Chapter 8: A Conversation

Harry

"Harry, you can't let her get under your skin like that!" Hermione said quietly, once they rounded the corner away from the DADA classroom. "You can't give them any more reason to discredit you."

"Hermione… you just don't know what it's like, okay!" Harry halted his steps, whirling on her. "I watched Cedric die, Voldemort be reborn and I barely escaped with my life. And people are calling me a liar! It's not fair! They have no idea!"

"Look at it from their perspective, Harry. The worst mass-murderer in history almost killed all their loved ones, all their families. Their world was on the precipice of defeat and they only survived by some miracle." Hermione's hand that wasn't holding textbooks was waving in the air. "Now you're telling them he's back to wreak more havoc? Of course they're going to stick their heads in the sand until they're forced to accept it."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Doesn't make it any less true!"

"Of course not, Harry. I'm merely sayi-"

"You calling me a liar too?" Harry's breaths came sporadically, his anger getting the best of him.

Hermione straightened her back, drawing the textbooks closer to her chest. Her face gained a hard look, as if she was the one who had dealt with that toad, Umbitch. "I would never call you a liar Harry! C'mon Ronald, let's get lunch while Harry calms down." Hermione turned and stormed off down the hall, leaving an apologetic Harry rooted to the spot.

"Mate, you know she's only trying to help… we both are." Ron said as he moved past.

Harry sighed, knowing he was in the wrong. "I know… I have to be alone for a while, could you tell her I'm sorry?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, I'll let her know, but no promises… See you at lunch." Ron turned down the hall, following in the wake of Hermione's angry footsteps. Harry began to wander after a brief pause, his mind lost in thought, not registering where he was headed.

How did anyone expect him to keep a cool head? He watched Voldemort return, that small vial thing being dropped into a black cauldron, the pain in his scar splitting his head in two. The noseless, pale mass murderer rising from the flames just to mock the death of Cedric and Harry's parents. The joy he took from pain dug at Harry.

How can a man enjoy inflicting pain, suffering? Then, he wasn't much of a man anymore, was he?

He had made sure to bring Cedric's body back to his family and as Barty Crouch Jr. admitted to Voldemort's return, people dared to claim Harry had killed Cedric for glory. How does that figure?

At some point, Harry's feet had carried him out of the castle and into the crisp autumn air, gliding over the green grass. Fudge running a smear campaign to discredit his claim, don't they understand the danger? They're going to doom the whole wizarding world… the people won't be ready for the storm that's brewing.

Not to mention the new DADA Professor. After the class today, it seems they won't be learning anything about defending themselves. Leaving them all defenseless when this thing finally boils over… it's a recipe for disaster.

His feet stopped, resting his back on a tree overlooking the black lake. He gazed over the calm waters, a slight breeze forcing a small wave to hit the shore every once in awhile.

If only someone would tell him the truth, what was going on...the truth. Voldemort appeared to have it out for Harry, or it was his own rotten luck… either way, he was in the middle of the shit. The only problem is nobody would tell him anything, Dumbledore, Mrs. Weasley, not even Sirius would give him a straight answer. But maybe… just maybe Percy would. He defended him at dinner that one night, maybe he could be persuaded to spill the beans.

"Drachma for your thoughts?" Speak of the devil. Percy stood in front of him, a questioning look on his angular features. How did he get there? Harry didn't hear any footsteps… strange. Harry had plenty of thoughts running through his head, voicing them was a different matter altogether, even to an Order member. Harry wasn't quite sure he trusted Percy completely, he hardly knew the guy. Dumbeldore seemed to, but Harry wasn't much of the trusting type these days. Quickly thinking of a topic to satiate Percy's curiosity, he decided to go with the most recent event that was stuck in his brain.

"Did you hear about the new DADA professor?" Harry questioned.

"Defense against the dark arts, right?" Harry nodded. "Only that Umbridge is uglier than my old math teacher." Percy chuckled inwardly, an inside joke Harry could only assume. "What about it?"

"Apparently, we're not going to be casting any spells. Just reading from books… Hermoine might like that though." He muttered the last part under his breath to himself.

"That makes no sense, practice makes perfect, after all." Percy paused, his head angled back to the lake, as if he had heard something.

Harry waved his hand nonchalantly. "Something about if you know the theory, you'll be able to do the spell without a problem. Less dangerous that way."

"What a load of pegasus dung!" Percy exclaimed. "Especially with everything going on with-" Percy looked around quickly. "-ya know."

Harry snorted. "Yup, don't know what I'm going to do."

"From what I've heard, you're pretty knowledgeable on the subject, especially in practice - mostly coming from your godfather. I'm sure you'll figure something out." Percy grinned like he just gave the greatest piece of advice known to man.

"Oh yeah? What am I gonna do about this?"

Percy just chucked, his shoulders shaking slightly in time. Harry was glad this was amusing for him. "Hey man, I'm just here to take care of the forest and teach you guys about animals."

"Yeah I bet… only here for the preservation of nature…" Harry knew he had to be here on some sort of Order business, but what? Not thoroughly convinced, Harry began to move away from the young Professor, debating on whether or not to ask the question he really wanted to. Deciding to go for broke, he took a breath in anticipation. "Percy, what is really going on? Where is Hagrid? And what is Voldemort doing?"

Percy was silent for a long time. Harry could see an internal battle raging in his sea green eyes that were no doubt much brighter at some point. Coming to a decision, he replied. "I can't tell you th-"

Harry threw his hands up in frustration. The familiar emotion filling his very being with its ugly presence. "Ugh! Why does everyone keep telling me that? I deserve to know what's going on! I can't protect my friends if I don't know!"

"Chill out, Harry!" Percy forcefully placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, his strong grip forcing the anger out of his soul.

"That's what Hermione keeps telling me." Harry rolled his eyes, his sudden burst of anger leaving him.

"Smart girl." Percy deadpanned. When Harry's breathing calmed down he continued. "Finished? Good. I was going to say I can't tell you right now… not out here."

Harry immediately felt bad for blowing up on the one person who was willing to throw him a bone. "After classes, meet me at the hut, might as well bring your two friends while you're at it." Percy released his shoulders. "I'll try to answer some questions but no guarantees, and you can't fly off the handle every time you don't get what you want, deal?"

"Deal."

"Good. Now go get some food… gotta eat if you want to be stronger and no offense Harry… but you are pretty scrawny, Molly is right." Percy gestured towards the castle with his head, the movement causing his jet black hair to sway in the slight breeze.

"Yeah yeah yeah…You coming?" Harry asked.

Percy shook his head. "Have some things I have to take care of… I'll see you later."

"Yeah… see you later." Harry turned and headed towards the stone castle, his spirits in a much better place than when he arrived at the lake, glad that someone finally sees things his way.

"Man, that class is rough." Ron loudly complained, stretching his back, satisfying pops solidifying his case. They had just finished their last class, History of Magic with possibly the most boring professor on the planet. Binns was a ghost that had probably lived through all those goblin rebellions he loved to drone on and on about. He was allowed to stay on after his death to continue to teach kids the importance of history, although he was so bland that everyone just used the time for a good, old-fashioned nap.

"You were sleeping the whole time, Ronald." Hermione huffed, still annoyed at his lack of respect for Binns. 'He's still a professor' she would say, 'still deserves respect'. Harry always found himself nodding off hard while Binns went on and on, though he would never admit that to Hermione. The material was dry and Binns did not do it any favors.

"Oh c'mon 'Mione, I think you're the only one that actually pays attention." Ron seemed to have sufficiently stretched, his arms dropping to his side.

"That's because I have respect, Ronald. He's a Professor for a reason, even if he is slightly dry."

"See! You even agree with me! The stuff he is teaching is pointless!" Ron punctuated his point with his hands in the air. The throngs of their fellow students passed the trio by, their spot in the hallway reserved for their bickering.

"Oh, nothing you ever learn is pointless! If we ever stop learning, we get stuck in the mud! we get complacent and never advance as a species… like still having slaves!" Hermione had her finger pointed at his red-haired friend, a furious look on her face.

"There you go with the house elves again! Merlin's beard, how many times do I have to tell you…th-"

"Guys, enough!" Harry interrupted their 'little' argument - for them, it was. "We don't have time for this, we have to get down to Hagrid's." Harry finished in a low voice, wary of prying ears in a castle full of paintings that were alive - who knows what else could be listening.

Hermione's hand dropped back to her side as they both turned to face Harry. He waited until he received a nod from both of them before starting the route they've taken so many times before. Harry led his two friends down the hall, apologies from two separate voices reached his ears as they passed painting after painting, eyes following them as they walked by.

They reached the staircase, getting caught up for a minute or two as they waited for the stairs to rotate. More bickering started behind his back as they waited. About what, he really couldn't care less. He tuned out their petty squabbling as he descended, taking care to skip the trick step that he had fallen victim to multiple times. He squinted as they made their way through the enormous front doors of the school, the bright sunlight assaulting his retinas. Harry threw his hand up for some relief as his eyes adjusted to the intense light. The castle, for how fantastic it was, did not have the greatest lighting he had ever witnessed.

Birds were swooping over their heads as they followed the familiar path down the Hagri - Percy's hut. The excitable chirps coming from the avians completed the beautiful autumn afternoon. A delightful blue color filled the sky, not a cloud in sight as the rich yellow rays from the sun bounced off the black lake. Harry thought he saw a small black dot flying, much larger than a bird, just over the tree line in the corner of his eye, but by the time he turned his head it had gone. Shaking his head, he led the trio down to the small wooden hut at the bottom of the hill.

Harry paused as he reached the front door of the hut. The hut sat atop a foundation of stone, with a trio of steps leading up to the front entrance. Flower beds flanked the steps, populated with a strange plant that Harry had never seen before - he wondered if Neville had, he'd have to ask him later. Those flower beds weren't around when Hagrid was there. The roof, slightly darker in shade than the rest of the hut, came to a point above the walls, a small chimney leaking smoke jutted out from the angled stone. A soft light emanated from the small circular window that sat about head height just off to the right of the door.

"Mate, you gonna knock?" Ron's voice urged him on as he stepped closer to the wooden door that separated him from at least some sort of answer… hopefully. Harry raised his fist, intent on rapping his knuckles against the rough wood of the hut door when… he paused. His fist raised in midair, poised to open the door to his questions he desperately wanted the answers to, but did he? What if these answers opened up a whole new perspective, one that he didn't want, he couldn't handle? Surely Dumbledore must have his reasons for keeping Harry in the dark, right? Maybe these answers were so life-shattering he couldn't bear to see Harry discover the hidden truth of his own life. No, Harry needed to know what was going on, needed to be aware of the situation that he was currently wedged into against his will. He was already involved, had already fought multiple times… he may as well go all the way down the rabbit hole.

Steeling his resolve Harry completed the arc, his fist meeting the wooden door.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

A muffled 'just a minute!' came from the other side of the door. The sound of wood sliding against wood as a small sound of a drawer being hurriedly shut echoed through the door. Rustling noises accompanied the sound of footsteps approaching their position as they patiently waited for the young professor… well mostly patiently. Harry's foot began to tap on the stone step, his anxiousness beginning to take hold of his actions. The door swung open as Ron sucked in a breath for what was most likely a snide remark, revealing the professor with a small smile on his face, black hair messy as usual. His eyes were red as if he had been constantly rubbing them. Nevertheless, he invited the trio inside with barely any hesitation and they followed him into the small hut.

It was a lot more homey inside than Hagrid's version, a lot less creatures, that's for sure.. A small fire crackled in the corner of the larger-on-the-inside room, bathing the stone walls in a warm yellow light. A desk rested against the wall opposite the fire while a plush chair faced the fire. Harry imagined it was quite relaxing sinking into that chair in front of the flames. A small round table took up the space in the middle of the room, four chairs tucked under the edge.

That was all relatively normal. What really caught Harry's attention, was the myriad of weapons that were hung up on the wall. Swords, daggers, spears reflected the light from the fire, sparkling bronze and gold on the wall. Shields of varying colors accompanied the weapons, forming a full armory from ancient muggle times on the professor's walls. The shields were all masterfully designed, battles raging and victories won carved onto their sleek surfaces. After seeing the hut, Harry wouldn't want to mess with this Professor - it seems he could back up any claims he dare make.

Percy dropped into a chair, releasing a large sigh as he hit the seat. Harry, Ron and Hermione took their places in the other three chairs at Percy's encouragement.

"Welcome to my hut." Percy smirked as he spread his arms out wide in a flourish.

"What's up with the swords?" Ron asked incredulously. Harry had that question in mind as well.

"Ah, glad you asked Ron. These… are family heirlooms."

"Why do you have them though? Wouldn't Magic just be easier?"

"Well, my family believed in learning how to physically fight to compliment magic. What happens if you lose your wand? What then? Shouldn't you at least be able to defend yourself?"

"What kind of family do you belong to?" Hermione questioned the professor, her eyes wide.

"That is highly classified."

"I thought you said you would answer our questions?" Harry pointed out, already feeling a little bummed out from his avoidance. "How are we supposed to trust you if we don't know anything about you?" They really didn't know anything about the man. He just showed up at headquarters, seemingly out of place with his unusual dress - for the wizarding world. All they knew was his name and where he was from, and even that was vague. Now they knew that his family possessed a large amount of ancient weapons - not much to go by.

"I agreed to answer questions about Moldyshorts, not about myself." Hermione and Ron were taken aback by his casual mocking of the worst mass murderer in wizard history. "Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to. Besides, Dumbledore and your godfather trust me, isn't that enough?"

Harry wasn't satisfied with his answer and according to Ron's face, neither was he. Hermione took it in stride, her blind trust of authority figures still a constant in her life. Harry was willing to drop it for now in anticipation of his other questions, but he would not let it go, and Ron wouldn't either.

"Now, enough about that topic. I know you must have some other interests burning in your mind." Percy leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and propping his chin on his joined hands. "Hit me with your best shot."

"What is Voldemort doing?" Harry just went straight for the most pressing subject in his mind, ignoring the flinches from Ron and Hermione.

"Ah, yes. Voldemort has been actively recruiting more Death Eaters - who wants to eat Death anyway? He's a good lookin' guy and all but I'm not sure he'd taste too good." Harry wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Anyway, the malaka hasbeen recruiting. Death Eaters, werewolves, vampires, other dark creatures… you name it. Installing spies in every corner of the wizarding world, the only place he hasn't yet, is that castle." Percy took a deep breath, leaning back in his chair. "So, he's gathering a massive army and knows everything that goes on in the world, and the idiotic ministry is letting it happen right under their noses."

"How can they not see that!" Hermione exclaimed, her frustration boiling over a little.

"People only see what they want to see, Hermione. And they don't want to see it." Hermione huffed at his explanation, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What is the Order doing to stop this?"

"The Order is doing jack shit, Harry." Ron snorted at his colorful language. "We're being strictly reactive, waiting for something to happen, that's what they did last time and look how that turned out." Percy shook his head, his feelings on the subject clear.

"Sirius said something that one night at dinner…something about a weapon." Harry had been curious about what his godfather was going to say since that night, a chance never arising for them to continue that particular conversation.

"You see Harry, this 'weapon' is the reason that I'm willing to tell you all this. Dumbledore doesn't think you should be made aware, and I see his point of view, I do. But his opinion is also wrong and you deserve to know." He leaned in, the three Gryffindors leaning towards him, when the sound of the front door slamming open caused the four to jump in their seats, straightening out their backs. Harry whipped around to see none other than Daphne Greengrass standing in the entrance to the hut, her blonde hair shifting in the slight breeze.

"Professor! Blackjack i-" the smile was immediately wiped from her beautiful face as she laid eyes on the three guests gathered around the table. She schooled her features, adopting that cold persona that she was known for.

"What's a snake doing here?" Ron asked, a scowl having appeared on his face, replacing the curiosity that had been present mere moments before.

Percy instantly straightened, his face adopting a hard look, almost as if he were teaching a class. "Mr. Weasley. I will not have prejudices thrown at my guests. Now, apologize before I expelliarmus you out of my house." That's not how expelliarmus works. Harry couldn't tell if Percy was joking or not, but he had the wrong spell. Ron sputtered, looking at Percy in a desperate bid to avoid giving into a 'snake' as he called them. Percy raised an eyebrow, somehow conveying in that one motion that he was dead serious, and would follow through with his threat.

Ron slowly turned towards the beautiful girl standing in the doorway of the hut. "Erm…I'm…" Ron tugged at the collar of his shirt, his face red as a tomato. If it was from embarrassment or from being forced to apologize to a Slytherin, Harry never asked. "I'm sorry for calling you a 'snake'. Please ac- accept my …apology." Ron finished, slightly out of breath from the effort required for that particular task. Harry was impressed; he never thought he'd see Ron ever apologize to a Slytherin, but his need to know the information that Percy had outweighed his ingrained prejudices.

It was a tense moment with Percy tilting his head towards Daphne as her eyes narrowed towards the outspoken redhead seated at the table. Her eyes bore into Ron, daring him to say more, a promise that he would regret further words. The air was tense in the hut, until Daphne gave a short nod, relaying her acceptance of the apology for now.

Percy's mood did a one-eighty at her slight movement, relaxing his face into a lopsided grin, his voice coming much friendlier and less professional than moments prior. "Good! I'm glad we can all come to an agreement. From now on, this hut is neutral ground… it is Switzerland!"

"Umm, what does that mean?" Harry's question drew out noises of agreement from the others in the hut… even Daphne.

His face immediately fell, disappointed in the failure of his joke to find purchase. "Just… nevermind. Anyway, what do you need, Miss Greengrass?"

She allowed a small smile to curl her thin lips as she addressed Percy. "I just wanted to let you know I was leaving. Blackjack is resting for now."

"Thank you, I'm sure he appreciated it. He didn't give you too much trouble, hopefully." He chuckled slightly.

"Not at all, had to give him a donut though… I hope that's alright." Daphne finished quietly, unsure if she really should have given the powdered treat to the winged horse.

Percy muttered under his breath, something about a sugar high later. "That's fine. If it wasn't you it was gonna be me. See you in class, Miss Greengrass… hey, that rhymes." Daphne offered a small wave to the professor as he backed out of the door, intent on retreating to the castle for dinner. Speaking of dinner, Harry's stomach grumbled.

Percy waited for a short time, giving Daphne enough leeway to be out of hearing distance from the group. "Where were we? Oh yes." He leaned forward again, causing the others to do the same. "This weapon isn't a 'weapon' in the traditional sense." He gestured towards the swords hanging on the wall. "Voldemort seeks knowledge. You see, before you were born, a prophecy was uttered, one that forever linked your fate with Voldemort. I'm not too sure on the exact wording, but my understanding is that only one of you can live by the end of this whole thing. That prophecy… is the 'weapon' that he is looking for."

Harry's blood ran cold and his senses numbed. So that is why Voldemort had been after him since his first year in Hogwarts. Some prophecy that he had never known about had been shaping his fate since he was born. Why him? All Harry wanted was to live a normal life, not be destined to either kill or be killed by this wizard who has committed unspeakable crimes. He began to hyperventilate, his chest heaving with each breath as the full weight of his so-called destiny was laid before him. How was he supposed to do this? He wasn't even out of school yet. "Harry… Harry, listen to me." Percy's voice broke him out of his trance, his breath easing for now. "I know that's not what you wanted to hear, I didn't either. But you needed to know what you were up against. You need to know so you can prepare."

"Ho- how am I supp- supposed to do this?" Hermione's hand rested on Harry's shoulder, a comfort that Harry was grateful for.

"Prophecies are fickle things, speaking from experience here. They don't always mean what they appear to say. You might as well accept it now though, prophecies always come true… one way or another."

"Kind of harsh there, mate." Ron glared at the Professor, noticing that his words didn't sit well with Harry.

"It's the truth, you cannot fight fate… I tried. So, either you wallow in self-pity and all hope is lost, or you stand up strong and own this shitty hand that the fates dealt you. My life was once ruled by a prophecy, and It took me way too long to accept that truth. The sooner you come to terms with it, the sooner we can start working to fight that noseless freak."

After a few short moments, Harry nodded at Percy's words. If he was resigned to this fate, he might as well make the best of it, he's done enough brooding for one lifetime. He made up his mind then and there, he was either going to put down the wizard that made so many suffer, or die trying. Who knows, maybe he'll finally get to see his parents when this is all over. Harry was amazed that Percy was able snap him out of his misery so quickly, he hardly even knew the guy. There was just something about him though, something that made you want to do your best, to not disappoint the man. If this is what was going to help Harry save his friends, he might as well roll with it. "Just have to keep moving forward…"

Percy nodded his acceptance to Harry's decision. "You're right on that one."

"So, what do we do now?" Harry breathed out, still reeling from the revelation despite his newfound determination.

"Now? For now, you go eat some food. You need a few days to process everything, it's a lot to handle." Percy had this look in his sea green eyes that was hard to determine. It wasn't quite pity, but some sort of morbid understanding of the position that Harry had been put in against his will. "When you're

ready, you come and talk to me, alright?"

"But, you just said the sooner-"

"Yes, but you have to be in the right mindset to improve… and you aren't." Percy explained. "So take some time, and only when you're sure your ready, you come to me."

Harry nodded solemnly. He was eager to get started, the more he learned the better chance he had for survival, him and his friends. But he understood where Percy was coming from and he was apt to trust him. He hadn't known the young man for too long, but he had already done more for him than most people… he had told him the truth. Harry couldn't get the words out, his lips still slightly numb, but Percy was able to understand his unspoken words.

Percy slowly stood up from the table, the chair underneath him scraping against the floor as it shifted backwards. Harry stood in kind, locking eyes with the older boy. Percy slowly extended his right arm towards Harry, a look of mutual understanding passed between the two fate-cursed boys. It was in the moment that Harry truly understood that Percy had shared his unfortunate fate, and as his hand found Percy's much firmer grip, a warm feeling of trust for Percy poured over his soul.

"You're going to make it through this, you understand me?" The words left Percy's mouth with such conviction, such strength, that Harry had no choice but to believe his bold claim. Harry slowly bobbed his head.

"Good. Now go get some rest, you're gonna need it." Harry turned to leave the cozy hut, reaching a hand out to the wooden door, but Hermione wasn't quite finished yet.

"Professor, I'm not sure if you've heard, but Professor Umbridge isn't going to teach us anything this year, all we've been doing is reading from the book. Why is this happening?" Of course Hermione was worried about classes, but she did have a valid point.

"Oh, the toad from the ministry." Hermione huffed and Ron snorted at his casual insult of another Professor. "I have no idea what happens in that place." He looked thoughtful for a moment, a decision on his mind. "I'll look into it, though. In the meantime, maybe a little extra studying would come in handy… perhaps a space where spells would go unnoticed."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Just call me Percy, this Professor stuff is too stuffy."

"Okay, Professor." Harry saw Percy roll his eyes as the trio made their way out the front door. Harry followed his friends, taking one last look at the man who had helped him so much in just one night. He sent a grateful smile towards Percy, who returned in kind with a lopsided grin, as the door shut behind him.

Percy

"Have fun storming the castle!" Percy yelled at their backs as they retreated out the door. He looked around the room a brilliant smile on his face, only to falter as he found himself the only living thing in the vicinity.

"Oh come on! That was a great reference and nobody heard it." He grumbled as he moved towards the fireplace, plopping down on the comfy chair in front of the flames. He thought the conversation went relatively well. Harry seemed to take the news better than he figured he would… Percy was sure he was going to burst into a fit of anger.

He just hoped he was able to get through to the kid, convey the mutual feeling of carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. A feeling of camaraderie had resonated within Percy as he saw the look in Harry's eyes when he dropped the bomb in his lap. There was only a handful of people who knew what that responsibility was like, and if was able to save Harry from having to suffer needlessly, he was going to do it… that kid deserved to have a happy life.

Percy wasn't able to protect the one he truly cared about, the one he lived for… he could only hope to seek redemption with Harry. At least Harry seemed to trust him more after tonight, he saw it in his eyes, trust goes a long way towards loyalty and Percy still had plenty of that.

His stomach brought him back to reality as it grumbled for sustenance, his outdoors work driving up his appetite. Standing up from the seat he moved towards the desk on the opposite side of the room. He fished in the drawer, noting the rapidly decreasing amount of sunlight pouring through his one small window. His fingers clasped around the object of his search, the gold coin gleaming in the evening sun.

He moved towards said window, quickly noting how close the sun was to the horizon. Eh, she should be home by now. He twisted the faucet and waved his hand, redirecting the stream of water to a fine mist in front of the window. The red hues shot through the wall of mist, creating a small rainbow in the window. Satisfied, he flicked the golden coin into the mist.

"Oh Fleecy, do me a solid." He still felt weird saying that. "Show me Nymphadora Tonks." The mist shimmered slightly as the call connected, taking slightly longer than usual. The brief pause gave Percy enough time to worry that he caught her at a poor moment… maybe he should have sent a letter ahead of time. His moment of doubt was over as the shimmering stopped and a scene formed in the mist.

Percy couldn't see much of the intended recipient, but was relieved to find she was the only occupant of the room… the bathroom, that is. Tonks lay in the bathtub under the cover of a multitude of bubbles, her head leaning back on the edge of the claw-foot tub, pink hair splayed out over the edge. Her eyes were closed in relaxation, one slender, toned leg draped over the side and dangled towards the tiled floor, small droplets of water dripping from her foot. Candles were the main source of light in the bathroom, their small flame flickering on the walls. She looked so relaxed, Percy hated to interrupt her… but he needed to ask her a question.

"Hey there, Tonksy!" Percy purposely said it a little louder than he really had to.

"Merlin's beard!" Tonks' eyes flew open, jerking her hands out of the water to cover her chest, sending a mixture of water and bubbles flying into the air, coming to rest on the floor. She jerked her head up, going from a relaxed slouch to a rigid sitting position in milliseconds. "Perc- wha-?" Percy couldn't help but snort at the absurdity of the situation.

Tonks, however, was not so amused. Once she calmed down and saw who had interrupted her, a piercing glare was directed at the cause of her brief panic. "Bloody hell, Perce! You almost gave me a heart attack." She slammed her fist into the water, causing more of the contents to spill over onto the floor. "And why is your face in a cloud… in my bathroom?"

.

.

.

"Perce…stop staring…"

"Hmm?" He had gotten distracted by the bubbles slowly descending on her chest; it was quite a tantalizing sight after all. Tonks rolled her eyes at his intelligent response, pushing more bubbles onto her chest to cover her modesty. A slight frown marred his features at the action.

"Perce, why are you here? I would like to get back to relaxing, it's been a long week at work."

"What's going on in the auror department?" Percy asked.

"Wish I could tell you but it's classified, unfortunately… probably boring for you anyway, lot of paperwork." Tonks rested her elbows on the side of the tub.

"I was actually calling about the ministry." Tonks held a look of surprise at the statement.

"You didn't call just to say 'hi'?"

"I would if you give me your bath schedule." Percy joked.

Tonks snorted in amusement. "You wish." Although a thoughtful look crossed her face after her declaration.

"Anyway, I needed to ask you a favor."

"Ooo, I get to earn a favor from the great Percy Jackson. What is it?" Tonks looked excited at the prospect.

"Do you know an 'Umbridge' at the ministry?" Percy asked the auror.

"I don't know her personally but I know of her. She's the undersecretary to the minister. Nasty woman, from what I've heard."

"That's great! Did you know she's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Percy dripped as much sarcasm into his words as he could, seeing as it was in fact, not great.

"Just a little more sarcasm, Perce." Tonks raised an eyebrow. "But no, that's news to me."

"Apparently, she's teaching this new ministry approved curriculum, which includes only theory, no practical work." Percy told her.

"Really?" Tonks' eyebrows had scrunched together at the information. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"That's what I said. Do you think you could do a little digging for me? Find out why they're doing this." Percy asked, hopefully. "If these kids don't learn anything, they're going to be screwed if something happens, especially now."

Tonks looked hesitant to promise her help. "I'll see what I can do, Perce. No promises though, if I get caught I could lose my job."

Percy nodded, understanding the hesitation on her part. "Any information you find would help… but be careful, alright."

"Is that concern for me I detect?" Tonks joked, a smirk on her lips.

Despite Tonks' jesting tone, Percy remained dead serious. "Of course I worry. I don't want anything to happen to you…" Tonks' face reddened as her innocent joke struck a chord within the subject of her affections. Percy glanced out the window, noticing the rapidly decreasing levels of sunlight left in the day. "I can't lose another friend...". Percy sighed, a distraught noise filled with aching that originated from deep within. He fixed his gaze back on Tonks, who had averted her eyes after his mood shift. Percy had said the words quietly but he was sure she had heard them loud and clear. He shook his head to empty the depressing thoughts that had attempted to push through his subconscious, hardening his resolve and meeting her eyes. "I won't."

Tonks, smile nearly split her face at his determination. They held each other's gaze for a few beats, Percy's heart beating loudly in his chest. Unfortunately, Percy had to ruin their little moment

"Alright, Perce. Go get some food, leave me to my relaxing time." Percy raised his arm to swipe his hand through the iris message when Tonks stopped him. "Before you go… maybe I'll take a bath next Friday, and you could uh, call me on… whatever this is." Tonks suggested sheepishly, face reddening in the bathtub.

Percy chuckled, a rich sound deep from his chest. "I might be able to find some free time… and it's called an iris-message, a form of communication my family uses. Maybe I'll teach you sometime."

Tonks smiled brightly. "I would like that, seems really convenient. Your family has a lot of cool stuff…"

"Yeah it is, and I suppose we do." Percy said, glancing out the window. "I have to go. See you later, Tonksy."

"Bye, Perce." Tonks was waving a bubble laden hand as he swiped his hand through the message, severing the connection. As he continued to stare at where the message had dissolved, his stomach gave another impatient growl, urging him to trek up the hill and to the Great Hall for some quality grub.

He stepped out of his hut and into the chill air. The vibrant reds and oranges of the sunset dancing across the lake and into his vision, it was quite beautiful. He inhaled a deep breath, allowing a small smile to grace his lips as he gazed over the ripping water. He offered one more admiring glance towards the sunset before turning and moving up the incline. Blue pancakes sounded wonderful for dinner that night.