DISCLAMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING - THEY ALL BELONG TO JK ROWLING AND RICK RIORDAN
Chapter Three
Fred
It's a Confusion Overload
Living in the Wizarding World, you'd think I'd be used to hearing some pretty strange things. One of my school classes involved foreseeing the future, and keeping track of moons of mars, to predict the way I'd die for merlins sake. But listening my best friend talk about all the life threatening adventures, and immortal beings that wanted her dead? It was one of the most strange, frightening, and awe inspiring things I've heard in my life. At first, I thought Percy had been pulling our legs with all the nonsense of Greek and Roman Gods being real; but then she whipped out her massive sword and I thought "Okay, maybe this is real". Then she began to control water, without a wand, and formed it into a trident and I thought "Circes knickers she's being legit". So here I am now, watching the truth unfold along with Percy, James, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, Rose, Albus and my Dad. We'd decided that the entire Wotter tribe would be too much to fit inside the pensive, and it would be too distracting. So we narrowed it down to those who were closest to Percy. Then at the end of each quest we witness, we'd have them floo to the burrow to tell them all about what happened.
"So," Percy paused rocking on the heels of her feet " I've never done this before, and when McGonogall was explaining it to me I kind of zoned out." James and I smirked at each other. Typical Percy. Rose looked at her aghast,
"How could you not listen to a Professor, when it involes to something as important as this!"
"It's kind automatic." Percy replied making a face like 'duh', "If I don't listen to thousands of years old God's, what makes you think I'd listen to a school teacher?" Rose rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms muttering 'unbelievable' under her breath. Uncle Harry laughed and took the pensive from Percy's hands,
"It's been a while since I've used one of these, but it's an easy task to do" He set up the pensive so that it looked like a silver disk floating mid air, "Just choose the memory you want to show us, pour it in, and we all stick our heads in at the same time."
Percy nodded her head, "Okay, easy enough"
"Would have been easier if you listened to Professor McGonogall"
"Leave it Rose" said James and Percy simultaneously, Percy not even looking up from the memories in her bag.
"And here it is" she said tossing a memory into the air and catching it, Aunt Hermione cringed.
"Percy darling, please don't do that. Memories are extremely fragile, you wouldn't want to chance breaking them would you?"
"Calm down 'mione" Uncle Ron said putting a hand on her shoulder "If she can handle a sword, she can catch an itty-bitty memory" Aunt Hermione didn't look convinced.
"Yeah, calm down Aunty Hermione" said Albus from his place on the couch "Let's get this going! I want to see Percy kill some monster dudes." Aunt Ginny then proceeded in smacking him on the back of his head.
"Manners Albus" she scolded the 15 year old,
"Sorry mum." she glared at him "Sorry Aunt Hermione" he added in
We all turned back to Percy to see that she'd already poured the memory in and was waiting for us to focus back at her,
"If you're done now," she started "maybe we could actually go in and watch me 'kill some monster dudes'" she said in imitation of Albus, he clapped his hands in a 'YEAH!' gesture and jumped up from the couch, "Let's get this party started!" he exclaimed. They all crowded around the pensive,
"On the count of three" Uncle Harry instructed, "One..two -"
"Wait." Percy interrupted "Before we go in I just want to say that I didn't want to be a half-blood. It's scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways. My friends and I have had so many near death experiences it's not even funny. It may seem cool having a bunch of powers, fighting monsters and all but it's not." she paused "Okay, the powers part is pretty wicked but other than that, there are quests, evil immortals, and a bunch of people wanting me and my friends dead. You guys are gonna see some pretty intense stuff in there. It's not too bad for the first two years but after that it picks up and once I'm around sixteen things get really bad."
"How bad?" Uncle Ron asked curiously. Percy shivered, her face paling a little;
"I'm not going to get into that right now" she replied "You'll see what I mean when we get there." She composed herself, "Okay, ready?" she asked, we all nodded our heads "One..two..three" they all dove in head first, colors swirling around them, until they landed on a rough surface.
Looking around them, it seemed as though they were on a muggle school bus, traveling through New York City. It was as if they were ghosts, no one could see or hear them, and they could travel through solid surfaces. So overall it was a pretty trippy experience.
"Where are we?" James asked Percy, she smiled a little, looking nostalgic pointing to a younger version of herself at the center of the bus.
"We're on a field trip with 'Yancy's Summer School for Troubled Kids'"
"Troubled kids?" Aunty Ginny asked
"This is around the time monsters started attacking me while at home," she started "demigod blood attracts them. But, my blood is extra scented because I'm also part witch; I'm twelve here, which means that since I know I'm a witch, it makes my blood smell stronger" We all still looked a little confused "I would basically get attacked, and since Celeste can't see monsters, she thought it was me just trying to give her bad publicity" That made sense, seeing that Celeste was a narcissistic bint. We watched as little Percy sat next to a boy who looked a little too old to be twelve, and an ugly little red headed girl throwing gobs of peanut butter and ketchup into his hair.
"The guy I'm next to is one of my best friends - Grover" Percy said
"And dear god, who is that other one?" My dad asked
"The annoying red head? Nancy Bobofit" Percy answered "The bane of my twelve year old selfs existence."
"It's people like that, that put us red heads to shame"
"Just you wait" said Percy "Later, you'll meet a couple of the best red heads ever. You guys would love them." We watched as they got off the bus, and followed the group of children into the Ancient Greek exhibit at the museum, which seemed highly ironic. It was interesting watching Percy in the muggle world, because he's never seen her without any magical surroundings before. He kind of zoned out when the guy in the wheel chair, Mr. Brunner, started talking about the exhibit they were looking at. Like Percy said, once a teacher starts talking it's nearly automatic to tune them out. Rose noticed his glazed expression and nudged him glaring, he shrugged his shoulders a little. He started listening as Percy loudly told Nancy Bobofit to shut up.
"Will you shut up?" little Percy asked turning around to Nancy, the students there laughed as well as the group of witches and wizards in the memory. Mr. Brunner stopped his story.
"Ms. Jackson," he said, "did you have a comment?" little Percy's face turned red,
"No, sir." she replied. Mr. Brunner pointed to a picture on a stele
"Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?" the younger Percy looked at the carving and flushed a little;
"That's kronos eating his kids, right?"
"Yes," Mr. Brunner said, not satisfied "and he did this because..."
It was amusing watching Percy racking her brain for an answer.
"Well..." she started "Kronos was the king god, -"
"Kronos isn't a god" Rose interjected, James glanced at her,
"I think she knows that now, seeing that she literally lives in that world" Percy nudged him, telling him to be quiet.
"God?" Mr. Brunner asked
"Titan," littler Percy corrected "And...he didn't trust his kids, who were the gods. So, um, Kronos ate them right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters-"
"Gross" Albus said, Aunty Ginny nodding her head in agreement.
"-and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," little Percy continued, "and the gods won."
I the background Nancy said something, questioning why they need to learn this if it won't help them in real life. She'd thought that Mr. Brunner couldn't hear her, but the older man had better hearing than appeared.
"And why, Ms. Jackson," Mr. Brunner said, "to paraphrase Ms. Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"
"Busted," Grover muttered. Nancy turned an unflattering shade of red even brighter than her hair.
Little Percy shrugged "I don't know sir." Older Percy groaned;
"This entire lesson is like, foreshadowing most of my teen life" we looked at her,
"Why" my dad asked "did you actually mean it when you said you defeated Kronos." She looked at the ground,
"It was a group effort." my dads eyes grew as big as saucers
"Well damn." he replied, we turned back to the memory. Mr. Brunner looked disappointed. He repeated the history of Kronos and send them off with Mrs. Dodds to lunch. Older Percy glared at her with extreme irritation and dislike,
"Least favorite teacher?" Albus asked,
"You could say that" she replied, we looked at her curiously "Later." she said, seeing the looks on our faces.
"Ms. Jackson" Mr. Brunner said as she and Grover were about to leave, she turned around
"Sir?"
"You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Brunner told her. We were all listening intently;
"About the Titans?"
"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."
"Oh."
"Is this how you find out?" Aunt Hermione asked, Percy snorted and shook her head.
"What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Persephone Jackson."
Little Percy mumbled something about trying harder and walked outside to eat her lunch. Everyone followed as she sat next to Grover on the edge of the fountain, away from the others.
"Punishment?" Grover asked.
"Nah," she replied "Not from Brunner. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean-I'm not a genius." Grover didn't say anything for a while, when he did talk he just asked for her apple, which Percy gave to him.
They were silent for a while until Nancy came along an dumped her half-eaten lunch on Grovers lap.
"Oops." she grinned at them with her crooked teeth.
"Wow." Uncle Ron said "I'm surprised you didn't deck her there, she's as annoying as can be." Percy laughed.
"Ronald!" Aunt Hermione scolded
"Only stating the truth darling."
Back in the memory, they witnessed an angry Percy glaring at Nancy; then suddenly the water from the fountain rushed up and grabbed Nancy dragging her in. Everyone in the memory gasped.
"Did you do that?" Uncle Harry asked, Percy nodded smirking a little
"Yup."
When they turned back to the memory Nancy was blaming Percy for pushing her into the fountain, the kids around them whispering saying that the water grabbed her. Mrs. Dodds materialized next to them, making sure that Nancy was okay.
"Now, honey-" she started
"She's creepy" James stated, taking in the short old lady, who looked tough as nails. Percy laughed a little.
"I know," little Percy grumbled. "Punishment with you for a month" James, Dad and I groaned loudly.
"NEVER GUESS YOUR PUNISHMENT OUT LOUD!" I yelled staring at her incredicuously. "Did you not learn anything from detention with McGonnogal in first year!"
"I wasn't thinking, okay!" Percy retorted putting her hands on her face "I was pissed off! So SHUT UP." I laughed at her, watching the memory again
"Come with me," Mrs. Dodds said.
"Oooooo Percy's in trouble."
"Shut it Al." Percy snapped
"Wait!" Grover yelped. "It was me, I pushed her." All the girls aww'd as he tried to save Percy from Mrs. Dodds.
"I don't think so, Mr. Underwood," She said.
"But-"
"You-Will-Stay-Here."
Grover looked at little Percy desperately. She thanked him for trying, and followed Mrs. Dodds into the building. She followed her into a room all the way in the back and everyone internally said 'uh-oh'. Mrs. Dodds turned around to face a scared Percy, placing her hands on her hips.
"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said
"Yes, ma'am"
"Did you really think you would get away with it?"
Little Percy looked terrified, noticing the evil look in Mrs. Dodds eyes,
"I'll-I'll try harder, ma'am." Thunder shook the buildings.
"Whats going on?" asked Albus curiously "Is she a monster?"
"Just watch" Percy replied.
"We are not fools, Persephone Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain." Percy didn't respond.
"Well?" Dodds demanded
"Ma'am, I don't..."
"Your time is up," she hissed.
"This is where things get strange." Older Percy said,
We watched as Mrs. Dodds eyes began to glow like coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons. Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasn't human. She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs.
"What the hell!" everyone gasped, eyes wide and disbelieving.
"What in merlins name is that!"
Older Percy didn't even look phased, while everyone was freaking out.
All of a sudden Mr. Brunner, who'd been out in front of the museum a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen in his hand.
"What ho, Percy!" he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air, as Mrs. Dodds lunged at little Percy.
She yelped and dodged, talons barely missing her ear. She snatched the pen out of the air, but when it hit her hand it wasn't a pen anymore - it was a sword.
"Is that your sword from earlier?" Aunty Ginny asked. Percy nodded yes.
"Die, honey!" Mrs. Dodds snarled as she flew straight at Percy.
Percy swung the sword, and the metal blade hit her shoulder, passing clear through making her explode into yellow powder, vaporizing on the spot.
Little Percy was now alone, holding a pen in her hand. Mr. Brunner wasn't even there. We were all speechless as a trembling Percy walked back outside.
Everything was exactly the same from when she left, Nancy walked by glaring at her.
"I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butt."
"Who?" said little Percy along with everyone watching the memory.
"Our teacher. Duh!"
Little Percy blinked in confusion, Nancy rolled her eyes and walked away. She shook her head and walked over to Mr. Brunner, handing him his pen.
"Sir," she asked "Where's Mrs. Dodds?
He stared at her blankly. "Who?"
"The other chaperone. Mrs. Dodds."
He frowned and sat forward, looking concerned. "Percy, there is no Mrs. Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodds at Yancy Academy. Are you feeling all right?"
Colors swirled all around, transporting us from the memory and into the real world. We took our faces out of the pensive and turned to Percy.
"WHAT!" we all yelled in unison
"How does that even happen! what-how...huh?" Rose exclaimed
Percy merely smiled and said
"Just wait till my recent memories - this is nothing, but don't worry. You'll find everything out in the end."
