared to most selfish god I met, he's more decent by more than half.

I couldn't though, this body opened the pub and the scene shifted.

Now I was a ghost and recognized the place as a dorm room, but with the red-gold color scheme of the place. I suspect that it belonged to the Gryffindor House.

"It has to be him, I just know it!" I looked toward the source of the familiar voice. James was wearing his gray night robe, sitting at the edge of his bed surrounded by three of his fellow Gryffindor roommates. Sirius was there, his usual slick hair was now as ruly as James but almost touches his shoulder. A blonde boy I didn't know with scars on his face, he was reading his book while he laid on his bed but wasn't completely off from the conversation, then there's the small mousey looking guy I recognized as Peter Pettigrew.

"Two people asleep after meeting him and no news of them waking up. That's a big red flag going up there," he continued.

"James, I think you should let this go." The scared boy chastised him with fond exasperation.

"Oh come off it Remus, you said it yourself something was off with Jackson!"

"I only said he smelled wrong, I wasn't even sure why I said it when I never talk to him!"

"What does he smell like? I imagined it'd be tons of crap," Sirius remarked, making the duo laughed at an inside joke.

But Peter just fumbled with his finger nervously and the boy, Remus I learned the name, looked thoughtful. "That's just it, I'm not sure. He smelled like...like the scent of something ancient, powerful, something not human." Remus trailed off wistfully, he noticed the silence took place and the incredulous look his friends made and quickly shrug it off. "But how would I know that, like I said it's nothing. I don't know why I'm not making any sense."

It was a good thing I wasn't there for real, otherwise, Remus would have seen the pale look I had that would give away everything. I couldn't linger my thoughts on his words and how he knew that impossible knowledge when James began to scoff.

"No offense Remus but what you're saying is bonkers. Though...I won't put the thought that he's not human out of the window just yet after what I saw."

"You're still on about him fighting off a Gryffin in that train?"

"Hey, you said you believe me!"

Remus sighed, "I know I shouldn't, but when it comes to Jackson I feel like I wouldn't be surprised if he did."

"It's your gut warning you about him, mate. We all agree something is off about him, what say you, Peter?"

Peter jerked at the mention of his name, looking skittish at the attention of his three friends.

"Ah... uhm... Yes, no, maybe? I don't know, he seemed like an okay guy. He even helped me from getting caught by the teachers."

Sirius immediately sat straight up at the new information, "Wow, wow, wow, when was this?"

Peter seemed to realized what he just said and clasped his mouth with his hand, making him look even more suspicious. "Sorry, it's nothing," he squeaked out but Sirius was having none of that. He lunged at Peter and made a friendly chokehold around his neck, going so far as giving him a noogie until he told them about me.

He gave in pretty quickly.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell! Please get off me." He did, and after gaining his bearing Peter told him about the night of Halloween. How I bumped into him while being chased by the teachers, how I found us a secret chamber behind closed paintings, and how I let it slip that I was eavesdropping on them.

The boys listened intently and James looked like he was being validated, "You see! Suspicious. I'm telling you. There's something wrong about Percy Jackson and we're going to figure out who he is."

At the call of mystery and adventure, Sirius whooped, Peter clapped giddily, and Remus sighed with his book closed. "You're going to drag us into this no matter what aren't you?"

His eyes twinkled mischievously and made a boyish smile most people would say charming.

I groaned aloud as I buried my face to my hand. Great, just what I need, more distractions.

I looked up and the dream had changed once more to a much more familiar setting. A place I've barely gone to but was as close to home as I saw my father, in all his Hawaiian shirt and khaki short glory, resting on his throne at his palace in Atlantis.

I had a lot of things I plan to say when I meet him again, but all those words choked as I met they ancient stormy eyes of my father after several months. I never thought I'd miss him this much since I spent most of my first 12 years of my life never knowing him and barely meeting him even afterward. Kind of makes me want to laugh.

"Dad."

His gaze didn't waver, as if he was seeing past through me. I looked around and found there were just us two in the room.

"Dad?"

"Remember my words, Percy," He finally talked. A warm smile crinkled on his lips. "Remember your greatest strength."

It was finally then I woke up in cold sweat. My breathing labored heavily and I felt the rush of adrenaline before calming myself down. It's been a while since I've got a demigod dream but having three different dreams in a row was certainly taken its toll on me.

It was weekend today so there was no class and no quidditch training today so nothing to do.

Oddly enough I found myself heading toward the library. Something I never imagined myself doing when seeking comfort. But the library reminded me of Annabeth, and sometimes whenever I turned from one corner of the aisles I found myself expecting her there. Reading a book at one of the tables until she looked up, spotting me and smile. With the sheer size Hogwart's library having tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows, she would have no problem living here.

Instead, today I found my two friends, seemingly buried their nose on a desk full of open books. I was about to call them out, but something they said made me stop and listen.

"This is ridiculous, we've already used up the book of one bookshelf about ghost and magical creatures and there's barely anything useful about the Will 'o Wisp!"

"I guess wizards don't always have the answer."

Sev ran his hand through his greasy hair, "But this doesn't make any sense. Everybody knows what Will 'o Wisp is, even muggles. Yet there's nothing here that could point it out as anything but a lost soul who forgotten himself from becoming a proper ghost. Or many articles and hearsay that it could either lure you away or get you to where you needed, nothing concrete to make a certain fact."

"Well that's just what we got from the books, but what do you think Severus?"

Even when I can't see it, I knew his eyes had glazed over, his lips pursed, and his eyes squinted in concentration that most people would think he was glaring mad at something. "There have already been two victims that were made asleep. Nothing between the two has anything in common other than they're girls and that Percy was near them when they fall asleep. We can safely assume whatever causing this has something to do with the Will 'o Wisp that has scared off all the other ghost which led me to believe that whatever what the book tells us are false or twisted because I doubt a mere soul of the dead could elicit such reaction. Also, since they did react there's should have been past incident caused by the presence of Will 'o Wisp but articles up to a hundred years don't show anything remotely useful."

"Is this going anywhere?" Lily asked impatiently. When Sev gets like this, it's hard to keep up with his train of thought.

"It means Lily, that this Will 'o Wisp most likely didn't appear here by accident. Since no one knows exactly what it is and the ghosts deemed it as dangerous, it must have been isolated or sealed off for a long time, and someone or something let it loose in school. I bet it's been targeting Percy this whole time and the two victims were just in the way. Still this all just hypothesis. I don't know how much what I'm making out is true."

Lily sighed. Setting aside the book she had on hand. "This would go so much smoother if we could have Percy help us."

Sev snorted, "Correction. If he let us help him. Honestly, he thinks he's so clever at keeping secret when he's obviously struggling not to tell us, for all we know whatever set loose in school is targeting him because of his family curse. He can be really stubborn if he wants to so I doubt forcing him to tell us would make things better."

A quirk of a smile played her lips as she looked back at her best friend. "That's why we're here aren't we? To help whatever problem he had despite it all. He's lucky to have a friend like you."

I couldn't help the smirk when I witness his face looking like a tomato from the praise and appreciative smile Lily sent his way. I closed my eyes and rest my head against the shelves, I wasn't sure what to feel seeing my two friends trying to learn all they can about the situation on their own for my sake. I became more aware of the heavy knot in my stomach weight by guilt. Exhaling a large breath before firming my resolve and clearing my throat to get their attention.

The whirled their heads so fast, I thought they could have snapped their neck. The astonished face they gave me almost broke my serious demeanor I'm trying to maintain.

"I would ask what you guys were doing but that would mean I have to pretend I didn't hear all that."

"Percy this isn't what it looks like!" Lily tried, but I gave her a slight raise of my eyebrow and she deflated, "Okay, so this might be what it looks like but we're not doing anything wrong just so you know!"

"How do you guys figured I was looking out for it?"

The question caught them off guard for a hit but Sev promptly answered me, "You might not notice it yourself, but you've been awfully vigilant and skittish since Halloween and we never saw you like that since you've stepped into Hogwarts and somehow the troubles kept surrounding. From there it's just simple deduction that trouble either follows you or you were following it and I doubt you weren't aware of it considering our everyday lives."

"Alright Sherlock, you've proven you're smart. But you're wrong about one thing. This is 'my' everyday life, not 'ours'. And if you keep going like this you're going to get hurt."

"What's the difference from when we're outside Hogwarts with you?" He countered.

"The difference is on the outside they only targeted me and I know who I'm up against. Right now, I'm just as clueless what kind of creature roaming around in this school. I'll probably improvise along the way when I'll face it. But I can't guarantee your safety."

That didn't seem to put a dent on him, much to my frustration, "Percy, I'm going to blunt here, you're a rubbish wizard."

"Oi!"

"But you're strong. Stronger than most adults I knew. I get that. We both do and know you can take care of yourself, but have you ever thought that we don't want you to keep protecting us and fight alongside you instead?"

"And get both of you in danger?" I retorted.

"We'll be in danger either way as long as we don't know what the Will 'o Wisp are. The whole school is. And maybe we think being with you is the safest place we'll be, have you ever thought of that?"

"We're not letting you do this alone Percy." Lily decided to chime in softly. Her hand reached out for mine and she was looking wide-eyed with her emerald green eyes. "Me and Sev are going to investigate no matter what even if you want to do this alone, we're not going to let you and nothing you say will stop us."

I wiped face while grumbling incoherently beneath my hand. They complained of me being stubborn, yet here they are, acting just as stubborn. Yet, I couldn't help feeling the relief of having someone, (not just someone, my two best friends) willfully walking up to danger for my sake.

I shouldn't be happy about it. I really shouldn't, especially when I'm supposed to protect Lily, not get her involved in more danger. But the smile crept up despite itself and my eyes soften by their words.

I was reminded of my dream and it took me back when Dad and I had our private conversation. About how gaining allies was my greatest strength to him.

I locked eyes with my two new best friends. They may be young and they don't know any hardship yet, but I knew I couldn't get through this quest without them. It's not the wisest decision when I could have asked help for more reliable people; like an adult (unlike gods they would actually straight-up help when asked), but I couldn't imagine any other people but them to trust my back.

"Severus, Lily, I think it's time I tell you two something."

The two looked astonished by my words, they gaze up at one another before looking back at me with a pointed look.

"Finally, it's about bloody time Percy, let's hear it then!"

AN: So will Percy tell his demigod secret? Will he tell the time traveling secret? Just how much will he reveal?

Stay tuned for the next chapter...next week! HA!

Also, for those who thinks why Sirius would act rough with Percy when he should have a bad relationship with his family. Remember, this is when he was 11 when he may be a rebel, a part of him still cherished his family. What kid doesn't? Sirius is also generally a loyal person, so off course if he thinks his family is at risk he would lashed out. At least in my point of view, he does.

Anyway, hope you had enjoyed it. R&R everybody!