After the final exams, Percy feels like he could breathe again. He immediately loosened his tie and took his glasses off. "Which way are you headed, Percy?"
"Towards Hagrid, I'm going to feed Archie."
Hermione frowned as she did not know who Archie was. But she nodded either way. "I'd always heard Hogwarts end-of-year exams were frightful, but I've found it rather enjoyable."
Percy still walked besides them, nodding in agreement. "I'm doing much better at a magical school rather than a muggle one."
Hermione looked at him, confused. "You made the switch so effortlessly, I've always thought you went to a magical school."
Percy just gave her an amused look and looked at Harry to see how he felt about it, but he saw the boy rubbing his forehead. "My scar, it keeps burning." He complained.
Hermione raised her eyebrow, ever the detective. "It's happened before." She trailed off, and they talked for a bit. Then the conversation got to Hagrid, "Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets? Why didn't I see it before?" Harry rambled.
Perseus came to the same conclusion and fastened his pace as all went to Hagrid's hut, where the giant was playing his flute. The three fired question after question at the giant which he just answered. At last, Perseus facepalmed, "Do you always tell them what to do, or is it just instinct," He questioned.
Hagrid just shrugged, "It was an accident." He said and continued playing the flute. Perseus looked at the running students and sighed, hearing Firenze's words in his head over and over again.
Perseus spent the rest of the day practicing, after feeding the giant squid he stayed by the water, practicing his water powers and how they would bend by his will. After a few hours of practice. Perseus stood in Hagrid's garden, casting spells at the scarecrow, just like Dumbledore taught him. Eventually the sun started to set and dinnertime came.
The boy ran into the castle and feasted on the dinner placed in front of him. He sat besides Hermione as they whispered about the stone. With as much love that they have for them, they need to start being a lot more subtle.
That night he goes out to the inside training room, he didn't expect Albus to drop by and tell him some random story about him and his Uncle Moody. The man, after all, had an emergency. After his training he wandered back into the common room and saw the three come down the stairs.
He audibly sighed and looked at the three of them, before looking at Neville. "Why are you awake at this time?" Percy looked at the familiar toad in his lap.
"You shouldn't be awake either. We're you sneaking out again?"
Percy raised his eyebrows, "Sneaking out?" He questioned, "I have permission to do private matters." The three at the stairs were being antsy again, before they could do anything rash. Perseus revealed the wand his had hidden in his holster, "Petrificus totalus." He casted and Neville fell backwards into the couch, frozen.
He put his wand back and motioned for the three to come down. They all look sheepishly, Perseus looked at them and just sighed, "I can't stop you all, I know that. Go, before I change my mind." He said and waved at them to leave.
As Hermione walked past, he reached out to grab her wrist. "Be careful." He muttered. She gave him a smile, but it didn't stop any of his nervous energy. He watched her walk away, behind Harry and Ron. Into some kind of fight that Perseus could never predict.
Before they were even out of the door, Harry put a cloak over them that made them invisible. Percy saw it before Harry could hide it away. They're a bit clumsy, and a bit comfortable with telling everyone.
—
The next day, Perseus sighed as he had been put on babysitting duty by Albus. The man was slightly angry with Percy that he hadn't joined them in their battle against Voldemort. Perseus had to explain what the centaur had told him.
The old man nodded and leant back in his office chair, "The prophecy." He nodded. Perseus did not know of any prophecy but he kept his mouth shut. He wouldn't want for Albus to get mad at him again.
As some kind of punishment, Percy has been set beside Harry to watch him. As if the nurses were underpaid at Hogwarts. All day long has the boy been in bed, with his arm bandaged. He sucked in a breath as he noticed the scarred boy waking up. Slowly he watched Harry sit up just to put his signature glasses on. His tableside was littered with cards and candy.
Behind the curtain, Albus appeared and approached Harry. "Good afternoon, boys. Ah, tokens from your admirers, Harry?"
Perseus mumbled an 'afternoon' as he watched Harry and Albus interact. "Admirers?" Harry questioned.
"What happened down in the dungeons between you and professor Quirrell is a complete secret." Perseus snorted and continued Albus' conversation. "Naturally, the whole school knows."
"I see that Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your chocolate frogs."
"Ron was here? Is he alright? What about Hermione."
Perseus snorted, as if he let his best friend get away from the doctors without a check up. "They're both alright." Ron was enjoying the attention he got, he had told the story countless times.
"What happened to the stone?" Harry asked. Dumbledore stiffened up a bit.
"Relax. The stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around." Dumbledore said.
"But Flamer will die, won't he?"
Albus sat on the bed, "He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, without it, he shall die."
Perseus didn't understand the attractiveness to an immortal life. All it did was create more time to lick your wounds and think about your misery. The two continued talking and Perseus fell asleep.
—
He begrudgingly had to attend the winner of the house cup. He did not understand the hype about it, but every other student seemed to be at least a bit excited about it. Unless you're Malfoy, who was decked out in all Slytherin clothes.
Perseus snorted that Neville got awarded points to stand up against him. He had clapped the Longbottom on his back. "I told you to stand up for yourself, and you did!" He exclaimed, yes, Longbottom did that. Just against him.
At the end all points were raked up and Gryffindor had won. Perseus felt a tinge of pride swell up and he clapped alongside all of his housemates. The best thing about winning the house cup is that Malfoy lost in all of his glory.
The boy was turning red and it amused Perseus to no end.
—
Perseus was led to the back of the train. He shook Ron's hand and congratulated him, once again at winning the chest game. "I'll see you soon, Ronny." The ginger got red at the comment and Perseus just laughed.
Before Hermione could get on the train, he grabbed her by the wrist. The girl looked around with a frown, but it quickly softened into a smile. "Percy!" She exclaimed and wrapped her arms around him.
He wrapped his arms around her after a few seconds, "Hermione." He said, "Didn't think I'd let you say goodbye without seeing you off?"
"Of course not, I'd be mad if you didn't."
"It's tradition, isn't it?" He said with a smile. "When one of us leaves, the other is always there to say goodbye."
Perseus felt Hermione pull away with a smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Have a nice summer, Perseus! Write to me."
He smiled and nodded, "If I can find an owl that doesn't hate me." He replied cheekily as he waved at Hermione, entering the carriage.
A tap on his shoulder and he turned around to face Luna. "Ready to go?" She asked.
Percy nodded, "Ready." He answered.
—
—
Bonus Scene
"Ronny!" Percy called out as he and his mother stepped out of the Burrow's kitchen. He felt his mother put a hand on his shoulder.
"Perseus." She said, "Stop antagonizing the boy."
Perseus immediately nodded, "You're a mother's boy!" A voice mocked him. The voice, naturally, belongs to Ron. A hand slapped the back of his neck, "Now, be nice!" His mother, Molly said.
The two women left their sons alone as they gravitated towards one another, "Thank you for having us over, Molly! It's nice to see some friends before Perseus leaves for New York."
Ron looked at him with wide eyes, "You're going to New York?"
The black-haired boy nodded, "To some summer camp. I don't think that I can practive magic, then." He pouted.
"Must be a muggle one." Ron was in awe, he had never heard any purebloods ever go to a muggle camp.
Percy rolled his eyes, already knowing what was going on in Ron's mind. "I've never been. But I can tell you how New York was, after."
The ginger nodded. "You better bring back souvenirs."
Percy laughed, "Of course."
Sally and Molly looked at their boys, finally getting along with one another. From the letters that Percy, the second eldest, had sent them, they always seemed to be at one another's throat.
Sally already knew why, and as did Molly. They had a bet going on, Sally had trust in Perseus and Molly had trust in Ron. A few galleons were on the line.
