Woah. I really dropped off the face of the earth there, didn't I? Whoops. Some things you need to know: the whole story is now in 3rd person, no more of that switching-back-and-forth crap. I have also edited all of the previous chapters and changed some things, so I highly recommend rereading the story, or else it will probably be kinda confusing. Enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen: Annabeth Is Going To Kill Me
Percy POV:
It was kind of pandemonium for a second after Dumbledore read Percy's name off the paper. He didn't think anybody actually recognized it.
"Who's that?"
"Five champions?"
"Poor Cedric."
"What kind of name-"
Across the table, Ron and Hermione were just as dumbstruck as everyone else. As he slowly stood up, their jaws hit the table. Hermione looked like her mind was going a mile a minute. Ron's eyes went from Percy to the piece of paper in Dumbledore's hand like it was a tennis match.
It was hard to ignore the whispers and the shocked stares as he walked towards the High Table. He'd handled worse things, sure, but this was ridiculous. Hundreds of people looking at him like he had two heads did NOT help his nerves.
Percy walked up to Dumbledore, careful to keep his face blank. He gave him a small nod and directed him towards the same room they'd talked in the night he'd woken up there. As he passed, Dumbledore grabbed his shoulder and stopped him, and he had to remind himself to keep his reflexes in check.
"We'll talk later." He said in a low voice.
As Percy walked by the rest of the teachers, Karkaroff shot a glare in his direction. Madam Maxine looked away with an audible huff. He didn't feel bad, but he wasn't exactly happy about making more enemies there.
The wooden door creaked loudly as he opened it, and all of the other champions looked up as it did.
"Finally, someone 'oo can tell us what eez going on!" Fleur exclaimed in a thick accent.
Harry looked at him in surprise from where he was standing between the two couches. His brow furrowed, but Percy spoke up before he could say anything.
"So… funny story."
He explained what had happened with the goblet, and the extra names.
"So, basically, no one wants Harry to compete, everybody feels bad for Cedric, and nobody actually knows my name," he finished.
The famous Durmstrang guy that Ron was obsessed with made a very confused face. It kind of looked like he was constipated. Stupid ADHD.
Cedric stared into the fire, rocking back and forth on his heels. "How are five people going to compete? I mean, three of us go to the same school, that's not exactly fair."
Percy hoped he didn't expect him to be able to answer that question. Someone with actual authority needed to get in there, cause he had no idea what was going to happen.
"You are correct, Mr. Diggory." Saved by the bell.
Well, if the bell was a hundred year-old wizard with a beard down to his knees that liked to eat lemon drops.
"There has been a bit of a... mishap with the names. The goblet has chosen the five of you to compete in the tournament, and unfortunately, the magical contract is binding."
He shrugged his shoulders in a "what-can-you-do?" kind of way. Percy looked at him in disbelief. Here he was, telling him that he was supposed to protect Harry, then turns around and lets him compete in a tournament against three seventeen year olds that know lots of magic, and another seventeen year old that doesn't know magic but has a sword. Not to mention someone died in it once, according to Hermione.
Dumbledore met his eyes calmly, keeping his face impassive. Percy just glowered at him. He knew he would probably explain his plan, whatever it was, later. But still. The other three champions all opened their mouths to talk at once, but luckily everyone was saved from all the confused voices by two people who were not happy to see Percy. Or Harry, really.
The first guy was Karkaroff, who was practically spitting. Seriously, he left a trail behind him on the carpet. But Percy wasn't going to say that to him, because he'd get a faceful of who- knew-what-he'd-been-eating.
The second was Maxine. She stomped delicately (no, he didn't know how that was possible) past Dumbledore and to the couch, where she sat next to Fleur with a large huff.
"Dumbly-dorr," she started.
"I'm sorry, Maxine. Once your name is chosen by the goblet, you are bound by ancient magic to compete."
That's what I'm afraid of, and you should be too.
Maxine huffed again, and crossed her very large arms.
"This is preposterous!" Karkaroff shouted. The sudden noise startled Percy, and he instinctively reached for Riptide before checking himself.
"This cannot possibly be allowed! The boy is underage!" the Durmstrang headmaster stepped towards Dumbledore threateningly. "You planned this," he hissed. "This was your plan the whole time! This was never about unity between schools, you just wanted the glory."
Wow, he went from zero to a hundred pretty quick.
"You'd better be careful, Karkaroff." growled a voice from behind a shadowy column. Professor Moody stepped out, looking very much like he could take someone's head off with his cane. "You don't want to make the wrong enemies, do ya?"
Karkaroff opened his mouth to retort, but evidently thought better of it and fumed silently.
Snape had entered the room quietly, as had Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore looked sternly around the room. "I understand that this situation is unfortunate. The Goblet of Fire has never done this before, and my staff and I will ensure that the reason for that is found out. But whatever the case, Harry and Percy are bound to participate in the tournament."
He peered through his glasses at Maxine and Karkaroff. "Is that clear?"
Maxine huffed again, but nodded. Karkaroff spluttered angrily, looking from Percy and Harry to Dumbledore, and back again. Snape raised a discreet eyebrow at him, and he took one last look at Moody before he stormed out of the room.
Harry looked at Percy in shock, but he pretended to be very interested in the hem of his robes. Harry elbowed him. "You didn't tell me you put your name in?" he whispered as Dumbledore continued explaining what was expected of the champions.
Percy shrugged, trying to imitate Dumbledore's nonchalance. "I didn't."
Harry seemed troubled by that, but stopped talking.
"What the Hades?"
Percy wasn't very happy. When he'd first arrived at Hogwarts, he and Dumbledore had literally discussed the issue of the tournament being a good time to try to kill Harry. Then Harry gets entered in that same tournament. Coincidence? Percy thought not. And Dumbledore was just letting it happen.
"Please allow me to explain, dear boy." Dumbledore said as he closed the door to his office. Percy sat in the chair that he gestured to expectantly, crossing his arms and leaning back.
Dumbledore crossed the room and sat at his desk, steepling his hands. "Now," he said patiently. "I understand that keeping Harry in the tournament may seem a tad bit dangerous, which, of course, it is."
Percy rolled his eyes. "You said it, not me."
"Please try to think it through. Someone, not Harry, put his name in the goblet. Why? Probably because he is underage and inexperienced. He'll likely get himself killed. If he doesn't, there are still plenty of chances to make it look like an 'accident'."
Percy nodded; he'd already realized this.
"There is also, unfortunately, no way to get Harry out of it. The magical contract that I spoke of downstairs is very much real, and very much unbreakable. Now, the issue I imagine you are concerned with, is why your name was drawn from the goblet." Dumbledore said, peering at him through his glasses.
Percy nodded again. "Yes, and?"
"Who do you think realized, at the same time as I did, that there was no way to get Harry out of this situation?"
The truth struck him like a rubber mallet. It was very annoying, and very painful. "Hecate."
Dumbledore nodded.
"Great," Percy groaned. "I'm trying to stop doing dangerous things. Annabeth is going to kill me."
"At the very least, this allows you to protect Harry during the tournament." Dumbledore said, but it didn't make him feel much better.
"Wait," Percy said, as a thought occurred to him. "The person who put Harry's name in, they had to be working on the inside."
Dumbledore's face was grave. Percy had a feeling he was trying not to think about it.
"It was likely one of my staff." He looked saddened by the vocalization of what they were both thinking.
"But it could have been one of the students," Percy protested. "we don't know it was a teacher."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Only a member of the staff could have entered Harry under a different school."
"What about Maxine and Karkaroff?" Percy countered.
"Why would they jeopardize their own chances at winning?"
"We can't rule them out yet."
Dumbledore sighed, rubbing the sides of his face exasperatedly. "Fine."
Percy could see the weariness taking shape on his face, and resolved to figure out who the traitor was as soon as possible. A mole at Hogwarts could prove more dangerous than Voldemort himself. He pictured the headlines:
Harry Potter Falls Down One Of The Ridiculously Long Staircases at Hogwarts
Boy Found Dead In One Of The Thousands Of Hogwarts Classrooms, Most Of Which Are Empty For Some Reason
The Boy Who Lived Dies In A Mysterious Flying Broomstick Accident
Percy shuddered. Yes, he'd find the traitor as soon as possible.
He got up to leave, thinking that the conversation was over.
"Percy," Dumbledore said seriously. Percy turned back to look at him.
"Harry Potter must survive. It is essential."
Percy entered the Gryffindor common room through the portrait hole fully expecting an ambush of some kind.
Thankfully, Harry had taken the brunt of it, having come in several minutes before Percy. He was currently being bombarded by the Weasly twins, who seemed to be back to normal.
"Come on, Harry!"
"Yeah, tell us how you did it!"
Harry looked thoroughly worn out, probably because he'd spent the last five minutes telling everyone that he hadn't put his name in the cup, and no one would believe him. Percy didn't see Ron anywhere, which wasn't a good sign.
He made his way over to Harry.
"Percy!" said Fred.
"When did you put your name in?" said George.
"We thought you were 'staying out of trouble'?" Fred laughed before he could answer.
Percy smiled easily. "I changed my mind. Put it in a few days ago."
Harry gaped at him, but Percy stepped on his foot.
The Weasley twins nodded, unsure of what to say. Percy fake-yawned.
"Gosh, when did it get so late? I'm going to head up to bed." He waved at them sleepily and walked away, throwing a glance at Harry before he went up the stairs.
When he reached the dormitory, he found it empty. Most people were probably still downstairs partying. He sat patiently on his bed, waiting for the inevitable.
3...2...1…
"What was that all about?" said Harry, rather loudly in the quiet room. He walked over and sat on his own bed expectantly.
Percy leaned back on his hands calmly. "Well, we both know you didn't put your name in, because you couldn't have gotten past the age line. I know I didn't put my name in, but I'm old enough to. No one will believe me if I tell them the truth."
He swung his legs childishly and looked up at the ceiling. "I also know that some people aren't very happy with you."
Percy looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow.
"Anyone in particular you want to tell me about?"
Harry sighed. "I think Ron's mad at me," he confessed. "I didn't put my name in, but no one believes me. He's angry I didn't tell him I was going to do it."
Percy shrugged. "Not much you can do about that, except tell him the truth, which it sounds like you did already. He'll get over it eventually."
He leaned forward, dropping his voice slightly. "Do you have any idea who might've put your name in?"
Harry shook his head thoughtfully. "I can think of some, but no one realistic." Percy nodded in understanding. He would have to start his search from scratch, then.
"Well, how do you feel about it?" he asked Harry.
Harry looked taken aback.
"You're the only person who's actually asked me that."
He looked down at his bedspread, tracing the design with a fingertip. Percy felt a stab of sympathy for him.
He looked up after a while, and answered, "I'm not quite sure yet. I'm still… numb."
"Understandable," Percy said. Harry nodded.
"Do you think someone did this intentionally? To hurt me?" Harry asked quietly.
Percy sighed. He didn't want him to worry.
"No, I'm sure it was some joke. No one is going to hurt you."
He waited until almost an hour and a half later, after he and Harry had changed into their pajamas, the other boys had come up and done the same, and everyone was asleep to utter the last part of his assurance to Harry.
"I promise."
Apologies... I've been so busy it's not even funny. If its any consolation for being gone...1...2...3...4...5...6 months, I used that time to plan EVERYTHING out. This story now has an actual direction. Yay!
Thank you so much for all the KIND reviews, but really, if you don't like this story, no one is making you read it. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but please keep it constructive, thanks!
Until next time,
LadyHW
Shoutouts:
benjamin. : Well, then it's a good thing there's about 3,213,946 other stories on for you to go read. Thanks for stopping by.
akisabookworm: I feel bad that you wrote such a nice review and then I pulled a Percy Jackson and disappeared for 6 months. I hope you like this new chapter!
Guest: Thanks, go Chiefs!
Guest: Thanks! Sorry it took so long.
KimiKiwi: Don't worry about it, I was gone for a while too. And thank you!
Happy: Yes, I will be including the Yule Ball, but as to the second request, you'll just have to see :)
YourOrdinaryReader: Thanks so much!
Zara Bennle: I almost did, but some nice reviews really motivated me to actually plan out my story so that I knew what to write! Thanks!
PHoenix 3423423: I agree wholeheartedly. And thank you!
Guest: Thank you!
Just Me: Wow, I didn't know that. Cool, thanks!
GraceBailey: Yep, school's tough. Thank you for the review!
Guest: I'm a little late, but I hope this chapter fulfilled your expectations!
Dwisha Kshatriya: Gotcha!
Justin C100: Thanks for the constructive criticism! Yes, I agree about the cliched bit, but I couldn't come up with an alternative without changing my idea for the story fundamentally, and I wanted to avoid that. But the fight scene bit can definitely be fixed... :)
Guest: Thanks, I'm glad you like it!
TheFire44: Thank you for the constructive criticism, I'm always willing to listen to that. The Annabeth chapters are necessary, but I can definitely see how they could be considered the opposite at the beginning of the story. I hope you read on!
Guest: It took me a while, but I'm back!
Guest: I hope you like this one!
