Chap 15
Piper
Whether any of us admitted it or not, I think all of us were a little happy to be back in school. Okay so it wasn't a school where we would necessarily learn anything to further our adult careers, if any, but it also wasn't a school any of us would get kicked out of either.
Most of us had long histories of being kicked out of schools. Percy's was among the worst, I don't think he ever attended the same school two years running, and had blown up at least one or two, but I was right behind him. Annabeth simply stopped going for a long time while she lived on the streets. Jennifer hadn't actually ever been kicked out, as she never attended. Rachel, well, she was Miss Perfect and probably had never gotten in trouble in class.
Our first class was Defense against the Dark Arts, which was taught by Ms Umbridge. She seemed a bit stuffy at first glance, and a complete bitch at second. She went straight for the empty tables as if she could tell the guys were absent, but just as she was going to speak, Hermione asked something about why there were not any spells in the text book. I had hardly glanced at the text, but it looked like one of those "Dick and Jane" books you read in first grade, albeit for kids that zap things with sticks. I didn't think anything of it, as I really did not know to, but Hermione clearly thought the text was beneath the skill level of the class.
She asked where the spells were and Umbridge replied by asking what she needed spells for. Umbridge continued to say that the Ministry was satisfied with teaching Defense against the Dark Arts as a purely theoretical class in order to pass something called "Owls" and that prior instruction was severely lacking, American's perhaps excepted. She smiled when she said that but it was a condescending, fake smile.
Harry then pointed out that theory would be no good if we had to defend ourselves. Umbridge exclaimed at this, asking who in the world we would defend ourselves against, and the moment Harry said Voldemort he was off to detention. Later a younger kid named Colin would get detention merely for stating he believed Harry.
After that, class was laborious and dull. It was clear Umbridge had no idea how to teach and no actual interest in doing so. She never missed an opportunity to complain about Dumbledore's management and told that that her friend the minister would be very interested in the short comings of the school. It became apparent that she was attempting to oust Professor Dumbledore and by the way she talked to us, hoped we would be her allies. It was just as clear that the entire student body of Slytherin House already was.
Next came potions, and Professor Snape. Snape, unlike Umbridge, knew his material, but like Umbridge was more interested in torturing Harry and his friends than actually teaching it. Fortunately his class consisted of brief lecture followed by lab in which time we attempted to create the potion he had just discussed. It was like a chemistry lab, but we were a bunch of ADHD kids that sucked at lab. We did have bitchin' wands to fake our way through it however. Thanks Hecate!
Snape seemed particularly sensitive to the hole in the mist, forever looking around where our missing guys were and wondering. He was incredibly creepy and would sneek up behind us girls and ask what we were doing, when it was clear, or should have been, that we were making his potion. Well, Rachel was trying to. Most of the rest of us had it made and used our wands to make it appear we were still working on it.
Finally we got out of that dungeon for the day and followed Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville to Hagrid's hut for magical creatures. It was a beautiful morning and the temperature was in the 70's with just a slim chance of demi gods falling from the sky, dying in screaming agony.
We saw the incoming white column of smoke just as Hagrid called us to order.
"Whats he doing?" the giant asked, just as Percy slammed into the magical dome of protection over the school with an audible, crunchy, splat and began to fall. We all knew at once who it was. Only one of our crew was scheduled to apparate back from his mission.
He became solid, if you could call it that, on the dome when it stopped him, He was probably still going thirty to forty mph, more than enough to kill anyone, and then began to fall in a twisted mess straight down.
Hermione thought to slow his descent, and Will ran to the scene, ambrosia, nectar and unicorn drought already out of his pack.
"Oh shit! Grounded! I was supposed to keep him..." Annabeth said as she ran to the scene and began to scream.
Percy's mouth was gushing blood. He was covered all over with deep cuts, that looked like his skin had separated along with his flesh, down to the bone. His arms and legs bent in ways they weren't supposed to, and broken bones stuck through his skin. Worse, his head was purple, lolled off to one side and looked to be the size of a watermelon on one side, and weirdly flat on the other. He wasn't breathing, or even moving.
It was clear there was nothing that Will could do, but he began pouring nectar and drought into Percy's mouth, but it just seemed to bleed back out. Hermione began a healing incantation as well, as did Harry, Ron, and several others, including Hagrid, who used an umbrella instead of a wand. This caused the bleeding to stop from some of his wounds, but it may have just been that the sack of skin, broken bones and crushed organs that had been Percy was just out of blood.
Annabeth wailed.
"Don't you die on me you son of a bitch! Don't you fucking die on me! We didn't walk through Tartaurus for this shit! Don't you fucking die on me!"
We joined in the incantation as it was one of the ones programmed into our wands, and the added power did help. His wounds began healing and he stopped bleeding from his mouth. Someone, Neville I think, pulled Annabeth away telling her she shouldn't remember him like this.
"You're right" she said as she stopped struggling and ran to Hagrid's hut. A moment later she was back carrying his bucket. Just when it looked like we might save him our spells began losing the fight against the damage to his body.
Then Annabeth poured the bucket all over him and sent Neville to get another.
Where the water hit him, he gained power and began to fight the injuries again. Annabeth began the healing incantation herself, or rather just directed her wand at him and fired, making no effort to conceal the power it held. When Neville poured the second bucket he began to thrash and his body began to come back into shape.
"We need to get him in water, where is the nearest pool or bath?" Annabeth begged to Hermione, who thought for a second then said "Second floor, girl prefects bath."
Hagrid had a cart which Neville called over with an accio charm, then Hermione levitated him onto it.
"Now, can we all pull it up there? Hermione asked.
Several of the Slytherin kids had finally decided to be assholes and snicker, but they were silence by Reyna's whistle, which nearly knocked us all down.
"No need" Reyna said. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape had all just exited the castle, drawn by the hubbub and no doubt someone's attempt to apparate into the castle despite its protections, when the doors exploded behind them and Skippy charged out, flying just over their heads and landing just at the wagon.
Reyna drapped the wagon's leather yoke over Skippy's neck and said "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but can we quickly and gently take Percy to the Prefects bath on the second floor?"
Skippy made some noise, which Reyna understood.
"Hermione, get on, you're driving, you're the only one that knows where it is."
"But I don't know anything about flying a Pegasus." She exclaimed.
"That's okay, Skippy does."
Annabeth, Neville, who was still pouring water from a now third bucket, Jennifer, Rachel, myself, Will and Reyna got on to the wagon. Jennifer was doing the incantation, as was everyone else with a wand, and many of his wounds looked healed, but his head was still swollen and weird, and blood was foaming out of his mouth again.
"If we can get him to water, I can heal him" Jennifer said to Annabeth, and for the first time in minutes she stopped gasping as the wagon pulled out.
It wasn't a gentle ride, just as we reached the top of the stairs one of the wheels finally collapsed and we skidded in for a stop. Percy began screaming in agony, Hermione turned the water on in the pool sized bath and closed the stopper, then she and Neville, having the gentlest touch, levitated Percy's body into the bath. Instantly fingers of water reached up to wrap themselves around him and lovingly caress him. The water turned red with his blood. Jennifer, Annabeth and Will slide in with him and we all began the only healing spell we knew again.
Annabeth looked out of the pool and said "Thank you Skippy, thanks you everyone, you were all wonderful" then she choked before she could say more, her tears falling onto Percy's face.
The water lit up slowly with each tear drop and began to glow a blueish green. Once it was waist deep Annabeth reached into a dish at the edge of the bath and scattered salts all around. When she did the luminosity lit up brilliantly and the water began to foam around Percy. His head began to reshape itself as he screamed in agony again.
Annabeth asked Will if he could give him some more nectar, and her tears showed she felt each spasm of agony with him.
"No, it might burn him up. I've given him more already than I should. Maybe some unicorn draught..."
"No, I have this now. If you two would step out a moment." Jennifer said as the water reached their shoulders and Percy's body floated freely in the now foaming teal soup.
It was clear Annabeth didn't want to go, but Will gently led her to the steps out of the bath. With all of us watching, including now Hagrid, Dumbledore and the other professors, Jennifer cradled Percy's head to her bosom, kissed his forehead, and pulled him under water.
The water began to flash as if lightening were shooting through it and thunder filled the room, shaking the windows and everything in it, including us. We could see Percy's mouth open and blood spraying out, before the blood suddenly stopped. He was shaking and contorting, but after a few moments this stopped as well and the energy in the pool found a rhythm and began to slowly throb like the beating of a heart.
Jennifer released Percy and gently pushed him away. He stayed a foot or so below the water, his eyes closed, seemingly at peace. His wounds were gone, his bones repaired. Even the blood in the water had cleared up.
Jennifer stood and stepped out of the bath, seemingly exhausted.
"Is he... " Annabeth tried to ask.
"Percy's body is healed, and his soul returned to it. He will live, but needs rest now."
"Shouldn't we get him out before he drowns?" Snape asked, his tone rude and disrespectful.
"Percy Jackson drown? The very idea is laughable." Jennifer said. "He will arise when he is ready. For now, let him gather his strength in the home of his father."
"You... saved him" Annabeth blubbered as she fell to her knees and tried to hug Jennifer at the same time, her arms ending up around Jennifer's waist.
"No. You did. When I got to him his soul was departing despite the best magic. There was too much damage for us to heal. You remembered where he drew his strength. Your tears reminded him of why he had to live. Once he was determined to live, because of you, because of your love, only then I could heal his body. Everyone who cast healing incantations allowed you time to do the real magic,"
"Love is the most powerful spell of all." Dumbledore said.
"I agree" McGonagall said, but I must wonder why Mr Jackson was flaunting the rules of the school and the law by apparating, without a license to do so, and without permission. 100 points will be deducted from the American House."
"And I award 50 points each to Mr Longbottom and Ms Grainger for their use of healing incantations and other actions in saving Mr Jackson's life, as well as 50 points to each of the American House and Slytherin House that did the same. And to Ms Oceans, 100 points for her use of advanced healing spells that we have not seen before. Finally, 50 points will be awarded to Ms Grainger for her excellent first time piloting of a Pegasus. I do hope the American House representatives will stop by before this evening's dinner to explain how it is that we have come to have a Pegasus grace us." Dumbledore said as he reached over and scratched Skippy between the ears.
This was sort of meaningless to us, but the magicians were all about some house points. Harry and Ron arrived just as Dumbledore finished speaking. The professors left, although Dumbledore and Snape tarried for some reason as if to see what would happen next, and Annabeth had regained some composure. She stood by the bath, holding hands with Jennifer, and watched Percy drift with the current as small sparks of energy circled his body.
"Is he going to be okay?" Harry asked.
"They tell me he only needs rest now to fully recuperate." Dumbledore said.
"Won't he drown like that?" Ron asked.
"Percy Jackson does not drown." Will said.
"Oh. Yeah."
Suddenly the water erupted and Percy rose out of it, landing on the rim of the bath across from Annabeth.
"Woah, I just had the weirdest dream."
"I'm going to kill him" Annabeth said as she approached Percy. "What were you thinking apparating into a wall of protection? Have you lost what little mind you have Seaweed Brain? She said as she threw his arms around him and kissed him deeply.
"Uh, okay, so where am I and what am I doing here?"
Hermione, Reyna and I explained as best we could, but we had to leave out why he was in London due to Jennifer standing right there.
"Oh! Damn, I'm sorry. I remember, I was going to try to land up hill from Hagrid's house then just walk into the class as though I had been there all along. I didnt' realize you guys would notice me flying in, and I kinda forgot about the barrier being there. I was just starting to slow down to land when I hit it. And you, you brought me back. I could feel you pulling me back from, uh, Nico's." He said to Annabeth as he kissed her again.
"If you ever leave me again... I should have known last night when you came up with this stupid plan that if we were not together it would not work." She said, as she returned his kiss.
"Do you suppose they always fight like this?" Ron asked.
"No. Most of the time they use swords." I said.
"Oh! But wait, the important thing is, Nico is ready. We just need to check with Leo."
"How?" Annabeth asked.
"Got a drachma?" he asked as he used his wand to cause a mist over the water.
"No, uh, maybe in my room." Annabeth replied. "besides, my cloths are soaked I couldn't get into a pocket if I tried."
Percy waived his hand over her and the water lept from her and back into the bath. Even Dumbledore was startled and impressed with that trick.
"You should do Will and Jennifer too, they are just as soaked." Annabeth smiled, and Percy again surprised the professors by pulling the water from both simultaneously.
"How..." Snape started to ask before being interrupted.
"Wait, you want to contact Leo? Does he have a fountain?" Hazel asked.
"Yeah, but without a drachma"
"Make the mist again." Hazel said, and as he did, she said into it "Hey Fleecy, it's Hazel, do me a solid and hook me up with Leo Valdez."
"Sure thing, how's it going Hazel? You still watching your diet? Gotta keep that red meat out of it ya know!"
"I know, I try every day, I'm practically vegan now." She said as Leo came into view.
"Hey! Hows it going Hazel? We're all done here just waiting for Percy to call." Leo said, as his face appeared in the mist.
"He's calling, now. We're all ready when you are."
"We're ready, come on! Frank and Jason have had to kill a couple things that looked like half bug, half bear, but other than that its been quiet. There's a bunch of unicorns on one side a few hundred yards down hill and a bunch of Centaurs on the other side looking like Vice Lords and Crips, but right now its calm."
Leo hung up and Percy asked Dumbledore, "Professor, do you think you could apparate, myself, Jennifer, and uh, Hagrid to a spot on the ridgeline in the Forbidden Forest if I described it to you? We have a project going there that is going to wrap up a couple days early and will help defend the school from attacks in that direction. I'll explain it all when we get there."
"You're not going anywhere with out me." Annabeth said with pure fury in her eyes.
"In fact, you're not going anywhere at all, You're going to stay here and rest." Jennifer said as she pushed him back into the bath. "You're going to stay there at least six hours. You can come down for dinner, then I want you in the pool all night. Understand? Like, understand I'm not asking you?" Jennifer said.
"Uh, can I at least go to my own bath?"
"That would be acceptable."
"You have got to teach me how to do that sometime." Annabeth smiled.
"The trick is making him think I can kill with a thought."
"Can you kill with a thought?" Harry asked.
Jennifer said nothing but smiled a soft Mona Lisa smile.
"Okay, so if I can't go, Piper, Hazel, Will, you guys go. Take Jennifer before she kills me. Would you do that for me professor, I fear I can't apparate again just yet without it hurting quite badly."
"I would like an explanation first."
"The only explanation I can give is that we are undoing an injustice at the beckoning of our parents and it will benefit the school for generations to come."
"For now, that will suffice." Dumbledore said after some thought.
"Piper, when you get there, call Nico and tell him you're ready. He knows what to do. Tell him what happened here so he will know why I'm missing it. Okay?"
"Sure thing Percy, get some rest."
Percy beckoned me closer so he could whisper "And tell Bob I'm sorry I couldn't be there and explain why. Ask him to say hi to the stars for me this time." He grinned.
And with that we were flying over the forest, our minds and bodies twisted in ways unimagined. On arrival, most of us threw up.
