A.N.= I have to say, the rewrite's feedback is pretty good. Thanks to all those who reviewed again.
This is the first part of the next chapter and you shall get the other one in under 24 hrs from now. Or earlier than that, if I wake up to see at least 3 reviews (I count the 'good chapter' reviews as half, btw).
Anyways, enjoy~
August 1991
Nearly eight months had passed since the encounter Percy had with the two eccentric wizards or to be more specific, one wizard and one demiwizard. Having departed after giving him quite an informative lesson on his heritage and magic, they had given him plenty to think about.
So, to the surprise of many others, Percy had willingly picked a book up with the intent of reading it. To most people, he was someone who hated books due to his dyslexia, and seeing a book in his hand was unheard of.
But what they didn't know was that he was researching his heritage through any texts he could find about the Greek mythical world. To sate his curiosity about his birth father, he had reluctantly resorted to the only source of information he had access to. Books.
His various dangerous powers had narrowed it down to the house of Poseidon. Like Luke had said, he was most probably a child of some male sea deity. Triton and Poseidon were one of the likely choices, but he also had considered the Titan of the Sea, Oceanus.
After all, if all the other gods were living and alive, who's to say the Titans aren't?
The stray thought of him being the child of a female deity had crossed his mind, but he shrugged them off, seeing as his mother was an actual witch while his father was the one who was missing.
Although, he figured that with his tremendous and versatile control over water and anything that had water in it (he was surprised to find out that he could control his apple juice too!) and the respect all sea creatures gave him, he was more likely the son of Poseidon rather than Triton. The latter was more of a commander while the former was the king of all sea creatures, hence making him a prince in the eyes of the aquatic life forms.
Further research had given him some important information about his assumed father, along with a lot of headaches due to his dyslexia being annoying.
While not all of them were accurate, most of the texts had described Poseidon as a benevolent and respectable god whose wrath was monstrous.
Some texts had also described the sudden changes in the Sea god's mood. On a random day, he would grant safe passages to the ships of merchants and traders while the next day, he would curse a woman to fall in love with a bull and give birth to its son.
Another famous tale about him was the extremely petty (in his opinion) tantrum the god had thrown when he had lost Athens to his niece, going as far as punishing many mortals and innocent people for choosing against him.
Well, throughout the tales, he had noticed a recurring characteristic in all gods and immortals.
Apparently, all gods and even immortals were extremely prideful, a lot more than what he had expected. A few examples would be Athena against the Arachne or the Medusa. Or the twin gods of Delos who had killed 12 children just because her mother had boasted about them being as perfect as gods. Or Zeus's wrath against a mortal who had tried to impersonate the King of Olympus. Or when Artemis had turned one of her own hunters into a bear and hunted her lie livestock for a crime her father had done to the poor hunter. Or even when ….
Anyways, he could go on for quite a while before he would finish pointing out the flaws of the gods' actions, but he was getting off-topic. The main conjecture his limited reasoning was pointing towards was to be careful around the gods. Sure, there were always some exceptions, but he planned on finding those by himself throughout his life.
So, all the reasons given above and the absence throughout his life had resulted in him concluding to avoid any possible attention from Poseidon. That is, if his father was even Poseidon and not someone else like Oceanus.
Splash!
Suddenly breaking out of his thoughts as he felt water trickle down his face, Percy looked around in confusion as to where he was or what exactly was he doing that led to him being drenched.
'Oh right! I was practicing my powers.'
Sighing, he snapped his finger sharply, drying himself from the water and observed his surroundings.
Recognizing the place as his room, Percy stood up from the bed and stretched himself a bit before walking towards the window beside the desk in his room. Mentally thanking whichever god was responsible for windows, he sighed in bliss as he felt the cool breeze run through his face.
From the corner of his eyes, Percy spotted a calendar he owned, hanging on his wall as he idly wondered if what Bill had told him was actually true or not.
The few conclusions he could draw from the little information he had was that either Bill was lying to him, Bill was playing a joke on him, the teachers at the school were short-staffed, or he was going insane. While he knew the last option looked the most reasonable to others, he still hoped that wasn't the case.
Collapsing back on the bed, Percy stared at the fan rapidly rotating above him, apathy shining in his eyes due to the boring summer he was experiencing. He wondered whether he should just go get soaked in the lake a bit and hang around with the fishes there. Their stories were entertaining enough to listen while floating on the top of the lake, although it sometimes did get a bit weird and uncomfortable.
Percy still couldn't forget the second hand embarrassment he got whenever he heard of the sea creatures exaggerating the tale of when he had killed that empousai from a year ago.
Even now, after many months had passed since the encounter with the monster, young and curious fishes often approached him, wondering if he had actually created a hail storm instead of a few icicles.
For the record, he had given a vague answer just because the young fishes were too enthusiastic for him to tell the truth and disappoint them. And, although creating a hail storm was impossible for the current him, he was certain he could do it after a couple of years.
But, all things aside, he didn't really want to leave the orphanage, in case he might miss the professor from a certain magical school with a weird name.
Letting out a bored sigh, Percy idly observed the blades of the fan as they moved faster than his eyes could keep up. It was kind of disheartening when he was trying to follow the rotating blades with his eyes, but they kept revolving at a speed faster than his eyes could follow.
He stared at the blades with more concentration than he had ever put in his study book, before an ingenious idea struck him, making him smile hopefully.
Putting his utmost concentration on the water droplets that had splashed around him, he spreads it in a wide range around the general area of the fan's blades, making the surrounding air thicker than before. Just as he predicted, the blade of the fan slowed a bit, making it easier for his eyes to follow it.
Feeling an unexplainable sense of achievement, Percy's hopeful smile turned into a triumphant one. He was actually able to follow the blades of the fans with his eyes, albeit he had to use his powers a bit. Speaking of his powers, he mentally slapped himself as he realized that throwing a cup of water to his face would have worked just as fine as his actual idea.
In his defense, figuring out his powers was a good thing too. The most he knew about his powers right now was how they worked.
Stopping his thoughts suddenly, Percy's head turned towards the door fast enough to give him whiplash. From the other side of the door, he could hear two footsteps slowly rising in volume, as if they were heading towards his room.
While one of them was unfamiliar with the first one, he could easily recognize the other one. For a wild moment, Percy wondered if a sweet-talking monster had actually lured its way into visiting him. Although, judging by the carefree voice of the matron, he could guess that the stranger was deemed harmless in her eyes to the other residents of the orphanage.
Or, she was drunk.
Both were possible explanations.
Hearing a couple of polite knocks on his door, he jumped from his bed with an unusual amount of athleticism an 11-year-old tired and bored child could show.
Putting on a calm and polite expression on his face, he opened the door quietly to see who the visitors were and if they were here for what normally people visited orphanages for. While he wouldn't mind getting adopted from the orphanage, he also didn't have any problem with not being adopted. The orphanage was nice and conveniently near the cemetery his mother was buried in.
Expecting a middle-aged, slightly obese lady from the heavy footsteps that he had heard from the corridor, he was certainly surprised at the sight that greeted him.
Standing in front of him was a tall, thin, and very old man with silver hair and a beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long neat robes, a red cloak that swept the ground, and a pair of brown high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were sparkling with kindness and mischief behind his half-moon spectacles, and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.
Gazing at Percy with a curious smile, Percy hid an involuntary shiver from the piercing gaze in the old man's eyes. While the old man looked harmless, a small voice in the back of his mind suggested quite the opposite.
Coming back to the situation in front of him, Percy looked at the matron in confusion, silently questioning her about the strange old man. Observing her flushed cheeks, he noted the faint smell of alcohol as she opened her mouth to answer his unasked question.
"Percy, this man beside me is Mr. Dumberton- sorry, Dunderbore. He is the headmaster of a school that your mother had gone to and had subsequently registered you in before your birth. If you want, you can request the papers from this man, but he said that he would like to invite you personally." She said with a straight face, something quite difficult considering she was drunk. But she was always one to tolerate large quantities of alcohol, so it was not a surprise for him.
Remembering his personality, she added a small request as an afterthought. "Behave, please."
"Of course, Mrs. Jones." His small and polite smile still in place, he reassured the matron named Mrs. Jones that he would behave. Probably.
Giving a glance in the professor's direction, Percy shrugged before inviting him inside and gesturing for him to sit beside the desk. He himself sat on top of the gray blankets over his bed, his legs stretched out in front of him, and faced the silent professor.
An awkward environment soon developed as the professor looked around the room curiously while Percy wondered what was going on in the mind of the stranger beside him. Suddenly wishing to break the silence, Percy spoke the first words that came to his mind.
"Nice bathrobe."
Mentally slapping himself as the last syllable left his mouth, he waited somewhat nervously for the other to react to his sentence.
"This is a cloak rather than a bathrobe, but the compliment is appreciated." The old man chuckled, while Percy sighed in relief that the Professor had not been offended. He would hate to insult the professor if he was from the school Bill had told him about a few months ago.
"How do you do, Perseus?" said Dumberton, walking forward and holding out his hand, presumably for a handshake, which he accepted.
"I am fine, professor." Said Percy after a second of silence, feeling a bit hesitant to trust a stranger out of nowhere. Especially in a world of magic and mythology where every third cashier you see could be a monster in disguise.
"I am Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of a school called….."
"Hogwarts." Percy's soft whisper interrupted him as Mr Dumberton- no, Dumbledore's face adopted a surprised look. He was most probably taken by surprise as to how an orphan with no wizards near him had come to know about the existence of the school.
"You know about it?" Dumbledore questioned him with a voice lower than before, making Percy strain his ears to hear what the person in front of him had said. Taking a small moment to think over his answer, he nodded slowly.
"If by 'it' you mean this," Percy said as he raised his hand and pointed to a nearby pencil that lay quietly on the table. His face showed a sliver of concentration as the pencil started rising in the air. Dumbledore watched his display silently as many questions started forming in his mind. "Then, yes."
"That certainly makes things easier." Dumbledore mused to himself, idly wondering if this was all the child could do. He had a keen eye for talented individuals, and the child in front of him certainly wasn't normal. It would certainly make things easier for him if Perseus would join his school, if he considered the fellow students who were going to start attending this year. But that didn't answer all of his questions.
"So, how did you come to know about Hogwarts, Perseus?" asked Dumbledore, making eye contact with Percy as he awaited the answer.
"A wizard named Bill Weasley explained it to me a year ago," Percy said, refraining to mention Luke. Not that he was lying per se. Luke had explained the mythological world while Bill had been the one to tell him about the Magical world. Luke had also told him about the connection between the two but he wasn't going to reveal it to the stranger in front of him.
"It seems that I will have to convey my gratitude to Mr. Weasley later on. But right now, we have another important topic to discuss, Mr. Jackson." Dumbledore said, making Percy wonder what was more important than the school right now. Nevertheless, he stayed silent and let the wizard in front of him continue.
"I heard some fascinating stories about you from the matron below," Dumbledore revealed without as much of a change in his expression as he saw Perseus' eyes widen. "Particularly, regarding the strange creatures you claim to have seen, like the vampire with a bronze leg or the occasional dog the size of a tank." Without so much as a chance for Percy to interrupt, Dumbledore continued.
"Which leads me to believe that you are also a demigod." finishing with a calm voice, Dumbledore firmly stated his conclusion. The entire time, Percy stared at the wizard in surprise, his eyes darting around the room while his fingers twitched impatiently behind his back.
"Please calm down. Perseus. I assure you I am not a monster. On the off chance that I was one, I would not have spared the matron and killed her before coming after you." his eyes glimmering, Dumbledore gazed at the defensive child in front of him.
"Then are you a demiwizard too?" Percy questioned after a minute of silent pondering. His question made Dumbledore chuckle, confusing him even more as to what Dumbledore actually was.
"No, child. I am not a 'demiwizard', as you say. I am just a simple wizard who came to know about the existence of the godly world by chance." Dumbledore revealed with a small smile that normally belonged on the face of a grandfather.
"Well, I do know that I am a demigod; found out about it a year ago." Instead of stopping and letting the professor ask any questions, he adopted a curious look and continued impatiently, hoping to distract the wizard from the topic of the godly world. "But I am more interested in the magical world right now. You also said something about knowing my mother."
He also had no intention of sharing his research with a random wizard, and if he was being honest, he was more curious about his mother.
"Of course. Where should I start then, hmm?" Dumbledore mused to himself with a twinkle in his eyes that said that he knew exactly what Percy was intending to do by changing the topic. Nevertheless, he respected his privacy and continued.
"Your mother, Sally Jackson, was a brilliant witch during her time at Hogwarts. Joining the Ravenclaw house, she was a model student of her house and had even won an award for Academic Brilliance. But her most admirable quality was her willpower." Dumbledore's face had a nostalgic look to it as he spoke about Percy's mother, the latter soaking in every word like a sponge.
"Unfortunately, she was orphaned at the age of 15, but she didn't let that distract her. Trying her best to cope with it along with her studies, she eventually passed all her subjects with outstanding grades." Pausing for a second, the old man took off his glasses and wiped it on his cloak.
"It was during her sixth year that she felt the target on her back and requested my help. Although she never revealed the reasons for her situation, as the headmaster, it is my duty to protect all my students. So, I tried to protect her to the best of my abilities."
Pausing for a second, Dumbledore glanced towards the child hanging on to his every word eagerly. Smiling sadly, he continued. "After graduation, she was pursued by many of Voldemort's followers, but she survived by escaping to the US. In her last letter, she had told me that she had fallen in love with someone and that she would be giving birth to you in a matter of months."
"But she died after childbirth." Percy finished the story for him grimly, albeit a bit pleased to know a bit about his mother. The room fell into silence at his sentence before the professor once again started to say something.
"By the way, you still haven't looked at your letter, have you?" Dumbledore asked him. Taking his silence as an answer, he reached towards the pocket of his cloak and brought out a letter in a yellowish envelope. "Here you go."
Percy stretched out his hand to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr P. Jackson, Room 16, Floor 1, Adam's Orphanage, Montauk, New York.
He pulled out the letter and tried his best to ignore the dancing letters. Although he was used to it by now, it was still difficult to read at a decent speed.
Fortunately for him, the letter was short and didn't take much time to read.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Jackson,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
The term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July, save for certain circumstances.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Looking up to see the smiling face of the headmaster, he decided to ask a question that was bothering him for a while.
"Why is the headmaster of the school coming to inform me instead of a professor?"
"It was mainly because you are from outside the country and it would be difficult for the other teachers to travel such a long distance in one go," Dumbledore said with a chuckle. Absent-mindedly gesturing towards the paper, indicating him to turn it, he continued speaking. "And I felt like visiting the States after such a long time."
Turning the paper, Percy asked another question regarding what he had read on the sheet of paper. "What's this about having to send an 'owl'? Bill never mentioned anything about it."
"The Owl is the common way wizards communicate with each other, but since I am here, you don't have to worry about any of that, Mr Jackson." Dumbledore said, answering his questions and posing a question of his own in return. "And I suppose your question implies that you are attending, right?"
Nodding in reply, Percy turned the sheet of paper to be greeted with another wall of text, a bit larger this time. Slowly adjusting to the moving words, he read the contents of the second part of the letter, this time out loud.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK.
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
"Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling? One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore? Where am I going to buy all this? I don't think I even have the money required for everything listed here." Percy wondered aloud.
"All these are available to those who know where to buy them. And don't worry, Hogwarts has a basic fund for orphans and, in general, for those who lack money ." Dumbledore 's lips turned upwards in a small melancholic smile before he continued. "Besides I think that there should be plenty of gold for you left by your mother. Your grandparents were working individuals and your mother did inherit everything when they died."
"That takes care of the money problem, then. Now, how do I get to the place where I have to buy all this?" Percy continued his stream of questions, ignoring the implication Dumbledore's words had.
"That's in Diagon Alley, a place full of magical shops and oddities." said Dumbledore. "I have your list of books and school equipment with me. I can help you find everything —"
"You're coming with me?" asked Percy with a raised eyebrow.
"Certainly, if you want me-"
"I would prefer to do this alone," said Percy. "Besides, I'm used to doing things for myself, being an orphan and all that. Just tell me how do I get to this Diagon Alley, sir?" he said, adding the sir as an afterthought.
"I understand that it must be difficult to follow a stranger, but you will have to compromise a bit on that," Dumbledore said kindly, making Percy hide a frown as he waited for Dumbledore to continue.
The old man didn't miss the change in expression, ignoring it and continued with a sigh.
"The entrance to Diagon Alley is magically hidden inside a Pub called the Leaky Cauldron. I will wait there for you to finish purchasing everything, and then I will drop you back here. Is that fine with you?" Dumbledore replied with a plan that Percy could find no faults in.
Thinking over it for a second, Percy nodded in affirmation, making the professor in front of him smile merrily.
"Very well then." Getting up, the professor took out a wand from inside his cloak and pointed it toward the door. Casting a spell silently, Percy saw the air around the door shimmer.
"Before I apparate you there. You need to know exactly what you need to do and what you will buy from where." Dumbledore continued from before, sounding very much like a teacher.
"Firstly, You need to go to Gringotts to access your vault. A goblin would…." Listening to the rapid instructions, Percy hoped that he could remember everything. He could always look at the list, but it would be a headache to read it in the middle of somewhere.
He much preferred remembering things by listening rather than writing them down and reading them later.
Listening to the instructions quietly, Percy idly wondered what exactly apparition was. Judging from the context, it sounded similar to teleportation. Was that what Luke and Bill had done a few months ago when they had disappeared in front of him?
He would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in teleporting. It would be really useful to just pop up wherever he wanted anytime, especially if he was in an unwinnable fight.
He would have to look into it when he was in school.
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