Chapter 21: You Can't Spell Love without Trouble

Words: 4,368

Recap: Putting aside the first Christmas I had without my family, which turns out there may be something more with professor Rose. Who is she, really? And what is her purpose?

With Christmas come and gone, the rest of the holidays was spent on watching Professor Rose for any suspicious movement that might catch our eyes. Ever since my last dream, I figured Circe would be impersonating someone inside the school, biding her time and watching over her target. However, I still have doubts whether it was truly her or not.

"It's gotta be her Percy," Sev insisted, "The Quidditch game, the duel, and the time with Peeves, she was present in all three. Tell me you don't find that slightly suspicious?"

"Yeah, but...why would she need to question Peeves for the ghost then?"

He shrugged, "Most likely to find and offer them to Jack to become whole or whatever Peeves seemed to think they'll be used for."

However, even when the next term starts, there was nothing that indicated that she was out of the ordinary.

And with the term continued, so does practicing quidditch. It was weird, Ted Tonks was pushing us further and stricter. No one in the team finds it strange though, they all think him being in his seventh year meant that it's his last chance to win the Quidditch Cup and he's beginning to turn into fanatic since winning the next match with Ravenclaw would mean that winning the Quidditch Cup won't be a fantasy. So it was justified why he was harsher toward me, the youngest and newest of the player in the team.

I should have expected that my life is never that simple.

It started like any other day. You know...the usual birds chirping, clouds floating, sun rising, and squirrels do... whatever they're doing. It was a sudden urge to go practice early, reason being I wanted to clear my head from anything related to the quest and expecting to find myself alone.

But then I stopped dead near the locker room and saw Ted and a brown-haired Slytherin girl - how do the British say this one? Oh yeah! - snogging each other off. They look like they were way too into it while being pressed to the door, and I was just about to turn back and pretend I didn't see them. However, they quickly broke out of their kissing, and the girl started crying before running out, pass me by without a second glance, but that's understandable with the tears flooding her eyes out.

I looked back at Ted, and he had a resigning look on his face, fixing his eyes to the sky before dropping down and meeting his hazel eyes with mine. The wide-eyed look showed, and he looked ready to launch out excuses.

Immediately I put my hand out and told him, "I didn't see nothing."

...I think I just said the opposite of what I want to say.

Ted marched off toward, eyes still wide, putting a hard grip on both my shoulder, "What do you know?" he demanded.

"Other than that, you were kissing a Slytherin Girl and that she started crying and ran off you?" Okay, I could have worded it better, no one wants to be watched when they're being dumped and downplayed like it was nothing when it was still fresh.

I was ready for any sort of lashed out from him, but to my surprise, his shoulder sagged, head bowed, followed by a sigh of...relief?

I had to blink a few times to see if I saw right.

"Is there something I'm not supposed to know? Like who that girl is?" I asked half-jokingly.

The reaction was immediate, his grip became tighter, and this time, he had fury in his eyes. "Percy, you cannot, I repeat, cannot tell anyone about this!"

The intensity in his tone really shock me, I mean, he just kissed a girl, big deal. "Uhh, can I ask why?"

Ted looked like he was about to do exactly that, but then let his mouth hang open for a second longer, closed it, wiped his face, and ran his hand through his hair, finally giving me some space after he looked away from me.

He looked torn and conflicted, tapping his foot anxiously.

"You know it won't matter much if you tell me, right? I mean...I'm just a lowly first year while you're the Captain of the Quidditch team on your last year and all that."

Ted seemed to consider this. I went to sit on the nearest bench and waited. Ted followed soon after beside me and rested his head on his hand.

"She dumped me." He said, finally with faux laughter, "We've been dating for three years, and Andromeda Black dumped me."

"Who?"

Ted seemed to contemplate my words, "You really don't know, do you? Considering you caused her little sister fell into a sleeping coma."

I frowned at him, "Woah there, that is not me. I have nothing to do with all of them."

He sighed, "I know...it was a stupid thought. It's just...she's been so upset that Narcissa fell into whatever she's been put into, and she has her stupid family and her studies to think about since it's our last year. She couldn't stand the secrecy anymore, so she dumped me. I thought putting the blame on you would make me feel better, sorry."

I shrugged, "No harm done, man, but why all the secrecy anyway? Aside from the fact that she's a Black because they certainly have unpleasant people in their family."

"It's exactly because she's a Black. Percy, do you know what that means?" From my blank stare I gave him, that was enough answer for him. "She's from one the purest pure-blooded family, and I'm just a muggle-born. They would probably burn me into the stakes before letting me marry their daughter."

"Hold up, marry?!"

Ted only just realized what he said and blushed like a tomato, burying his face on his hand again.

"Please don't tell anyone I said that."

"I won't, but...correct me if I'm wrong. You're essentially saying that you've been dating in secret for three years. Now she doesn't want to make it a secret and choose to break up because of her family and your lineage. Talk about reverse Romeo and Juliet."

"You sure put it in perspective, Percy," he chuckled out.

"...and you love her."

"I do," he said without the slightest hesitation.

"Does she know?" I couldn't help but ask. Probably because this 'Love talk' reminded me of my own relationship and the reminder of how Annabeth had told me how clueless I was that she had a crush on me ever since we were twelve. A real shocker to me.

"Ye-" he cut himself off, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Ma-maybe, I don't know... I thought I was obvious but never did get to tell her the words. No, but I did decide to tell her straight once the Quidditch Season and NEWT test is over, and I don't have any distraction left."

Putting aside what the NEWT Test was and the weird image of writing test answers on a newt that I made. "In other words, you're afraid to tell her." He blushed again and didn't deny it. The two of us fell into an awkward yet calming silence as we wrapped around the love drama Ted got himself into.

"Thanks for listening, Percy. I bet you didn't come to hear some sappy love story from me."

Before I could retort him, the other teammates appeared, ready to begin their practice, and Ted stood up with his usual face. I wanted to give him some advice but not being the Child of Aphrodite, I don't think I could provide a reassuring one, especially when the problem looked way more complicated than what was just said.

Other than one fact that became clear to me, these people take their bloodlines and ancestry way too seriously.

We continued practicing afterward. The rain had hit hard that day, I surprised everyone that my flying became better from it despite being wet and muddy, and the conversation we had begun to slip at the back of my mind.

Months passed without incident,s but the three of us still stressed our watch over Professor Rose. Only when we were about to let go of our suspicion on her did I saw her moving outside, toward the Astronomy Tower, a place I realized she occasionally come around once a month. Too regular for it to be nothing.

So obviously I followed her.

Using every stealth training and experience, I had to remain undetected. Following a few feet away but never let her out of sight.

Just like what I did when eavesdropping Professor Dumbledore, I stood by the flight of stairs — remaining unseen while I perked up my ears.

"...yes, yes, I've been vigilant in my investigation, my position helps me with that... No, I'm not putting my reason here as second priority... Yes, I'm keeping an eye on him, but I highly doubt he needs that much attention... Yes, I'm aware of Voldemort's influence."

My breath hitch at the mention of his name, she sounded like she had a one-way conversation with someone. I tried inching closer, hoping I could hear the whole conversation. But then a cold hard grip on my shoulder almost made me snap whoever's hand if I hadn't stopped at the last second and saw who it was.

It was Pringle.

Which meant I was in trouble.

"What are the chances of you letting me off just this once?"

The firm grip was answer enough.

I was about to be swept away by the collar when someone called out, "Wait!"

It was Professor Rose.

My heart rate doubled when my green eyes met her pair golden one.

"Let me handle his punishment; after all, he did come following after me." She kept her gaze on me, daring me to say otherwise and seeing her like this, with a disapproving gaze a teacher would have that instinctively had me shut my mouth

Mr. Pringle tilted his head and arched an eyebrow at me.

"I'm sure he didn't mean any harm from it, more likely because he couldn't keep away from his curiosity. Quite normal for children to do that," she replied to his silent question.

Pringle thought about it and nodded. Letting me go and pushing me so I'd be in arms distance to Professor Rose.

"With me, Jackson!"

I followed behind her like a guilty child would, but kept wary gazes from behind. She had me follow her to her office, and she slides to her chair comfortably while I stand a feet away from her table. We lapsed into tense silence, Professor Rose having no problem sitting there and staring at me for a long while, the kind that makes your back itches.

"Is there something you want from me, Professor?" I asked when my ADHD couldn't handle the silence.

"That depends, Percy, what do you think it is that I want?"

I frowned, confused, "Excuse me?"

Professor Rose leaned forward, her eyes scrutinized over me. "You've been a very popular talk among the students, Percy. They began to feel that you're causing the Sleeping Victim of the case."

I wasn't sure where this talk was going, so I just reacted accordingly, "Let them talk all they want. It's only rumors anyway... but do you know what's causing these Sleeping Plaque?"

She was silent for a little while longer before speaking out, "No, unfortunately, I still don't other than that it was most likely the work of those Will 'o Wisp the ghosts are all so afraid of."

"Do you know what they are? Where they come from?"

"Many theories to that, one of them is that they are the mark of a single famous ghost of Halloween. What about you, Percy? Who do you think is causing the Sleeping Plaque?"

I shrugged, "Why are you asking me? I'm just a Washout First Year."

"Ah, but that would mean you might provide some interesting perspective...go on Percy. Tell me what you think."

I didn't like the way she says things like she was testing me (and you all know how much I hate tests), how she's observing me for any kind of signs or ticks I'm not aware of and peeling the truth out of me. It's a look I recognize my Mom would use whether I've been lying to her or not.

It's like she knew I know something I wasn't sharing and trying to fish it out of me.

Well, two can play that game.

"Can't really think of anything Professor, not when I don't know what the ghosts could be afraid of from a small floating fire that affects only the wizards here."

"Witches."

"Excuse me?"

"They've only been targeting witches, I'm surprised you haven't noticed. Or maybe because people are so focused on you being there that they miss the most obvious clue." I thought about her words, and my eyes widened when I realized she was right, all the victims had been girls. I felt stupid for not realizing that sooner. An answer started forming inside my head but rapidly diminished when Professor Rose called out to me.

"Percy?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. If you ask my opinion Professor, I think whoever's letting the ghost running wild must be someone with a pair of really grubby hands, wanting power so much that he, or she, is throwing a temper tantrum and probably decided that sending students into a weird coma was a good idea. Very terrifying and effective. Maybe."

Professor Rose raised an eyebrow at my choice of words, "That's... a peculiar way of putting it. It's like you're implying a person you personally know had let loose the ghost."

Damn, she's good. I was equally terrified and at awe from her perception skill.

"A sudden appearance of an unknown entity that no one knows where it came from and how it appears, I just come up with the most likely conclusion from there. I figured the only kind of person would only be a lunatic with a lack of hobby would even think of terrorizing students with sleeping spells. Not a plan from a person with a sound mind don't you think?"

I tried to gauge her reaction. If Professor Rose was working for Circe, she should have some kind of response. Either amusement or an annoyed-tick, anything really.

Instead, she looked thoughtful, gazing at me inquisitively before slowly leaning in.

"Percy, you seem to think that I may be working against you for whatever reason, but I assure you Percy that I'm not your enemy. I'm your teacher, and I'm here to help my students in whatever way, so you can tell me anything, and I will help you, on that you can trust me.

"So I'll ask you again, is there anything you'd like to tell me, Percy?"

Her golden eyes were wide, her jody leaned forward and clasping my own hand around hers. She was showing me such sincere gesture, a gesture my Mom would usually do whenever she tried to coax me the truth whenever I did something bad and assured me she wouldn't get mad and that I could tell her anything.

I waited for any alarm my gut would often show signs of red flags, but none came. I don't know if that meant she was that good of an actress or if she's not a threat as she said she was.

Nevertheless, I couldn't take the risk. I met many tricksters and betrayals in my life, there was only one answer I could ever respond to her with.

"No, Ma'am, nothing that would be of your interest."

The Professor was silent for a while before she sighed wearily. Picking up a quill, she filled out a small parchment and gave it to me.

"For your detention, you'll be serving your time with Mr. Pringle and helped him in his service to the school these few days, 10 points will be deducted from your points for late-night excursion, and I expect a better effort from you, is that clear?"

I took the parchment. "Crystal."

For the next week, I was put under the tutelage of Mr. Pringle. It involves mostly of me running my mouth while he grunted, hummed, glared, and maybe said a few words or two, but I can't seem to remember what his voice was like. I'm getting a headache thinking about how he could have full conversations without words; it is a mystery to me.

My job with Pringles mostly involves tidying up other people's aftermath result of pranks. There were lots of needles for some reason or another, the cleaning up bathrooms, brushing the large yards, put that with classes and quidditch I was stuffed by the last day.

Sev had watched me pointedly at one point with clear disapproving frown. Before he could let out any judgemental words, I snapped, "It's not like I want to get detention."

"With you? Sometimes I wonder."

"I just have a nasty case with luck," I indignantly protest. As if the universe needed me proving, a few older jerks started throwing a few exploding snaps card when I had just finished mopping the hallway.

"See?"

Sev was unimpressed. "Of all people you had to get detention from, you have to get it from her."

"Yeah, about that...I'm not sure if Professor Rose the one who let loose the ghost. I mean...she's suspicious but not in a guilty sort of way." I voiced and tried to gauge Sev's reaction to the thought.

"The fact remains she's hiding something, and she's our best suspect at the moment, so the sooner we know who she really is, the closer we get to the truth and how to settle the Ghost Problem."

I sighed, seeing his point and agreeing wordlessly.

Sev asked, "Did you find out anything else that could help?"

"I may have...you told me you're capable of prophetic dreams, right?"

I remembered telling him that, seeing as future dreams are rare but not uncommon for the wizarding community. "Yeah...what about it?"

"Remember when you said that the Mystery Woman was saying about breaking the seal at Halloween? So I figured the only way to beat this ghost is through the same seal, and I researched it a bit."

"' A bit' doesn't explain those bags under your eyes," I pointed out.

Sev blinked a few times before trying to wipe his eyes, as if that would help erase the dark line he had, "Irrelevant, anyway, I have few lists made but give me a few days, and I may found out how we could stop the Sleeping Plaque once and for all."

Sev made a tremendous big yawned, and I had to smile fondly at his effort, "What you need right now is a shut-eye. You've been obsessed at this way longer for something that's not even your problem."

"Can't help it…" he yawned, "I found a problem, wouldn't let go until I finished it… 'sides, Lily said she liked my face when I'm trying to solve a puzzle."

An amused smirk crossed my lips before saying, "Careful Sev, your intentions are showing."

"Don't be silly, Percy, my intestines are in place. I'd be dead if they are. You need to cut my stomach open for that, probably only the Hodags that chased us wants to do that."

"Okay, that's it. Bed. Now." I put aside my mop and whirled Sev around so I could push him to his dorm. His eyes lost focus, and listless followed the soft I pushed I made him.

"You've met a lot of beasts by now y'now; hodags, erlking, chimera, hellhounds, griffin, they all are really persistent despite you killing them all the time like it's your everyday morning jog."

I couldn't help the smug smirk I wore, "Probably because it is for me."

"You think they would have some better planning since you're so used to all this," he mumbled half deliriously.

"You don't usually plan much when you want to eat something," I countered jokingly.

Finally, when I found one of his dorm mates, and after a promise of helping him to bed, by force, if necessary. I turned to go back, continuing my detention when I sighted a peculiar scene you don't see every day.

Which was Hagrid and Professor Rose together, and they look like they were... arguing?

I hid behind at a corner, and my habit instinctively got me eavesdropping them. You could barely fault me on this because knowing what a great guy Hagrid is, you don't expect to find him looking upset with someone.

"Em tellin' yeh it's nothin' Professor. Em sure it's just some of those pesky Hidebehind trying to scare off the other creatures as usual."

"Even so, just to be sure as someone the Headmaster personally appointed to investigate I must insist you let me personally investigate these 'strange howling sounds' you said you've been hearing from the forest."

"An' as groundskeeper, I insist yeh think twice for this. For all we know, it could be nothing, and you'd be riskin' confrontin' with ter creatures there an' they don't like their place disturb by anyone except for Dumbledore an' me."

"Yet I heard the rumored fires were being sighted there." Professor scrutinized him for a moment that caused Hagrid to gaze anywhere but her and looking discomforted himself, "You're not perhaps hiding anything there?"

"No!" Hagrid said a bit too quickly, "I...eeeh...I mean…"

"I should remind you to mind what you might say to me, or I'll have to inform the Headmaster that one of his staff had tried to obstruct the investigation and we both certainly don't want that to happened, wouldn't we?" Hagrid gulped at the light threat between the lines of her sentences. "Now I'll ask you again, Hagrid, just so we're on the same page. What had you seen around the forest?"

I had enough of watching as I didn't like how she was treating Hagrid, I decided to help him out. I could have waited it out a bit to hear what he had to say since I'm just as curious as the Professor, but I didn't like how she was doing things, so I intervened.

"Hagrid!" I called out, surprising the two Hogwarts staff from my presence.

"Percy?"

I walked toward beside him and smiled cheerily at him, "Hey, I thought you were going to help teach me about all those mons- I meant beasts by showing me first hand? Did you forget already?"

"We did?"

With a facade smile still on my face, I side kicked his feet, sending him a silent message.

"I...eeeh...I meant yes, we did. Sorry Professor, do you mind we postponed this conversation?"

Professor looked between us two, eyes squinting before relenting reluctantly to let both of us go with unanswered questions. Once she strode out of sight, Hagrid released an audible sigh and eyed me gratefully.

"Oh, thank Merlin for that, Percy. Yeh don' know just how scary she was questionin' me with those piercin' eyes of hers. It's like she could see right through meh."

"I know the feeling...just what were you guys talking about anyway?"

Hagrid looked hesitant, but then after a few sideways glances, he leaned down so he could whisper to my ears. I tried not to chuckle while his beard tickled my ear and neck, "Truth be told, I've heard the Will 'o Wisp have been into the Forbidden Forest almost every night. Not just that, there's seemed to be someone guiding those troublemakers around."

My eyes widen at the huge information I got, "Hagrid, why haven't you told anyone about this- wait...you said heard...who did you heard this from?"

Hagrid looked a bit more sheepish, feeling like he wanted to make himself small despite his bigger-that-average body. "Well...eer...that's the thing, Percy, I heard it from my friend Aragog."

I blinked. That doesn't seem strange enough for Hagrid to hide. "Who's Aragog?" I asked him.

"...an acromantula," he almost squeaked out the answer like a boy admitting hiding he had hid a pet dog inside his room.

"...and that's bad because…?"

"It's a giant spider that has a thing for human flesh, but I swear to yeh Aragog won' hurt anyone. At least, not while I'm around." He lamely defended.

"So let me get this straight. You heard about the Wisps from your friend, the giant-man-eating-spider, that's been residing in the forest this whole time?"

"Yep."

"...you befriended a giant-man-eating spider?" I repeated. Damn, good thing Annabeth isn't here, or she'll freak out just from hearing it.

"He's harmless, I swear!"

"To you or to everyone?"

Hagrid did not answer me while he avoided eye contact.

"Look, I won't tell anyone you have one creepy soldier nesting in the forest. It's not like it'll bring trouble, right? At least, unless some idiots came and searched for them."

"Well…" Hagrid's voice turned sheepish again.

I arched an eyebrow at my big friend, "Hagrid...what are you hiding?"

"I... err... may have... uuuh... thought Aragog would be lonely all on his own so I brought him a mate, Mosag - pretty little thing she is - and they... err... might build a colony there."

I may not know much about spiders, but I do know enough from his tone when he said colony, he meant 'a bunch.'

"Does the school even allow a man-eating-monster there? Much less breeding them?"

"Errr…"

"Ha~grid~"

"Please don't tell anyone, Percy, " Hagrid pleaded, "Aragog is such a good boy, I promise he won' hurt anyone as long as I'm here."

I look pointedly at him and sigh, as long as no trouble come from this, I guess it's okay.

"Don't worry Hagrid, you're my friend, and I keep my promises with them."

Hagrid beamed at me before lifting me up in a bone-crushing hug, grateful for my understanding and I laughed dryly, hiding a wince from the hug he gave me.

It had been a blunder of my side to focus on Hagrid's story that had me miss the presence of two busybodies on our case, which invited trouble, of course.

It's official, Tyche really hates me.