Chapter Five
I own nothing. JK and Uncle Rick are way better writers than I am.
Professor Jackson didn't come into breakfast at the normal time the next day. Actually that was probably a good thing; the owls were back. They were sitting everywhere, having just delivered the post. The professor walked in casually. As one the entire body of owls looked at him.
"Oh no."
They started to rise but flew down again when Nerida landed next to the professor. A battle of sacred animals was the last thing they needed.
Percy sighed in relief and sat down in his chair. Nerida hooted and ruffled her feathers.
Didn't I just stop the owls attacking you, she said. I think I deserve a reward.
Well you weren't here yesterday, Percy grumbled telepathically as a reply. When they all attacked me and Minerva had to use her 'Daughter of Athena' prowess to tell them to lay off.
Well I want tuna.
You are a phoenix. A water phoenix. From the ocean. And you want fish, Percy said, raising his eyebrows. It's Blackjack all over again.
I am nothing like that pegasus. And tuna is a perfectly acceptable thing to eat. Oh, before I forget, I have a bunch of letters for you. From all your friends.
Percy picked up the letters and rifled through the packet. One from Grover, one from Frank and Hazel, one from Piper and Jason, one from Leo and Calypso, one from Travis and Connor and one from Annabeth.
He opened the one from Grover and read it.
Hi Perce,
How are you doing? Same old, same old back here at camp. Heard you haven't been sacked yet. I wonder how you have managed it. Coach Hedge and Mellie say hi and Chuck said his first word, flowers. Not quite what Hedge was expecting but he'll take what he can get. Clarisse oohed like an Aphrodite kid. Hope to see you again soon.
From the G-man
Percy chuckled and opened the one from Frank and Hazel.
Hi! Frank and Hazel here. Hope to see you again soon Perce, its boring here without you. Oh it was so funny! The water phoenix tried to nuzzle me and Frank got all protective. He turned into a bigger water phoenix and stood in front of me, and the water phoenix looked at him all unimpressed then squawked at him. He changed back blushing like mad. I was not blushing! And Perce, boy can your bird cuss when she wants to. From Frank and Hazel.
Awwwwww! They even write together! Adorable. Next he opened the one from Piper and Jason.
Hey bro, how ya doin'?
Piper says hi and congrats on getting a job. We've found out that the baby is going to be a girl. Imagine, having a girl with Piper's charm-speak and guts and my lighting and wind powers. It's going to be mayhem! Especially if she gets some spunk from Thalia. Can't wait to see you again!
Jason and Piper.
Percy leaned over and showed it to Professor McGonagall who patted him on the back and told him to write her congratulations. He cautiously opened the letter from Leo. He didn't want to catch fire today thanks. Although Calypso would probably bring him down to earth with a well timed smack.
Super sized McShizzle is in da BUILDING! Supreme Commander of the most amazing vessel the Argo II ready to make you join Team Leo- OW! Sunshine! That hurt! You almost ruined my awesomeness. Okay, okay, geez, I'll stop. Anyway, whats the news? Any hot girls? 'Cause all da ladies luuuu- OW! Sunshine, stop hitting me. I was joking. No-one could replace you. Fine. Anyway. All is well back here in camp. Sunshine is adjusting well and I was thinking about making a girl for Festus. Can metal dragons even have kids in the conventional way- sorry. ADHD acting up again. See you when I see you. GO TEAM LEO!
The card burst into flames as Percy finished reading it. Professor McGonagall looked over.
"Leo?" She asked. Percy nodded in conformation as she rolled her eyes. He gently picked up the letter from Travis and Connor. They had near identical handwriting and had a tendency to leave fireworks as a calling card. Percy opened it and a red firework shot out into his face.
Hi! It's Travis and Connor here! Why d'ya write your name first? Because I'm more awesome. No your not, I am so much better than you. Oh really? Well at least I don't have a hopeless crush on Katie Gardner from Demeter. I do not! Do so. Do not. Do so! Do not! DO SO! DO NOT! DENIAL. I AM NOT IN DENIAL. Stop it Travis, the whole camp knows. They do? Yup. Oh great. Anyway, as my not-as-awesome-as-me brother was trying to say, we miss you and hope you come back to camp soon. No one else is willing to hide us when they try to kill us. Give me the pen Connor! No way! You just did! Then give it back! Uhhhh. We'll take this somewhere else. Bye!
Percy glanced over at Fred and George who were offering out sweets. Probably from the joke shop. He shuddered to think of them meeting Travis and Connor. It would be the start of Doomsday. Add a scrawny Latino demigod with fire powers and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.
Finally Percy reached for the letter he most wanted to read. Annabeth's.
Seaweed Brain! I miss you so much! I know I agreed to this but it is simply unbearable without you. We lost Capture The Flag without you. Clarisse has been showing off so much, it's horrible. We got a new camper by the way. She's twelve and a daughter of Hebe. Her name is Georgia. Now, enough with the camp news. How are you doing? Come home for Christmas! As soon as Hecate says you have finished your quest we can get married. Aphrodite said that she wanted to plan out the wedding herself! We are her favourite couple! Please hurry and try not to do anything suspicious. I would prefer not having to clean up your mess. From Wise Girl.
Percy squeaked. Aphrodite was planning his wedding. He whispered loudly to Minerva who clapped him on the back and congratulated him, offering him a quill and parchment. He grabbed them and started writing replies to his friends.
Nerida hooted.
"Yeah, I'll get you tuna," muttered the professor. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. He shooed Nerida away and quickly left the room, looking for the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Percy strode along the corridors until he reached the classroom. It was a typical old fashioned classroom with desks that open upwards and made out of hard wood lined up next to each other with a blackboard and chalk at the front. I mean, who uses chalk anymore?
He sighed, this was going to take a lot of work. He started pushing the desks to the side.
~ ~ ~Page Break~ ~ ~
"We have Defence Against the Dark Arts as our first lesson," Harry noted, shifting his glasses further up his nose to see his timetable better. "I wonder what it'll be like?"
Ron snorted into his pumpkin juice. "I bet he doesn't have You-Know-Who stuck to the back of his head. I bet he's not a writer who didn't do anything he said he did. I bet he's not a werewolf, a Death Eater under polyjuice - although he could be - he's not a a pink toad, biased Snape-"
"We get it!" Interrupted Harry. "We've had a few bad teachers."
"More like five out of six," retorted Ron, "and we had Peter Pettigrew that third year. Despite Lupin being the best teacher we have had so far."
"Well we had the Triwizard Tournament in the fourth year," countered Harry.
"You mean you had the Triwizard Tournament."
"There was Rita Skeeter."
"Didn't mention me too many times."
"Giant chess board."
"I didn't fight Quirrell."
"You were at the Department of Mysteries."
"For a vision you had."
"Basilisk."
"I was stuck with Lockhart behind a wall of rock."
"What about sixth year?"
"I didn't see Snape push Dumbledore off the tower."
"I did."
"Isn't that the point of-"
"Girls!" Interrupted Hermione. "Stop twittering like old ladies fighting over the knitting."
Ron and Harry both blushed, Ron turning back to his pumpkin juice.
"Still, it was all you who did those things," pressed Ron, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.
"You were great too Ron," replied Harry. "You're like the heart of the group."
Hermione snorted. "Great. And the next line will be 'and you have mine,' or something cheesy like that. Thats lovely ladies but if you two can stop flirting, I don't want to be late to lessons."
Ron did a spit-take, spraying juice all over the table and at the girl sitting on the other side. "I was not flirting. Men can't flirt."
"At least boys who spray juice all over ladies can't," she replied, raising an eye at the fuming Gryffindor sitting across from her. "When you have finished running from her Harry and I will be outside the DADA classroom."
She got to her feet with Harry trailing behind her, leaving Ron to the angry girl.
Hermione and Harry detoured to get their stuff from the Gryffindor common room, getting Ron's as well out of pity.
They strolled to the classroom and stood outside, Hermione tapping her foot impatiently. After about five minutes Ron turned up, looking like he'd just run all over the castle.
Hermione sniffed. "I thought he'd be worse," she said. "What did you bribe her with?"
"How did you know about that?" Asked Ron, wide-eyed. "And I bribed her with limited addition skiving snack boxes, plus those extendable ears that I nicked and we used yesterday."
Harry rolled his eyes and pushed the door open. All the seventh years that had applied were taking the class together, from all four houses. Everyone was already there standing awkwardly in the room as all the desks had been pushed to the side. There were various weapons all over the walls as well as armour and...a necklace, a bracelet and some other seemingly useless pieces of jewellery.
Professor Jackson was sitting cross-legged at the front, looking keenly around at everyone and tapping his jeans with a cheap ballpoint pen.
"Ah, Ron, Harry, Hermione. So glad you could join us," he said, standing up. "We were about to start. Now. As Minerva said at at the start of term feast, there will be some notable differences. I will also be teaching you physical defence in case you ever lose your wands. Call us old-fashioned, but in America we use swords, knives and various other spears and weapons against monsters and dark beasts. So that the muggles don't see them, we heavily enchant our weapons so that they either look transform into a common object or put a glamour on to make it look like something else, like a baseball bat. Of course I will also teach you spells but since I've explained to about swords, I will now demonstrate the effectiveness of one against my cousin Nico."
"But professor, your cousin isn't here," someone pointed out. Professor Jackson turned to the darkest cornet of the room.
"Nico, get your but over here!" He yelled into the shadows. A disembodied voice drifted back.
"Go away Perce, I'm on important business for father."
"You and I both know you're not. The fact you replied at all shows that you are not on important business. After all, you feel anything in the shadows."
"I hate your logic," the voice growled back. "You learned from Annabeth."
Professor Jackson grinned as the shadows darkened then came together to form the shape of a boy wearing all black and had a sword sheath round his waist. He stepped out of the shadows, glaring at Percy.
"Class, this is my younger cousin on my dad's side, Nico di Angelo, he will do a demonstration with me."
"Not that I have much of a chance," Nico muttered. "Percy is the best swordsman in two centuries."
The professor waved his hands at the students so they shuffled back a bit, leaving a space for the demonstration.
Professor Jackson took out his pen and uncapped it, the whole class gasping as it transformed into a glowing bronze sword. Nico drew his Stygian iron one and got into a ready position, Percy doing the same. They looked at each other for a few seconds before Percy lunged. Nico dodged then threw in a hit of his own. It went on like this for a minute or two, each exchanging blows until Percy got bored and feinted to the left then rolled to the right, coming up with his sword at Nico's throat.
"One day I'll get you," Nico murmured as Percy lowered his sword, the class silence in shock at the speed of it all until they burst into unanimous cheering.
"You wish," replied Percy with a cheeky grin. "Right. I have some practice weapons here, you can start by trying to land some blows on these dummies. Luna, Neville, Draco. Since you can do this, grab a practice weapon and spar together while Nico and I help everyone out."
Nico nodded in agreement and started handing out wooden weapons.
Harry picked up a wooden sword with both hands. It was weird compared to a wand and much heavier. He hefted it and swung it at the dummy without any control. It glanced off its arm and Harry was carried along by the momentum.
Nico materialised behind him, scaring him to death.
"Don't hold it in both hands," Nico advised. "Holding a sword in one hand opens more options, especially if you know how to use it to your advantage. Try again, slower this time."
Harry let go with one hand and swung again, slower this time. Nico kept giving him tips and it wasn't long before Harry's arm was aching. He hadn't used these muscles in a long time. You had no use for fitness in the wizarding world. Except if you were a quidditch player, and even then you didn't need strong arms like you did for sword fighting.
Harry dropped the sword and rubbed his aching arm. Nico sat down and looked at the students. He smirked and twirled his sword around effortlessly. Show-off.
Suddenly the wall next to Harry rippled and Nearly-Headless-Nick drifted through. Harry turned to look and in the corner of his eye saw Nico surge to his feet and glare at the ghost angrily. Nick didn't see and spoke.
"So how are they doing professor-"
"Hello Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington," interrupted Nico, spookily calm. "How have you been in the over world? You denied a good shot at Elysium you know."
As soon as Nick heard Nico, he turned pale. So pale in fact he almost translucent. He started to shiver and turned around to the glaring boy.
"Master!" Cried Nick, falling to his knees. "My Lord! Please don't send me down to the underworld! I love it here and you know I was scared of moving on so instead I became a ghost and help the next generation of wizards to-"
"Save it," Nico whispered venomously. "I am the Ghost King. I command you!"
Nico thrust out his hand and Nearly-Headless-Nick started to dissipate with a long, loud wail. Nico's face was one of pure fury, the shadows seemed to cling to him as Nick slowly started to return to the underworld.
Some of the students screamed. One Slytherin girl fainted while all the others backed away, many looking at Harry as if he was going to do something. Harry tried to aim his wand at Nico but if Harry were honest, he was too scared. Something about the way Nico was controlling the dead Nick made Harry shiver in his robes.
Professor Jackson calmly walked forward and placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. Nico sighed and lowered his hand. Nick started to return, almost crying with relief. Nico waved his hand and Nick was sucked out through the wall.
"You shouldn't have done that you know," said the professor lowly as all the students erupted in chatter.
"Do you know how much paperwork these stupid ghosts give me? Not to mention Tom Riddle," Nico spat with absolute loathing and disgust. "Stupid wizard tearing his soul into parts to stay alive. It took a day just to put his soul together for judgement. Dad was about to send me out to do a little soul-reaping. Also Thanatos still complains about that little fiasco with those brothers. We still don't have his stuff back."
Harry's eyes widened. How did he know about Tom Riddle? America weren't involved in the war. They didn't even know about it as far as Harry thought. And if they did know about it then why didn't they help? None of the other countries knew about it. To them, that little incident at the Quidditch World Cup was passed off as a elaborate hoax.
Harry saw the professor send a warning look at his cousin who just shrugged.
"I'm going to visit my favourite brother," he said, as if he hadn't just made a four-hundred year old ghost almost disappear.
"He's your only brother," mumbled the professor. "And technically he is only your half-brother disowned."
"Details," said Nico, shrugging. He raised his hand in farewell and vanished into the shadows.
Professor Jackson turned back to the class, looking exhausted. His head shot up as the bell rang. Harry had never seen someone looking so glad in their life.
"Class dismissed," the professor said. "I hope to see you next lesson."
Most of the students rushed out as soon as possible but Luna, Neville and Draco stayed behind.
Harry dragged his two friends into the corridor which seemed to already be empty. Everyone must have really wanted to get out of that class.
Taking advantage of the deserted corridor, Harry placed his ear upon the door. It wasn't as easy without the extendable ears but Harry could hear snatches. The professor seemed to be telling the three students inside something.
"Don't...need...come...combat...already...know...all," the professor was saying.
"Thank...Praetor," replied Luna.
"After...don't...show...hidden...weapons," Harry heard the professor say, muffled by the thick oak door. He heard the professor quickly dismiss them and scrambled away from the door and stood by Ron and Hermione, trying to look inconspicuous in the deserted corridor.
The new professor was definitely hiding something. And Harry was going to find out what.
Oh My Gods. By Merlin's most baggy Y-fronts I am sooooooo sorry for not updating earlier, but I had exams and I had to revise. Plus I just couldn't find the energy to write recently. Feel free to throw virtual rocks at me. *Gets bombarded by sixty giant boulders.* Wow. I am flattered that I am worth sixty boulders. *Gets hit in the head by a tiny pebble and falls over.* Not so flattered.
Thank you to everyone who followed and favourited this story, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the support. Now, onto the reviews.
GryffindorPosidens Divergents: We will someday rule the world! HAHAHA, cough.
Matt(guest): I completely agree with you on the Mist front. Although it does keep the mortals from freaking out though.
Brie03127: I'll try
Yash Agarwal: Thanks. Sorry about messing up the chapters. I am relatively new to this.
Penny Lu: Owl will plagu you Percy Jackson! Beware! Beware!
Amelia Loves Annie: Sorry about that, I've fixed it now. Thanks for the praise and I will try and keep the characters as themselves but really? No one can recreate Persassy. It is too unique in its mysterious ways.
Rose169(guest): I hope this chappie lived up to your expectations.
Percabeth101(guest): Don't worry. You'll live 'till tomorrow. I have no ideas about abandoning this story.
Unknown girl 345(guest): They re like wizarding stalkers as well.
Shannon Raise D. Sumner: Really!? Out of all of them, this one you look forward to the most. I think I read it wrong. That cannot be right. Wait...I read it again. I read it right the first time... THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Sara(guest): *Blushes* Awww thanks! And you can just call me Star. StarFlight13 is a bit of a mouthful.
roxy-Solangelo: Don't worry, I wont give up anytime soon. Also, thanks for sticking by this story. I appreciate it.
ReadingandReviewing: OH. MY. GOD. I am actually planning on doing a 'Neville goes all fierce' part. Are you a mind reader? If you are, then can you go andfind out the ending to Captain America: Civil War which is coming out this year. It is killing me it looks so good. Oh. Wait. You don't have to. You may not even like it. But seriously. It. Is. Killing. Me. Thanks!
thegoldenboss: Thanks!
Storybook Sayo: Thank you!
And thats a wrap. Thank you all reviewers. Please review this chapter and tell me where I went wrong. It helps keep me motivated and give me new plot ideas. Bye!