I'm back from camp! This chapter is a fun one written entirely from Percy's POV. Enjoy!
Percy
He was in a churchyard. Graves jutted out of the ground, like jagged teeth along the horizon. At his feet, a boy writhed in agony.
"Kill him," a voice rasped from the shadows.
The boy screamed, dark hair falling back from his pale face as his back arched. It was Harry.
"Kill him!"
"What? No!" Riptide was in his hand, the point straining toward Harry's heart. Someone was controlling it. His hand was shaking with the effort of keeping his own sword from killing his friend.
"To protect your friends, to save your precious Mist… all you have to do is kill him." It hissed, "Do it!"
"No!" he fought to keep Riptide from piercing Harry's flesh, but it was too strong. He raised the sword, ready to drive it through his friend's chest, to see the blood stain his dark robes darker, to watch The Boy Who Lived finally die…
It was him. He wasn't enchanted. He was killing Harry.
The sword trembled in the air and Harry watched, helpless. "Fight back!" he wanted to scream, "Use your wand!" but part of him knew it was useless. His friend was too weak.
His chest heaved. Sweat dribbled into his eyes, blinding him, and he felt the sword dip toward Harry, the darker part of his mind taking advantage of his momentary loss of concentration. Any moment now, he would feel it plunge through Harry's heart…
"No!"
He was awake. Drenched in sweat in the Gryffindor common room, and he wasn't alone; his friends crowded around him, looking worried.
"Are you okay?" Annabeth asked, sitting down on the bed beside him, "Nico called me when you started screaming."
"Y-yeah, I'm fine… Bad dream," he forced a smile, looking past her at Harry who was rubbing his scar and frowning.
Annabeth looked at him for a long moment, like he was a logic puzzle she was trying to solve, before finally smiling, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Merry Christmas, Seaweed Brain."
Christmas at Hogwarts was no joke. His presents were wrapped in paper patterned with moving surfing santas, waving and smiling from their candy cane striped surfboards. Harry, Ron and Hermione had given him sweets – Chocolate Frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees and something called Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans – Annabeth, his own Gryffindor scarf so he wouldn't have to steal her's – Nico, a year's supply of dungbombs and Will, an annoying Santa hat that spouted wizarding versions of Christmas carols (God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriff?). Even Hagrid got him a gift; a book titled, Dragons, Overcoming Stereotypes and Looking to the Heart Beneath the Scales.
The Great Hall looked amazing, with a dozen towering Christmas trees and festoons of holly and mistletoe, and the food was even better – a hundred fat, roast turkeys oozing rich gravy, buttered peas and mountains of boiled and roasted potatoes. Christmas at Camp Half-Blood was a subdued affair (the gods were bitter that Christianity was more popular than them) but the teachers at Hogwarts really went all out.
"We need to talk," said Annabeth, sliding her brussels sprouts into a nearby brazier, "About camp."
Percy grimaced, "I know. They're in trouble. I just… I don't have any more ideas." Since defeating the dragon, most wizards seemed to have at least accepted that they were something different but although many of the students had started sacrificing their food at mealtimes, he could see in their eyes they didn't really believe in what they were doing. Somehow, they had to show them – this was real.
"I do. I've spoken to Jason and he thinks a shrine to Hecate here at Hogwarts could help."
He nodded, the idea slowly catching on, "Lou Ellen could help design it, somewhere visible… like the Great Hall."
"I also think we need to teach something other than history." She winced, as though acknowledging that facts alone might not be enough to turn the wizards' heads was physically painful.
"Like what?"
"Like sword fighting," she said, speaking loudly over the sounds of wizarding crackers exploding up and down the table, "Right now, they think it's all fun or games. Give them a sword and maybe they'll realise how serious we are."
"Do you think Dumbledore will approve?" he asked, remembering what the headmaster had told him after the Daily Prophet photoshoot. Did teaching fourteen-year-olds to fight with real weapons during their history classes count as reckless endangerment of the students?
Probably.
Annabeth grinned, "Who cares?"
After lunch, they went out into the grounds for a snowball fight with Harry and his friends. They finally returned when it was too dark to aim, dripping wet and shivering. Reaching the Gryffindor common room, Annabeth (the undisputed winner of the match) kissed him and went upstairs to get ready for the Ball.
"We should probably get changed too," Ron said, glumly.
Percy's dress robes were black with a white shirt and tie and - he was relieved to see - not too different from the other boys' (except Ron's, who's robes looked more like a dress than anything else.) Nico was wearing the black toga he'd worn for senate meetings at Camp Jupiter, having point-blank refused to buy anything from Witch Weekly, and Will had decided to join him in the Greek/Roman style, a laurel wreath perched atop his glowing head.
Annabeth was waiting for him at the foot of the stairs, looking stunning in a toga made of silvery grey material. Unlike the other girls waiting nervously in the common room, her face was free of makeup and her blonde hair was loose and freshly brushed.
"Lavender lent me these shoes," she frowned at her feet in their strappy, silver sandals that looked more stylish than practical. Percy bit back the urge to laugh; he'd never seen Annabeth in anything but her beaten-up sneakers.
"You look amazing," he assured her.
"Shall we go down then? Harry asked, in a voice that sounded like he was suggesting they go down to their executions. Parvati Patil was hanging off his arm in shocking pink robes, looking very pleased with herself.
They went down to the Entrance Hall, which was packed with students in brightly coloured robes, looking for their dates amongst the crowds.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron scowled, staring over the heads of the crowd. Hermione had assured them she had a date and while he hadn't said anything, Percy suspected it might be a certain Brazilian Gryffindor.
"Champions over here, please!" McGonagall's voice rang above the noise of the crowd.
He offered Annabeth his arm, "Shall we?"
McGonagall ordered them to wait to the side of the doors while everyone else went inside. Percy distracted himself by watching the crowd as they flooded past him, catching glimpses of his demigod friends amongst the wizards. There was Chiara Benvenuti and Damien White, going together as "friends," (the others had seen straight through that lie), Sherman Yang with his girlfriend Miranda Gardiner, Will and Nico, Lou Ellen with Connor Stoll and Ellis Wakefield with a girl from Beauxbatons. Hermione strode past beaming on the arm of Paolo Montes, much to Harry's astonishment, and Ron trailed after with Parvati's twin, Padma from Ravenclaw.
At last, McGonagall told the champions and their partners to line up in pairs and follow her. The Hall shimmered with sparkling silver frost and the ceiling reflected the starry night outside as they walked past a hundred lantern-lit tables where students applauded. Percy's stomach rumbled as they approached the top table, but the gold plates were empty, glittering in the candlelight.
"I wish I had my invisibility cap right now," Annabeth muttered, "Everyone's looking!"
Dumbledore smiled happily as they sat down on either side of the judges. Madame Maxine clapped politely, looking regal in robes of lavender silk, and Bagman whooped, though Mr Crouch was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Percy ended up next to a ginger-haired boy with a smug expression who introduced himself as Percy Weasley.
"Ron's brother?" he asked, surprised.
The boy looked annoyed to be referred to as "Ron's brother," but he nodded, "Yes. I'm also Mr Crouch's personal assistant, I'm here representing him. Mr Crouch isn't well, unfortunately – overwork."
He looked like he might say more but Annabeth interrupted, "Percy – sorry, Perseus," she corrected when both boys turned to look at her. The Percy in question scowled at the use of his full name, "Aren't you going to eat anything?"
He looked at his plate. It was still empty.
"They work like the plates at Camp," she explained, picking up a small menu and saying clearly to her plate, "Goulash!"
Immediately, her dish filled with a rich stew. Percy didn't know what goulash was, so he ordered porkchops.
"Poseidon," he muttered, reluctantly scraping half his plate into the silver brazier Dumbledore had provided.
"Ah, yes," Other Percy said disdainfully, "I've heard about your gods."
"Good," he mumbled around a mouthful of pork, "That's why we're here."
After helping themselves to seconds (and thirds, in Percy's case), Dumbledore stood and asked the students to do the same. With a wave of his wand, he sent the tables and chairs flying back against the walls taking a very surprised Neville with them. Then he conjured a stage, complete with a set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello and some bagpipes.
An extremely hairy group trooped onto the stage and introduced themselves as the Weird Sisters. The lanterns at the other tables fizzled out and the other champions and their partners stood.
"Come on!" Annabeth hissed, "We're supposed to dance."
"Oh, Hades."
The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune and Percy grabbed Annabeth's waist awkwardly. She rolled her eyes, adjusting his hands and started turning slowly on the spot. It reminded him of the last time they'd danced together, at a party on Olympus after Annabeth had been kidnapped and his gaze lingered on the spot where her hair had once been streaked with grey.
"What are you thinking?" she whispered, looking up at him.
He grinned, "I'm thinking I'm glad that I'm finally taller than you."
The song ended with a final, quavering note and the crowd applauded as the Weird Sisters struck up a much faster tune. Percy kept his arm around Annabeth as they threaded their way through the crowds away from the dance floor, past Paolo who was twirling Hermione around exuberantly without seeming to notice the other couples backing hastily away from them.
As they reached the table, Percy noticed Ron glaring in Paolo's direction and frowned. Harry sat beside him, chatting awkwardly with Parvati while Padma sat on the other side of Ron with her arms crossed.
"How's it going?" Harry asked as they pulled up chairs, seemingly relieved at the distraction.
The image of Harry from his dream flashed across Percy's mind but he pushed it quickly away.
"It's fun. Annabeth's a better dancer than me, though," he admitted, and she smirked.
"It's true."
Within minutes, a boy from Beauxbatons had asked her to dance. Annabeth politely refused, and he immediately went on to ask Parvati who – after a brief glance at Harry – agreed and practically dragged him onto the dance floor. When the song ended, she did not return, and her seat was taken by a very pink-faced Hermione.
"It's hot, isn't it?" she said, fanning herself, "Paolo's gone to get us some drinks."
Ron gave her a withering look, which Annabeth noticed and quickly got to her feet, pulling Percy up with her.
"Come on, Hermione. Percy and I will come with you to find Paolo."
"We will? I mean – sure, we will."
They edged around the dance floor. Hermione glanced back at Ron, bewildered.
"What's up with him?" she wondered.
"Hermione," Annabeth explained patiently, "He's jealous."
She flushed, "No, he's not!"
Percy opened his mouth to agree that Ron didn't look jealous – he looked pissed off. But then he remembered Rachel and how touchy Annabeth had acted around her for ages before they got together. Later, he realised it was because she had a crush on him. "Annabeth's right, Hermione," he said, marvelling at his girlfriend's ability to read people so easily.
The witch went the colour of Parvati's robes but didn't say anything. They found Paolo beside a fountain spouting Butterbeer with Nico and Will, laughing.
"Hey!" he grinned at Hermione as they approached, and Percy started; he realised he'd never heard Paolo speak English, except when he was angry.
They talked for a little bit, before Paolo and Hermione decided to dance some more and Will forced Nico to do the same.
"Let's go for a walk, shall we?" Annabeth suggested, taking his arm again.
Together they slipped out into the Entrance Hall. The front doors stood open, spilling warm light onto the lawn and real fairies twinkled in the rose bushes as they wandered hand in hand down the drive. Water gurgled in a nearby fountain and students sat on stone benches scattered around, talking quietly amongst themselves.
They'd just set off down one of the winding paths through the garden when they heard a familiar voice.
"Did you know?" Ron was asking in a strangled whisper, "About Hagrid being half-giant?"
"Hagrid's half-giant?" Percy echoed, a little too loudly.
Ron stepped out from behind one of the bushes, followed closely by Harry who looked furious.
"How long have you been listening?" he demanded.
Annabeth spoke soothingly, "We just got here."
"There's nothing wrong with Hagrid," Harry insisted, glaring at each of them in turn.
"Harry," Ron swallowed, "I know that, and you know that, but giants… they're just vicious."
"There aren't any good giants?"
"Yes," Annabeth said immediately, and Percy looked away, remembering Damasen, "There are good giants."
Ron still looked doubtful, but Harry nodded encouragingly, "Well, Hagrid's one of them. It doesn't matter if his mother was a giantess!"
"The parents would go mental!" Ron argued.
"Then we won't tell anyone, agreed?"
They all agreed, and Harry and Ron went back inside, still discussing giants. Percy and Annabeth remained in the garden long after the party ended, reminiscing softly about Damasen and Bob and gazing at the stars, remembering how lucky they were to be under them.
Hope you enjoyed, let me know what you think! IMPORTANT: I'm not sure if the spacing between paragraphs is correct. Have any of you noticed and, if so, can you let me know what I can do to fix it? Thanks and I will update in a few days. Hope everyone had a great Sunday and is enjoying the holidays!
Okurdek - Once again, thanks for being so supportive! I think this chapter gave you a taste of how exactly Voldemort intends to make Percy "strong" and you were very, very close. More will be revealed soon... ;)
aRTsyisAwesome - Glad you're intrigued. I don't want to reveal too much but Percy was injured in the First Task so I think it's safe to say there was a fair bit of his blood lying around... About the demigods at Hogwarts slacking off, I realised this as I was writing which is why I wrote the Iris Message as a slap in the face to the characters as well as a reminder to myself of where the story is going. Percy wants to help Harry but his main priority is saving his home which you will see more of in the next few chapters. Thank you so much for your review! Keep reading!
Reem Balout - I PMed you but just to confirm I am definitely planning on finishing the story. I hope you do become attached - it means the story's good! Let me know if you do decide to read it.
Thanks once again to everyone who has followed/favourited the story. Over 50 followers! Thank you so much for your support!
Lileaf, xoxo