Act IV:

Percy Jackson and The Black Wand

Chapter 1:

Words: You know what? From now on, I'm not gonna count the words. That was my first beta's doing and I'm clearly too annoyed counting it every time when it changes so fuck words.

Recap: I'll still do recap, this is partially fun at least.

The phrase "ignore it, and it will go away" does not apply to being attacked by a giant lightning bird over our heads. Trust me on this one.

Well, a bird is a stretch considering it looks like a pterodactyl and a vulture cross breed to make an offspring of lightning and ugliness.

I was a bit jealous of not being a muggle and would have shrugged it off as bad weather because that's where we're at. The roaring wind, the barrage of relentless rain, the warning flash before Zeus could gong his thunder.

If you're wondering what I'm doing through all this, well, I'm limply dangling hundreds of feet off the ground while the bird has tight claws on my arms.

I swear if this is how I go down, I'll sell my soul to Hades just to make sure I have a word with every single Olympian with enough rant to fill the century of their immortal life.

In the meantime, I heaved a tired sigh and just looked up expectantly. "I really hope you're not gonna leave me hanging like this."

My ears perked up from a zipping sound that was quite familiar to me. I arched my head back enough to snag a glimpse of Sev riding my broom with Lily on the back. The rain that would have made things blurry made my eyesight better, so I could make out her mouthing complaints about his driving, and Sev bit back that he was trying his best to Lils.

But Pegasus was made by a goddess, so it was no surprise that Sev managed to rev up his speed to catch up to me.

Oh, wait, he isn't stopping.

Is it just me, or are they screaming?

Ah, they zipped past me.

Uh-oh, I hoped this bird isn't one of those prideful ones where it took anything faster than itself to be a challenge— never mind, the bird is chasing them now.

Yeah, I am doomed.

Its screech was less of a majestic crowing and more nails on a chalkboard. Its white-feathered chest brightened up as a cue of for one of its lightning breath.

Their screams reached an octave higher as they clumsily dodged the fiery strike before it could turn them into a crisp. Severus managed to get my broom in control as he dived below, letting the scaled bird pass over them before managing to sneak to its side.

"Percy, I blame you for this!" Severus yelled over the roaring wind.

"Me?! I'm the one getting bird-napped here. How is this my fault?"

"I don't know, but I feel better blaming you anyway."

"Would both of you shut up!" She aimed her wand at me, her tongue sticking out in concentration. "Incarcerous."

A rope stretched out of her wand and entangled my waist even as the connection to her wand stayed. She changed her wand to her offhand, and then pulled out her hairpiece to reveal Riptide. She shakily stood on the broom with bravery that even shocked me.

"Severus, get closer!"

He leaned to the side dangerously close to the bird's head, and my heart skipped a beat watching the development. "Do you guys need any help?"

"We're fine!" They both shouted at me.

That proved to be a poor choice of action as the bird turned with sparks flying from its mouth, spewing out lightning faster than I could have warned them. Instead of casting shielding magic like I presumed Lily would do, Sev intercepted with a unique bottle on hand that I watched, transfixed as all of the lightning was absorbed into the bottle. Even the bird squawked with boggled eyes.

"Now!"

Hearing her cue, Lily thrust Riptide right between the eyes, and the beast halted the flap of its wings as it started to crumble to dust.

That left gravity to pull me down, but then the magic rope that Lily had tied around my waist held back my fall, which left me dangling upside down. I crossed my fingers, hoping Lily had enough strength to keep me from falling before the school year starts. Lily focused on me as they took me to the ground safely. They were wet and a bit charred, but overall they were fine.

"Good job, you two. You managed to save me and kill a beast!" I couldn't help being impressed with their teamwork and quick thinking.

"Personally, I prefer not disturbing my day with any beast, thank you very much. Especially not from an Irish Occamy."

"Seconded," Lily agreed, "that was way too close for comfort— pfft— bwahahahahaha!" Her laugh broke through mid-sentence, and I followed her gaze only to join her in wheezing laughter.

"What?" Sev asked obliviously, "What's so funny?"

"Your— Your— YOUR HAIR— AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"My hair?" Sev felt his hand on his head, and I bet he finally realized the dry, charred texture of his hair that was standing on end. "Oh, for the love of— seriously?"

"Hey, at least— ahahahaha— at least it's not greasy anymore?" I tried giving the bright side.

Sev looked between us two, gaze calculating before having his wand out. I stopped laughing and barely had a word out to warn him before he made a flicking motion, "Eleccarpillum."

I smelt the faint ozone and a tingle that raised the hair on my arm, but that was not the only one standing. I felt my head and was not shocked to find them standing on end like Lily is.

"Sev!" She scolded.

"What? At least yours don't burn at the end. I am going to need a haircut after this."

"Forget about that," I said, "did you just make a whole new spell on the spot just to spite us?"

Severus was in complete silence, putting the best poker face he had before his voice cracked at that exact moment, "May… be…"

We exchanged glances at one another before breaking down anew from laughter that pulled a stitch in my stomach. It took me a minute to gain my bearings before I asked something that had been in my mind for a while, "By the way, Sev. What did you use to neutralize the lightning attack?"

He blinked before shuffling his pocket to reveal a large glass bottle that had crackling electricity in it. There were a couple of twisted wires in it that stuck out from the foam cap. At the edge of the bottom of the bottle was a paper tape that Sev wrote runes around it. Sev presented it proudly and had the most childish smile I've ever seen him do, "I caught lightning in a bottle!"

Ah, he captured lightning. Silly me, of course, he did.

"YOU CAUGHT A WHAT?!" Lily and I yelled out, overlapping our astonishment.

"What? Like it's hard?"

"Suicidal is more like it." I rolled my eyes."Why do you even want lightning?"

"For my potion experiments, what else? I mean, imagine the crazy kind of potion you can make using this." Then Sev began cackling like the mad scientist I know he is.

"Can't you just make a lightning spell?" Asked Lily.

"Already did, but the spell is nothing compared to an actual lightning strike, which is something I wanted to test."

That was more or less the flow of our conversation as we walked through the street under the pouring rain. Puddles splashed under our feet. The trees rustle from the wind. But we felt untouchable from the world as we marched the lonely street in the quiet town of Cokeworth.

. . .

"Aren't you supposed to be checking the inventory?" I decided to ask after 5 minutes of watching Sev staring mindlessly at his desk filled with ingredients he randomly swiped from the shelves.

"Already did. These are all leftover ingredients anyway."

"What are you even trying to make?"

"Don't know yet, I'll think of one on my way." He plucked a goose feather from the table and examined it like it could reveal the deepest secret of the universe.

"Isn't that a dangerous practice?"

"It is when you're not me."

"I applaud your baseless confidence." See? This is why I started hanging around, watching his potion experiments. He makes it so easy for me to worry he'll lose an arm or a leg.

"If your only help is being a peanut gallery, the door is that way." Sev pointed out the door of his mother's workshop and I gasped in mock offense.

"Such savagery, you wouldn't say things like that if I was Lily."

"Would you like to state a more obvious point?"

This is what Sev's like when he's not with Lily. Not cute at all. Abruptly he went silent as he was in what I call "the zone". He began sorting out the ingredients he needed and replaced the ones he didn't until a strange assortment of them were left; a Thestral tendon, Greek sea salt, cockroach wings, and some plant I didn't know the name of but is likely still poisonous.

Well, at least he's not using the lightning yet.

"Aaaa… I forgot to restock the baby teeth."

I almost slipped out from the desk I'm sitting at, "YOU HAVE BABY TEETH— You know what, I'm not even surprised. Where would you even get them?"

"Who do you think spread the Tooth Fairy around to muggles?"

There was a moment of silence where I tried to digest the reality-breaking truth I didn't want to know. "You wizards are nasty."

"I'd like to deny, but you did describe yourself well."

"Oi!"

Sev huffed out a chuckle before he turned his attention back to his current project. He started waving his wand like a conductor waiting for the symphony to start, the fire already starting to heat the cauldron next to him and threw in the Thestrals' tendon— Did he just do silent magic?

Leave it to Sev to do the most advanced magic without breaking a sweat. Any other person would be fuming in jealousy.

Severus had started chopping the plants with a vigorous speed that rivals chefs from cooking shows I've seen before putting them in the mortar. Then he chopped the cockroach wings before putting them next. Sev looked dissatisfied at the two mixed ingredients and kept staring at it long and hard.

"Not sure what you're making but the water is starting to spill out of your cauldron, Sev."

"Huh? Oh, bloody hell—" He lowered the heat and the water began to calm down. He sighed before turning a tink eye at me, "You could have lowered the fire yourself, you know?"

"I could, but I might just accidentally set everything on fire."

"Ah, right, I forgot that toddlers have more decent control than you."

I mean, you're not wrong but that hurts, Sevvy.

After much thought, He added the ram joints and crushed them all together until he was satisfied enough to put them in the cauldron. The charmed ladle stirred as Sev made a series of movements until the potion eventually turned purple.

"Do you even know what you're making?"

"Vaguely." Severus summoned the Greek sea salt, measuring to the exact milligrams before throwing that next. It was a bit jarring to see a branded salt mixed among the creepy ingredients, "It's crapshoot anyway. If I get it right, I'd be very happy. If I'm wrong, I will not be surprised."

"If you're wrong, it'll probably blow your face off."

"Better than a coma, I supposed."

"Don't joke about that, me and Lily were worried sick that time."

"...sorry. I was researching how to make a potion that can give you specific dreams. Thought it'd be a nice change of pace than a simple Dreamless Potion that makes you sleep like the dead."

"And you ended up making a Nightmare Potion that knocks you out for a week." Thank Hecate that Mrs. S was there to help, me and Lily would have just kept panicking otherwise.

"I said I was sorry! Jeez, you're more of a mother-hen than my mom and Lily combined."

"Because, unlike Lils, I know when you're overstretching yourself."

Sev made a face like he just ate an earwax jelly but could not deny my words.

"By the way, I think you need something a little more grounding if you want that potion to be more firm."

Sev looked down at the cauldron and scrunched his nose. "You may be right," he said, understanding my nonsense. Severus reached out to the second-highest shelf, taking advantage of the growth spurt he had during the summer and picking up the jar of dirt from whatever magical area. But then I saw his hand flinch, the bottle slipped out, and my reflex had me catch it before making a mess on the floor. All the while, I had an eye on my best friend.

"Are you okay?"

"Just a small cramp, I'll be fine."

My eyes narrowed more suspiciously. If Sev was really fine, he would never acknowledge something as "trivial" as cramps. Sev would rather blame the buzzing flies or the hot weather for his sweaty hands than admitting he made a slip. I saw him trip last week, and he blamed the pavement for being uneven.

I scanned his right arm and zeroed in on the black wristband he's been using these days. Sev was about to take the bottle in my hand when I grabbed his arm.

"Wait, Perc– what are you–?!"

Ignoring his words, I pulled his wristband and rolled up his long sleeve shirt. The sight that greeted me made me sucked a nauseating breath. A deep coloring bruise around the awkward swelling of his wrist. A familiar kind of swell when your bone is out of place.

Severus swatted my hand out and pulled the sleeve back down. "It's nothing, Percy."

"Not– a broken wrist isn't nothing!"

"You're exaggerating, it's not like you haven't had worse."

"I'm reacting in the appropriate amount. Don't think I didn't see that hand-shaped bruise!"

Sev's eyes turned from annoyed to cold, a shift that's barely noticeable unless you're aware of how the furrow deepened between his brows and the slight curl of his lips. "This isn't something you need to stick your nose into, Perseus."

"Well, I have a pretty good nose to smell bullshit from a mile away, so you're gonna have to come up with a better excuse than that."

"It's none of your business."

"Sev–"

"I'm telling you to stay out of it!"

Severus barely had a handle on his tone, but his glare might as well do the screaming for him. I couldn't help but flinch back, relenting to give him the space he wanted. But that didn't stop showing him my displeasure. Sev continued working in the awkward silence that stretched longer than either of us wanted. I kept still just a little behind him, keeping an eye on him. While I know little about his experiments, I do have a godly instinct for whether things might blow up.

If only I had as much as a knack to keep track of my friends' moods. My life would be a hundred times easier then.

. . .

"—then I tried prying some answers out of him, but that kid kept a tight lip. Since this is Sev, I'm talking about, I usually don't have to worry much unless he gets his head in too deep with that creepy hobby of his... but it's another story when he's keeping things from me. He doesn't have a good track record when he's bottling up his problem."

My guest sipped her Ceylon tea from the blue cup I didn't know I had. "Fascinating, though I had hoped you would tell me more of your personal problems." The fruity scent tickled my nose, and I wondered when I had the time to serve it when I knew next to nothing how to brew proper tea.

"Huh? Isn't that what I said?"

Rhea said nothing, but there was a familiar look my mom often had when she's crossed between fond and exasperated by my words and antics. I could only smile sheepishly in turn. "So you haven't had any more nightmares? Feeling out of sorts? Anything you feel uncomfortable talking about?"

I shrugged and laid back on my sofa, "Oh, the nightmares are part of my life. At this point, I'm used to it."

The older woman became much more forlorn, "That's not exactly comforting."

"Relax, I might still have them but they've been better lately. Last year I got the worst brunt of it because of the dementors anyway so the summer has been an actual reprieve for once."

She sighed, outwardly relieved before biting her cookie. Mmm, cookies. "Good to know you're just as easy-going as usual."

"What can I say? I'm an easy-going kid." If I make a fuss about every little problem I have then I wouldn't get anything done.

"Is that why your main concern always seemed to revolve around your friends?" The Titaness not so subtly got the subject back on track, "Whenever we talked, those two have always been at the forefront of your mind."

I opened my mouth but closed it just as quickly. A feeling of apprehension that my answer was being judged for whatever reason cooked up in her wreathed head.

"Err… I only know those two and Petunia, but the latter avoids us like the plague so what else is there to talk about?" Rhea showed no reaction, but the lion cub that's been lazily laid out on the seat next to her had opened his eyes to give me a deadpan stare in her stead. "By the way, what was this one's name again?"

Rhea scratched him behind the ear, making him close his eyes pleasantly, "This little one is Musa. Is there a reason for you to be so concerned for your friends?"

"Have you met us? If I'm the type to run into danger before I notice the warning signs, Sev is the type to ignore the signs to challenge the danger, and Lily would be the type to stop the danger from happening despite the signs. We're a disaster trio."

That made her laugh, and I felt a bit proud to hear her do that. Rhea's laughter sounded other-worldly in the most pleasant way, like the first spring wind that blew from the frigid winter. Her breath gave warmth and calming relief from the changing note to a joyful tone.

"That's not quite what I expect for you to say, but you do have a point that you have an interesting choice of friends. Is it a stretch to say that you often look out for them?"

It was a simple question to answer. But after the Mother of Gods decided to spring up in my room to continue her session like it's another Thursday these past few weeks, I learned that every answer I gave is like scooping out unwanted realizations about myself. Whoever said that therapy is a relaxing eye-opener is a big fat liar. Most sessions left me feeling drained or like crap.

"Is… isn't that normal?"

"Yup, absolutely normal. Why wouldn't it be?"

Because you're the one asking. "Oh, that's good."

"After all, you're a demigod. It's also in your nature to have a hero complex. Especially when it comes to your friends," she continued with that unnerving calm in her tone.

"Err… is that a bad thing?" Not that I know what that is anyway.

"Oh, no, not so much as long as you know how to moderate yourself. I'm always astounded that someone as young as you would know not to be overbearing when it comes to keeping your people safe. That's not something even adults are capable of, it makes me so proud just looking at you."

The compliment came out of nowhere that I felt my face heat up and covered my face. Even though I'm used to praises like this from my mom, it is usually how proud she was that I managed to get through the day alive. Now that I think about it, that's a low standard for happiness. Mom is a simple woman after all.

"That's why," she continued, "I'd be much more relieved if you complained about your Quest more."

"Huh?" I tilted my head, confused. Don't I always do that? I'm pretty sure complaining has been a part-time job of mine.

It was Rhea's turn looking perplexed, "Ever since you came back from Hogwarts, you haven't once expressed concern about your reason for being here."

"Uhh... the school year hasn't started, so I can't complain about something that hasn't started."

"Percy, the Quest revolves around repeating your childhood to completion in an unfamiliar landscape, different culture from two worlds, in the far past. Are you sure there isn't anything that troubles you?"

Well… everything troubles me if you ask me, but that's kind of obvious. Most of the foods are tasteless when I'm not in Hogwarts, and even there the food tasted foreign. I mean, what's with their butterbeer and chilled salamander boiled egg. Old school buildings are great until I start missing the familiar skyline of New York. Report cards are the worst because they're useless without my mom so the only use was a good kindling for me. Having glasses turned out to be annoying since I often misplace them and I wish Riptide's ability can be shared. Oh yeah, and I miss Riptide.

It's a given that living in the past sucks. And the only silver lining in this Quest is my two friends— Waitwaitwaitwait a minute— have I only been complaining inside my head this whole time?

That's… err… embarrassing.

My silence was a bit too long, so Rhea had to be the first to break it, "It's great that you've been more than a great friend to the both of them, but please keep it in mind that these sessions are to discuss your feelings and hang-ups, not theirs."

I wanted to refute, but the alarm clock began ringing, signalling the end of our session. I turned to the sound, but it's coming from everywhere, so I couldn't turn the sound off. The Titaness stood up, aware that her presence shouldn't stay in one place for too long, and especially in a place that's being closely watched by one goddess in particular.

"Keep my words in mind, Percy. And good luck on the convention." She raised her hand to wave goodbye, but her palm suddenly looked much bigger and closer for someone on the other side of the room. Then the next thing I knew, I opened my eyes to the ceiling. The alarm clock was still persistently ringing on my side while Sophia was grooming on top of me. She had a small package tied to her leg, so I quieted my alarm and picked up the wrapped-up blue cookies the Titaness always left after every session.

I wondered if it was a godly thing to have their food taste like home, but my enjoyment of my little snack was cut short when I remembered her final words. "What convention?"

AN: Good news fellas I GRADUATED! YEAAAAAAHHHH!

Now I must find work and be a member of society and earn money to live my life…. Shit.

Anyway, there's a lot of comments and reviews out since I've been away so apologies beforehand if I miss answering one of y'all comments.

Patolemus: Don't worry, Percy will get Riptide back. Fate has plans for Lily so she will need it more. The reason she could hold Riptide is partly Hecate's blessing and partly Percy snatching Gryffindor Sword when it should have been wielded by Lily. And don't count your blessings with Silverback yet, he'll probably appear again in Act V to annoy Percy.

Out of all the DADA teachers, Rhea was the only teacher who wasn't jinxed since she didn't get possessed, cursed, died, or had revealed a dark secret during the job. Rhea is stronger than the jinx, don't misunderstand that wkwkwkwk. Also James is thirteen and hopeless. He needs the maturity of a sixteen year old to have any hope.

I just want Royal Magician in the fic and Damien is it.

And yes, Sevvy-Harry relationship is my favorite too from the epilogues that I even re-read my own work for it wkwkwkw. And look… don't get me wrong but Severus is indeed biased. He has a reputation to maintain and Harry happens to be a little shit. Besides, bonds tend to be created even in semi-forced interaction. They will test each other's patience, just you wait.

Severus' ending is unsatisfying because he has no relationship with Harry other than being a shitty teacher with ONE act of saving Harry, despite supposedly having connection with his mother. There's no build-up relationship between the two other than hateful character turning traitors. Of course, people are going to hate him. What do you expect, Rowling?

Also, people may like soft!Sevvy but a-hole!Sev is ICONIC. I applaud Alan Rickman for that and making him likable in the movies. Between the two I will always use characters that are more interesting for me.

Sirius already suffers so much, he deserves peace!

Folkluz21: As you can see from the end chapter of Act III, Percy doesn't have the habit to talk his problem out. Even in canon, Percy mostly complains in humor in his internal monologue while barely sharing it with others. Also, don't worry, you'll only have to watch their intact friendship slowly unraveling before breaking apart. Very slowly though so there'll be plenty of wholesome scenes.

To be fair to Silverback, he never harms the children with toxic words or physically. Just… toxic behaviour. James and Sev could be said are bad in different ways and they both will have character development in due time.

Also, I love how you love the Epilogue chapter. Because yes, even I kept re-reading it for the Sevvy-Harry scenes. I love their growing relationship so much while keeping them in character. Sev is only amusing when he acts like an a-hole while slowly being won over by Harry. I'm surprised you're not more angry at the fact Sev dead-ass blamed James for not protecting Lily on Harry's face, like… that was a dick move even for me.

Like, I have fun writing Sev being a dickish adult but slowly growing and trying to be better.

I hate the Shrieking Shack because of the fact Rowling put the blame and hate on Snape alone without the other two adults taking responsibility for their actions. Because, I repeat, good intentions doesn't mean you're excused from the damage you did. Urgh.

And yes, I did put "Always". I'm surprised you didn't notice when Sev and Harry conjure patronus, the doe and stag together warding off evil, I was practically symbolizing the reunion between Lily and James. Of present bond connecting through past memories. Come on, that was my most poetic scene.

Thank you again for the luvs and comments mi amiga. I always look forward to it.

Scl04: Gryffindor Sword is cool but if he can talk, he would complain of Percy's treatment of hiding it away like a secret lover he's ashamed of being seen with wkwkwkwk.

Hogwarts has an outdated policy when it comes to education, as long as there's no physical harm directly coming from the teachers then that's fine. The reason Silverback was "sack" was because his agenda was revealed which could be detrimental to Hogwarts if it's revealed to the public.

Also, wizards are illogical and extreme people? What do you expect when one of them vows revenge while having a Basilisk on hand?

A Royal Magician is a must in my fic!

And from my understanding, people can have one godfather from each side of his or her parent so I'm basing on that information. Besides Percy is nowhere, so of course the godfather role legally goes to Sirius.

And Lily didn't spend 7 years with two Potioneer geniuses just to say "impossible" to potion-making. And yes, questions are rise with Percy "appearing" but since Harry don't know the details… starting from the fact of "who the hell is circe?" then yeah people are only going to ask more questions than getting answers.

Thanks for the luvs, hope you keep enjoying it.

Black 'Victor Cachat: Silverback is the most controversial character I've ever created. Mostly everyone commented they hate him before showing sympathy. But you showed sympathy first. Silverback isn't a hateful case, it's a sad case of a person from a mistreated and marginalized community kept being ignored over and over when no other outlet showed support or better change for his people. It's wrong but it's sad.

And Peter motivation is basically me trying to come up the most cowardly Gryffindor I could think off.

And everyone else also love the surprise with Damien. Thanks for the luvs, look forward to what you say for this chapter.

Ozilla: Grief, guilt, and anger are complicated emotions that we have no control over. What we can control is our actions. Harry reminds him of the guilt of his failure, the grief for his best friend, and the irrational anger of Harry being the only one who survived, as well as the hatred for himself.

These emotions don't exactly make Severus a kind man, and I don't see Severus being the type to care about someone, especially kids, just because they are related to someone he cares about. He just feels obligated. Which is why I think it's important for the paternal feelings Sev grew to have for Harry because it was based on who Harry is as a person instead of who he's related to.

Also, yes Percy gets Riptide back. Thanks for the luvs btw, I also love the epilogue too :)

Stjinbus: Thank you for the luv! And I do love making Sev as a kind asshole. Those are actually one of my favorite troupes of characters. Especially combined with character development. Also some minor canon fact that has no explicit mention in the books are thrown away so keep that in mind.

Theseus-Theo: Thank you so much for the review and luvs :) I Hope you look forward to what I have in mind for the multiple magic schools.

Signo zodiacal chino rata: Hmm, I can understand how you feel about not wanting to break the friendship between those three. While I already have a plotline in mind, it changes very easily depending if I have a better story in the middle of story so I can't promise anything. All I can promise is you is that before Lily died, she and Severus are friends. That's all the spoilers I can give you to ease your mind.

Gracias for the luvs, hope you enjoyed this newest Act.

PercabethPotter: Your questions involves spoilers my friend so I can't say XD

Ritaja bandyopadhyay: Thank you so much for your kind words and luvs. These kinds of reviews truly make my day. I won't say anything explicit about the crush triangles though, but let's just say I've made it as obvious as possible for all parties involved. Also, Don't tell Uncle Rick and JKR about me. Uncle Rick is not a fan of fanfic and I threw shits on JKR througout the fic, they would not be happy with me.

Special thanks for the kinds reviews and love from all these users and hope they keep enjoying my fic: TheFourthFate4Ever, Vansmoke, SilverLightning26, GHOST09, prietar, GAMESTREEMERPercyJackson Fan, LilyMonster012, Beanieninja1, I'mheretolive08, Chobeeboy