Hermione was left to look around and she trailed her hands over the dust-free bookshelves. "You've cleaned it up quite a bit, yeah?"

Percy felt his lips tug a bit, "I haven't checked anything closely, I don't know how many cursed objects there are in here." He admitted and Hermione subtly winced and pulled her hand away.

Percy leant against the bookcase as he looked at her as she looked at one of the pictures, "He had a lover."

"How did you know? They could be best friends."

"The love letters, Hermione." He said and looked around, "That is the only photo of people in this whole house."

Hermione looked closer and her eyes widened a bit, "Professor Dumbledore." She gasped out and Percy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he walked over to look over her shoulder.

"Dumbledore lived here?" Percy looked around and his eyes landed on the carpet, "Of course." He muttered, "Should I send an owl?"

Hermione clicked her tongue, "I don't know, but maybe he has more knowledge of where there are hidden items, or cursed items." She said and then nodded, "Write a letter, I don't know when he'll arrive."

A knock sounded on the window and they snapped their heads towards the sound. An owl stood there with a letter attached to its ankle. Percy swiftly walked over in a few steps and opened the window, letting the owl fly over to the owl stand that had been there.

He walked over and untied the letter.

'You have a lot of physical resemblance with your great-grandfather.' Percy read out loud, and winced. He had heard it many times before. "I know that you're the only Grindelwald capable of opening the house." Hermoine looked up at him with squinting eyes.

He put the letter down and looked at her, "Stop trying to compare me to an old dark wizard." He asked. Hermione just frowned and cocked her head.

"I don't really see it." She hummed, "Maybe the pictures are outdated."

"I will visit tomorrow by the end of dawn. There are many cursed items that are hidden, for your safety, I will come by." He said and that was the end of the letter. Percy walked over to the desk and quickly wrote down that he had received the letter and that he'll be at home by the end of dawn to let Dumbledore inside.

He sighed and fell back into the leather chair, "I guess that Dumbledore will be here tomorrow." He looked around and outside of the window, then the clock struck midnight.

Hermione looked at the clock, "I should get back to the Weasleys." Percy nodded and stood up and walked towards the door with her. He pulled his coat over her shoulders and she looked at him in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Walking you home." He answered as he just put a scarf over his neck. "Can't have you get kidnapped, can I?" He said and winked. "Mrs. Weasley would be very disappointed."

Hermione blushed and nodded a bit. He opened the door and stepped out, Hermione stood by his side as she watched him lock the door. Percy looked back up with a smile, "Let's get you home," teasingly he added, "Milady." He said and jokingly held his arm out.

Hermione rolled her eyes and actually looped her arm through his. "I already have your jacket," she blushed, "The least I could do is share my warmth, milord." She added teasingly.

Percy smiled brightly as they walked down the street in a nice silence. He was simply happy being near her, they walked up to the steps of the house and Hermione beamed. The door opened with a smiling Molly.

"Percy!" She exclaimed as she looked down at the intertwined arms. The boy smiled at the woman.

"Hey Mrs. Weasley." He said and waved a bit. He then held the dish out for her, "It was a lovely meal, thank you."

"He got lost in cleaning the house, can you imagine that, Molly?" Hermione said as she rolled her eyes.

Percy huffed while Molly just agreed, "I can imagine that, dear. Fred and George were kids once too." Hermione and Percy winced, they know how unorganized the twins are. "What a gentleman you are for walking Hermione home."

Percy smiled and rubbed the back of his neck as he saw Harry and Ginny in the hallway behind them, Hermione slowly retracted her arm from his and Molly waved before she hurried away, sending Harry and Ginny to go to bed.

Hermione stood by the door frame as she smiled at him. "It was nice hanging out again." She said quietly.

"We've hung out a lot Hermione." He said, confused.

Hermione huffed a bit, amused. "With just the two of us," She clarified and leant over to kiss his cheek. Percy blushed as he suddenly was wide awake. "Thank you." She said before she quickly closed the door.

Percy pursed his lips and nodded a few times before he realized that he was nodding at a closed door. He swiftly turned around and happily walked home with only a slight skip in his step.

—

Harry was at Percy's place when he heard Dumbledore would come over, Hermione was going to come later, he said. There was no word of Ron. Dumbledore knocked and Percy immediately opened it.

"Quite the wizard you are," Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes, "You must be very powerful to be able to come into this home." He said as he looked around with nostalgia.

Percy smiled tightly, "I've gotten rid of the curses that could affect anyone who isn't a Grindelwald on the first floor." He said.

"Even more impressive." Dumbeldore hummed as he looked at the paintings, "You're great-grandfather and I had placed them ourselves."

Percy looked at the man, "Those are impressive runes that are carved on the house." He then cleared his throat and awkwardly asked, "How did you know about the house?"

"It was only a matter of time before you came here, Perseus." The man said, "When I saw that you were going home for the holiday, I knew that you'd come here." With an all-knowing voice, he took the painting that Perseus was looking at when he first came to the house off of the wall.

"Quite a nice work, dangerous." Albus said as he turned it around and showed the runes on the back, "If you stare too long, you get entranced and eventually become brain dead." Albus shook his head. "Always with the darkest magic."

Percy raised his eyebrows and turned the painted side towards the wall. They now stood in front of the family tree. "You're one of the closest family members." Albus mused. "Even more than your uncle Ruiz."

Percy raised his eyebrows, "You know uncle Ruiz?" He asked.

"Pity of what happened to that man." He shook his head, "I personally recommend to transfer him to St. Mungo's. It's a lot safer than the American ward."

Percy hummed.

He then saw his eyes flick to the text, "I reed that you're quite accomplished in the dark arts."

Percy clenched his jaw and nodded.

"Don't let it turn you, Perseus."

He felt a bit mad at the suggestion, but he now knows that Dumbledore knew his great-grandfather and personally saw him get swayed to the dark arts. "No, sir." He answered. He'd rather die than end up as any of his grandfathers.

"Good." Albus said as he looked back at Percy, "You've got quite the potential and power. I'm sure that you'll even rival Gellert and I."

Percy gave the man a small smile, something in him says that he had already passed in power, it's just the knowledge that he hadn't caught up to yet. "Thank you, sir."

Harry sat on the leather couch, reading a book. Dumbedore walked in and greeted him. Formalities were exchanged and Albus took a look at the owl stand. "I carved that myself when I lived here." He mused.

Percy raised his eyebrows, "Quite the craftsmanship, sir." The man then grabbed it and shook it, transfigured into a cane.

"I'm surprised he even kept it, he hated it at first." The old man mused and Harry and Percy exchanged a look.

Percy waved his wand and a tea set came into the room, floating. Dumbeldore cast his eyes to and and with a wave of his wand pulverized it. Percy pursed his lips as he saw the ashes on the ground.

"That must've been an antique by now." Percy said he was a bit sad about it, really, it was quite a lovely pot.

"Poisonous." Dumbeldore mused as he casted a cleaning charm, "Undetectable." He said and walked back into the study. "I see you've read his letters."

Percy felt a bit guilty of prodding into someone's private space, "Sorry sir, I didn't know who it belonged to."

"It's fine, Perseus." He said and turned to him, "His letters were laced with an alluring charm, to sway my opinion and morals." The man looked at the letters and with a wave of the wand they turned into ashes. "I suggest you do a detox if you read it."

Percy nodded and sighed, "I'll do that," he said and then turned to Harry as someone rang the doorbell. The boy nodded and went to open the door.

"You've done quite a lovely thing, bringing life into the house." Dumbledore said as he noticed all of the natural light, "It was always dark in here, something about having magic as dark as the shadows." He shook his head, "Gellert." He sighed.

Percy smiled a bit, it reminded him of his grandfather who idealized the dark wizard. He had dementia and goes insane every few months when his memory resets. In fear of him going crazy and on a rampage, he had been stuck in a mental ward with no treatment of his dementia.

It was the safest option.

One day the man could be the kindest grandfather and father to his mother, on other days, he was trying to summon the banners. One time he succeeded on sheer will and America had been in a slight panic.

Hatred grew stronger against the Grindelwald family.

Dumbledore moved to go upstairs, Percy swiftly followed, wanting to know about all the items that were enchanted and its history. He waved at Hermione as he went up the stairs like some overly excited child. "We need to do some detox, Hermione! Dark magic stuff in those letters." He hummed.

Hermione looked confused as she watched him go up, "What?" He then continued to hum as he went up the stairs, "Percy what?" She called once again and decided to let Harry just explain it, he knows the boy is listening and not reading his book.

They went up the stairs and into the room Percy slept in. Dumbledore looked at it with a raised eyebrow, Percy walked over to a corner and put the box onto the wardrobe. "Here is all of the stuff."

Dumbledore looked over and pointed his wand at it, disintegrating it. Then at the bed, Percy gaped at it as it turned into nothing but dust. "Manipulative dark arts." Dumbledore hummed, "Stay here for too long and you'll get affected."

Percy sighed, "I'll have to order a new bed then." He said and shook his head.

"I'd modernize the house if I were you as well." Albus said amused, "The plumbing as I could remember, was quite horrible."

Percy nodded, he had tried to take a bath, only for the water to be downright nasty, he could see the water quality and he had stopped the bath. "I'm sure I know a few people who could turn this house upside down."

Dumbledore nodded and looked at the wardrobe, "You should throw every piece of clothing out."

"Dark magic tainted it?" Percy questioned and the wise man nodded.

They continued to look in some rooms that Percy had never seen before, one had all of the stuff a basic magician should. Albus destroyed it all, leaving the room empty and filled with dust.

"I'll leave you some money for new furniture." The man said and Percy weakly nodded. The house was quite a small one for Grindelwald had not gotten his fame and followers yet. The kitchen was Perseus' favorite part, along with the sunroom. Percy could see himself living there for a long time.

Nearly every room was coated in ashes and dust by the time Dumbledore left. Percy sank in the leather chair after he showed Dumbledore out. "Everything is coated in dust and I have no bed anymore."

Harry laughed softly and Hermione just slapped his arm. "Don't be so pessimistic." Hermione said.

Percy looked at her with a deadpan expression, "He nearly destroyed all the vintage books."

Hermione gasped, "Oh no."

Harry laughed loudly now.

"I don't have a bed." He really wanted to sleep now.

Harry looked around and grimaced, "I think you could spend the night with us." He suggested, "I don't know whether it is allowed or not."

Percy looked at him, "I'd be grateful if you asked if I could stay for a day." He then grumbled as he lent further back into the chair, "I'm just so glad he didn't take this chair from me."

Hermione laughed, "The only time I've seen you sit down was in that chair."

Percy laughed as well, "You've only sat down on that sofa, don't even Hermione."

The girl blushed, "The Victorian era isn't known for its comfortable furniture." She defended.

"I'll have to go furniture shopping tomorrow." He grumbled, "Want to come along?" He asked.

Harry and Hermione shook their heads, "We can't. We're visiting Ron's father at St. Mungo's." He said and Percy nodded.

"I'm going to have to make some calls then." He said and begrudgingly stood up.

"I thought you said that you can't have a cellphone?" Hermione asked and Percy froze.

"I use the floo powder thing." He said weakly and Hermione just nodded while Harry just looked at him confused. "You know where you put your head in and such." he said and quickly walked up the stairs and locked himself up in the bathroom.

He turned his water on and willed for it to evaporate, with the last of his drachmas he threw it into the fire. "Oh fleecy, do me a solid and show Piper Mclean."

The image showed Piper standing in some apartment, she was doing the dishes and he saw Annabeth walk over and wrap her arms around Piper's waist. "Hey de-"

Percy cleared his throat and the two jumped apart, "Moving in together now?" He said and raised his eyebrows teasingly. His teasing face turned into a smile, "Good, I've been waiting for it to happen."

"Seaweed brain, what do you need?" Annabeth asked, happy to see and talk with him once again.

"Help." He admitted as he looked around, "Tell me, what do you see here, Annabeth?" he said as he stepped aside to show the interior of the house.

"Victorian interior." She then nodded, "I got your back. Send me the plans through your magic whatever thingy." She said.

Percy looked at her, "How fast can you get it done?" He asked.

"For you?" She said, "A day or two."

"Could you get Leo on it, I'll promise him that he can live here for a week when I'm gone for school."

Piper smiled and laughed, "I'll get Leo on it. Anything else you need?"

"You." Percy said and smiled, "I need this interior to match this antique old english style. I could pick you up tomorrow, we can go shopping."

"No budget?"

"I don't think so." He admitted, "I've got two vaults, one from my father and one from another evil great-grandfather." He smiled brightly, obviously very enthusiastic about the grandfather thing.

Annabeth snorted, "Only you, Percy." She said and reached over to swipe through the message but stopped, "How is the other aspect of the quest going."

Piper looked at him, and smiled, "Oh the boy's in love." She teased and Percy bit the inside of his cheek as he blushed.

"You and your damn powers."

Piper snorted, "Don't even talk smack about mine, you can create earthquakes."

Annabeth laughed and pressed a kiss against Piper's cheek, "She's right, Seaweed Brain. I'll come with Piper to check it in person."

Percy nodded, "Come whenever, you have the powder I gave you, yes?"

"And a fireplace." Annabeth said and sighed, "It's so unnecessary."

"It's charming." Piper argued and Percy just smiled fondly.

"See you two tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow!" Annabeth said and swiped through the iris message.

Percy smiled as he shut the water off and flushed the toilet to not seem suspicious as he walked down the stairs and into the living room. "I'm having some old friends come over tomorrow." He said. "Knowing them, they'll raid everything I have in my house." He sighed and once again sinked into the leather chair.

"But you don't have anything." Hermione said as she looked through a book, dueling, the basics.

Percy groaned even louder and noticed that Harry had disappeared, "Where ha-"

"Gone to ask if you could stay over while you were calling with some friends."

Percy hummed, "Hermione." He suddenly spoke up, the girl looked up and he couldn't help but admire her features again, "Would you like t-" The bell rang and Percy stopped talking.

"Like what?" Hermione asked as Percy stood up and walked towards the door. The boy stopped by the door frame and just shook his head, "I'll ask another time." He said and didn't notice how Hermione looked disappointed.

He opened the door and there stood Harry and Ron. "You can stay for the night." Harry said and nodded while Ron didn't look so happy to be here.

Percy opened the door even wider for them to step in and Ron shook his head, "No thank you, I don't trust dark wizards' homes."

Percy nodded, "Understandable. I'll make it quick then." He quickly pulled his wand out and waved it, only one bag being zipped up and down the stairs. He quickly stopped the spell as Hermione didn't notice it flying down.

The bag fell to the ground on the stairs and he heard a few things break over every step of the stairs, he cringed and nodded. Percy put a hand up Hermion's waist as he pushed past her to get to his bag in the narrow hallway.

The girl blushed as she realized what happened, "So sorry-"

Percy smiled at her, "It's no problem, Hermione." He said and they walked to Harry and Ron who were sharing a tired look. The four walked over to Grimmauld place 12 and Ron knocked, his mother opened the door and let everyone in.

"I'm going to need you to swear to keep this place a secret."

"On the river styx." Percy swore. Molly gave him a confused look, "It's from greek magic," he explained, "far worse than swearing on my magic."

Molly looked concerned and happy at the same time. "Come on, boy." She hurried and closed the door behind him. The painting was screaming at Hermione and Harry as they walked through the hall.

"Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers-" The magical painting screamed and Percy glared at it, the woman yelped.

"A pureblood, gracing the house of my father." Percy turned his glare into a vicious one and the woman stopped talking at all. Hermione looked back and was surprised to see it shut up.

With a slight smile on his face, Percy continued to walk after Molly. "It's a lovely house." He said to Molly.

"Thank you." A man said with the smell of stale drinks around him. "Do you want it?"

Percy looked confused as he looked at Potter, "That's-"

"I commend you for not flipping out." The man said, now known as Sirius Black, a fugitive from Azkaban.

"He's been falsely accused." Harry said, "He is my godfather." Sirius walked over and rubbed Harry's hair.

Percy nodded, "You go settle in Harry and Ron's room." Molly said and gave her son a look. "Dinner will be done in a few."

As Percy walked up the stairs, Sirius grabbed him by the arm, "Why are you here boy?" He questioned.

Percy let the man hold his arm, "Dumbledore destroyed my furniture." He said.

"Why are you here." He repeated.

Percy took in a breath and ripped his hand free as he repeated himself, "I don't know what you're talking about. Dumbledore destroyed my furniture."

"I'm keeping a close eye on you, Grindelwald." Sirius said as he glared at Perseus.

Perseus clenched his jaw, he had enough people keeping an eye out to him. He followed Harry and Ron to his room and placed his bag on the ground as there was a mattress set up for him.

"Thank you guys." Percy said with a small smile, "I'll be out of your hair tomorrow."

Harry nodded and Ron did as well. "We're going downstairs, so if you-"

Percy nodded and smiled, "I'll come with."

–

Dinner was not a quiet affair. Fred and George were making jokes about his house being haunted. While Ron was just grumbling about him even being here in the house, Sirius was quietly agreeing with the ginger, he could see.

Molly was happy to have him here, something giving Hermione and Ginny looks. "Really talented is what you are." She said.

And Percy choked a bit on his drink as he shook his head, "No-" Hermione nudged his side and he looked confused, she just looked at him with an expression that told him everything, "Uh, thank you. Mrs. Weasley."

"You must have a few girls after you with all that talent in America."

Percy blushed as he slid the drink away from him a bit, not risking choking once again. Harry was snickering quietly. With a napkin he wiped his mouth and he looked at Hermione, pleading for her to get him out of this interrogation.

But she looked curious. That is when he knew it was impossible. "I-" He doesn't really know where to start, "My past relationships didn't last longer than a week." He cleared his throat.

"Why?" Ginny asked as she looked a tad bit too invested.

"The circumstances were just working against us. Besides, I used to be blinded by a crush that I had on my closest friend."

"The one visiting tomorrow?" Hermione asked, with a tone that Percy couldn't recognize.

Percy furrowed his eyebrows a bit, "Yeah." He said quietly and he turned back to Molly. "She turned into a duo with her partner. She's the architect and her partner is an interior designer." He explained and Hermione's shoulders relaxed a bit. He shot her a confused look and she just looked away from him, avoiding any sort of eye contact.

He felt his heart drop a bit once again. "I also have a muggle friend, who is one of the fastest and best builders." He said, "He's still traveling the world."

Leo had been doing good, from the letters and the Iris Messages voicemail the boy left, Percy could tell that Calypso was having a good time as well.

"That must be lovely, having such friends like yours." Molly said and Percy smiled.

"They've always had my back." He said quietly. It was times like these when he talked about them that reminded him that he is far away from what home was for him. He cleared his throat as he deemed it safe to drink some water.

"What about your father, is he a pureblood? Are you all still pure-blood supremacists?"

Percy sighed as he looked over at Sirius, "Yes, my father is a pureblood." He answered, "My parents aren't pure-blood supremacists, neither is any of my extended family that I know of." He then paused, "Except for my grandfather, he did spend some time in his youth with Gellert Grindelwald."

Sirius squinted at him. "Your muggle friends aren't a facade?"

Percy shook his head, "They're coming over tomorrow." He said, "I wouldn't invite them if I was a wizard supremacist." He was getting annoyed now.

"Sirius." Molly scolded and the man closed his mouth, preventing anything more being said. "Do not be rude to your guest."

Percy stared at his place and looked at Hermione as she quietly dismissed herself from the table, she nudged him and he quickly followed, "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, it was a lovely dinner." He said and casted a subtle look at the staring Sirius.

He followed Hermione into the living room and he frowned, "Are you mad at me?" He questioned, quietly.

Hermione looked back and smiled, "Why would I be mad at you?"

Percy just opened his mouth, "Just from the way you were looking at me, or well just not looking at me at all-" He started to ramble but Hermione cut it short.

"I was jealous." She admitted quietly and sat down on the couch. "You always talk about your best friend and when you told her that you liked her, I-"

Percy sat down beside her and turned towards her. "Liked." He repeated, "I used to like her. I don't anymore." He shook his head, "Did you know she now lives with her girlfriend, the partner."

Hermione just shook her head, somewhat looking disappointed with herself. Percy frowned as he sat a little closer to Hermione. "It just reminds me of how short we've known one another. You've already made a life with others." She expressed.

Percy put his hand on her knee, his palm to the roof, offering his hand to her. Hesitantly, she put her hand on top of his and Percy closed it, rubbing his thumb over her hand. "My time in America wasn't always great." He sighed. "You know why I have to repeat the year?"

"Something with memory loss?" Hermione was faking not knowing it very specifically, Percy knows. He remembers how the witch can remember a conversation from weeks ago, word for word.

"The reason for my memory loss was because I was kidnapped." He said with a slight smile, "There I met many more people." He sighed, "It didn't quite feel like home." He sighed and looked at her, "This time I'm at a whole different place, once again surrounded by other people."

He gave her a grin, "So far I am not kidnapped. So that is good."

Hermione slapped his shoulder, "Don't even!" She said, "You're acting a bit too casual about being kidnapped." She said and looked at him mournfully.

Percy stopped playing around and looked at her, "Why are you looking at me like that."

"I can't imagine losing you for half a year."

Percy gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand, "I don't think I can go half a year without you."

Hermione smiled and shifted closer a bit, Percy's breath hitched and his eyes flickered from her eyes down to her lips. He leant a bit closer down to her face and her breath was hot on his lips.

He heard Hermione take a deep breath and before he could even close his eyes he heard a squeak and they shot away from one another. "Ginny!" Hermione said, her heart going crazy. "Knock!"

Ginny stood from the door looking at the ground with wide eyes, "It's the living room!" She protested.

Percy pursed his lips and stared at his fidgeting hands. "Mum said that we have to go to bed." She said and quickly got out of the tension riddled room. When she was gone, he finally looked at Hermione.

She was already looking at him with a look on her face. "We should go to bed." Hermione said quietly, not taking the first step to move.

Percy gave her a small smile as he stood up and held his hand out for her, she took it and he pulled her up. He didn't really calculate anything and his breath hitched a bit as he noticed how close she was.

The shriek of Sirius' mother got them out of their stupor. Percy smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, "What time are you leaving tomorrow?" He asked as he followed Hermione up the stairs.

"Around seven." Hermione said, "It's a bit earl-"

Percy shook his head, "Not early at all, I wake up at five on some days."

Hermione raised her eyebrow as she held her hand on the door handle. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." She said softly before leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Percy once again gaped as he put a hand over his cheek, he watched as Hermione blushed and quickly ran inside her room.