Shorter chapter. But I'll make up for it with a quick update.
For anyone following Eternity, that'll get an update before Jan 5th. For The Boy Who Died, I'll release a chap before New Years.
CHAPTER FOUR: BETWEEN THE LINES
"Monsters are real, and ghosts are too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." - Stephen King
Percy's nightmare began in a suffocating swirl of shadows and the stench of rot.
He was back in Tartarus, the oppressive air pressing down on him like a heavy, wet blanket. The River Phlegethon's fiery flow glowed faintly in the distance, its flickering light casting shadows across the landscape. Annabeth was beside him, her face pale and strained as she clutched her dagger, the hilt covered in monster dust.
The ground beneath them shifted. Hands, thousands of them, clawed at their ankles, skeletal fingers dragging them down as ghostly whispers filled the air
Percy tried to summon Riptide, but his hand found only empty air. His heart pounded as he searched for the pen, but it was gone. Annabeth sobbed. "Percy, we need to run!"
They bolted, but Tartarus warped around them, the terrain shifting like a living thing. Craggy cliffs loomed out of nowhere, forcing them to double back, only to find the skeletal hands rising from the ground again.
Annabeth fell into the earth, the ground pulling her in like quiksand
Percy screamed her name, throwing himself forward, but the air seemed to solidify around him, slowing his movements. Annabeth's screams grew louder.
"Annabeth!" Percy roared, thrashing against the unseen force holding him back. He was helpless, forced to watch as Tartarus consumed her.
The nightmare shifted. Percy was alone now, standing in the same spot. The shadows whispered his name, promising that he would never leave, that Tartarus would claim him, too. In the distance, Annabeth's faint cries echoed, but no matter how far he ran, they grew no louder. The ground opened beneath him, and he fell endlessly into the void.
Percy jolted awake, drenched in sweat, his heart pounding as if he'd just run a marathon. For a moment, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was still in Tartarus, that it had followed him out.
He sat upright, breathing heavily, his pulse pounding as he tried to anchor himself in reality. The dim light filtering through the curtains of his flat painted everything in muted grays and blues. His mug from the night before still sat on the coffee table, a faint reminder of Tonks' visit.
But the nightmares were getting worse.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, burying his face in his hands. He didn't need a mirror to know he looked like hell, he could feel the exhaustion etched into his skin. It wasn't just the nightmares; it was everything he wasn't saying, the secrets he was carrying like anchors pulling him down.
And now, Tonks.
She didn't deserve to be dragged into this.
"Come on, Jackson," he muttered to himself, standing and heading for the bathroom. "Get it together."
By the time he stepped out, the sharp bite of cold water on his face had done little to chase away the haze in his mind. Blackjack was on the couch.
"Morning, bud," Percy said, rubbing a hand over his damp face. "Sleep okay?"
The pegasus blinked at him with an almost accusatory air, as if to say, Better than you.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Percy muttered. "I should take it easy. But when have I ever listened to good advice?"
He passed Blackjack a stray biscuit Tonks had left behind.
The morning passed with an unseasonably thick fog curling through the streets. Percy stood by his window, sipping the last of his coffee as Blackjack neighed softly.
"You think Tonks will let it go?" Percy asked the pegasus, though he already knew the answer.
Not a chance, boss.
Percy sighed. Tonks wasn't the kind to leave a mystery unsolved, especially when it came to people she cared about. And no matter how hard he tried to keep her at arm's length, she had a knack for worming her way past his defense.
Still, there were things about his past he couldn't tell her. Things that didn't belong in this world of wands and wizardry. Things that might make her look at him differently.
The things he'd done down there, only the Fates knew.
He set his mug down and picked up his pen, the one piece of his old life he'd never let go of.
There was a knock at the door, and Percy's lips quirked into a half-smile. Speak of the devil.
He opened the door to find Tonks, her pink hair as bright as ever, though her expression was more serious than he was used to.
"Morning, Pinky," he greeted, leaning casually against the doorframe. "What brings you here at this ungodly hour?"
Tonks held up a bag of pastries and a thermos, her grin returning. "Bribery. Figured I'd butter you up before work."
Percy stepped aside to let her in, shaking his head. "You know, most people just send an owl."
"Most people aren't me," she replied, setting the bag and thermos on the small kitchen table. "Besides, I wanted to check on you."
Percy arched an eyebrow as he took a seat. "Check on me? You're getting clingy, Tonks."
"Someone's got to keep an eye on you, Water Boy," Tonks shot back, plopping down across from him. She pulled out a pastry and waved it at him. "You seem sad, and it's my duty as your friend to annoy you out of it."
"Mission accomplished," Percy said dryly, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
Tonks leaned back in her chair, studying him. "You know, you're not half as mysterious as you think you are."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. You act all tough and aloof, but deep down, you're just a big softie who's addicted to blue food."
Percy snorted. "Wow, thanks for the psychoanalysis, Dr. Tonks. Should I lie down on the couch?"
Tonks rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, Percy. You don't have to do everything on your own. Whatever you're dealing with, you've got people who want to help."
Percy hesitated, his fingers tightening around the pen in his hand. For a moment, he considered telling her, about the gods, the wars, the friends he'd lost, but the words caught in his throat. How could he explain a world she wasn't part of?
"I appreciate it, Tonks," he said finally, his voice quieter. "Really. But some things… they're better left alone."
Tonks frowned, but she didn't push. Instead, she reached across the table and lightly flicked his forehead.
"Fine," she said. "Keep your secrets for now. But don't think for a second that I'm letting this go."
Percy chuckled, rubbing his forehead. "Noted. Now, are we going to eat these pastries, or did you bring them just to torture me?"
As they dug into their impromptu breakfast, Percy couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Tonks deserved the truth, or at least as much of it as he could safely share. But for now, he'd keep his secrets.
For now.
TPIM
"Percy, this might be the worst idea ever."
"Relax," Percy said. "You'll be fine."
"Fine? I'm literally trusting you with my life here!" Tonks hissed, clutching her wand as if it were the only thing keeping her tethered to sanity. Her pink hair shimmered faintly in the dim, flickering light of the abandoned warehouse.
They were, according to Percy, 'hunting something'.
He just wouldn't tell her what they were hunting. 'Monster hunting', he had said, but they couldn't actually be looking for a monster, right?
Right?
Percy leaned against a rusty support beam, twirling a pen between his fingers. The pen gleamed faintly in the gloom, as if eager for action. He gave Tonks an easy smile. "C'mon, Pinky, where's your sense of adventure?"
Tonks shot him a glare that could've melted through steel. "It took a vacation the moment you said, 'Trust me, I've got a plan.' You know, normal people explain their plans."
"Normal's overrated." Percy straightened, slipping the pen back into his pocket. He scanned the shadows, his sea-green eyes alert. "Besides, I did explain. We bait the monster, we trap the monster, we win. Simple."
"Monster?" Tonks gestured wildly. "You didn't tell me anything about a monster!"
"I did." Percy said.
"I thought you were joking!"
"That is entirely your fault," Percy helpfully pointed out.
"That thing, whatever it is, is apparently a literal monster. And you think we're just going to... what? Politely ask it to stay put?"
Percy shrugged. "Pretty much."
Tonks groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "You're impossible."
"And you're adorable when you're panicking."
"I am not-" she stopped, catching his smirk. "You're doing this on purpose."
"Maybe," Percy admitted. "But look, I've got experience with this kind of thing. Trust me, once we draw it out, I'll handle the heavy lifting. You just focus on keeping it distracted."
She didn't even want to know what he meant by experience. "And what exactly do you classify as 'heavy lifting'?"
As if on cue, a low, guttural growl rang through the warehouse, rattling the metal walls. Tonks froze, her grip tightening on her wand. "Is that a dragon?" She hissed.
"A drakon, actually," Percy said, his grin vanishing. He stepped forward, his posture shifting into something predatory. "Time to work."
"What even is a-"
She was cut off by a roar which may or may not have burst her eardrums.
"What even is a drakon?" she hissed, her voice barely audible over the lingering growl.
Percy didn't answer immediately. Instead, he unscrewed the cap of his pen. And then it transformed into a bloody sword.
"It's like a dragon," Percy finally said, "but meaner. And without wings."
"Meaner?" Tonks repeated, her tone incredulous. "You're telling me this thing is more dangerous than a dragon?"
"Only if you're on its bad side," Percy quipped, rolling his shoulders. He looked over at her. "Stay close to me. And whatever you do, don't run."
"We're obviously on its bad side here!"
"Matter of perspective, Pinky."
Tonks opened her mouth to retort but was cut off as the drakon emerged from the shadows.
It was massive, its serpent-like body covered in thick scales that seemed to shift colors. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto them with predatory intent, and its elongated jaws dripped with viscous green venom that hissed as it splattered onto the concrete floor. The drakon's claws scraped against the ground, sending up sparks as it advanced with slow, deliberate steps.
"Oh, Merlin," Tonks whispered. She took an involuntary step back. "That's not in Fantastic Beasts."
"Yeah, it's more of an un-fantastic beast," Percy quipped, drawing his sword, the blade catching the faint light like a spark of fire. "Stay behind me."
Tonks' grip on her wand tightened, her knuckles white as she stared at the massive creature slithering toward them. "Behind you? That thing looks like it eats wizards for breakfast!"
Percy didn't look back at her. His focus was locked on the drakon, every muscle in his body taut like a coiled spring. "It might try. But hey, it's not every day you get to see a demigod at work."
"Demigod?" Tonks echoed, her voice climbing an octave. "You can't just drop a dumb joke on me while we're about to be eaten!"
The drakon roared again, the sound shaking the warehouse as its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of teeth sharper than any blade. Percy's lips tightened into a thin line, and without warning, he charged.
The pen-sword gleamed as he swung the sword in a wide arc, its bronze edge slicing through the air. The drakon lunged, snapping its jaws at him, but Percy ducked, rolling to the side and coming up fluidly. His blade slashed across one of its massive claws, drawing a thin line of glowing yellow blood that sizzled as it hit the floor.
Tonks' breath caught as she watched. His movements weren't just skilled, they were instinctive, almost animalistic, like he'd fought creatures like this a hundred times before.
Percy might not have been joking about the demigod comment, she mused.
The drakon whipped its tail toward him with a deafening crack. Percy vaulted over it, landing lightly on his feet. "Pinky!" he called. "Now would be a great time to do that thing with the wand!"
Tonks snapped out of her stunned trance. "You mean magic? Sure, no pressure!" She raised her wand, her mind racing for a spell. "Right, um... Stupefy!"
The stunning spell hit the creature square in the chest, making it stagger but not fall. It roared, shaking off the effects, and turned its furious gaze back to Percy.
"Great idea," Percy muttered. "Make it madder."
"Would you prefer I knit it a scarf?"
The creature lunged again, faster this time, and Percy met it with a ferocity that startled even Tonks. His strikes were relentless, each one driving the monster back inch by inch.
"Water!" Percy shouted. "Make me water!"
Tonks wasn't going to the guy saving her bloody arse, (although, he had got her into the danger in the first place), so she shouted: "Aguamenti!"
Whatever the Auror had expected Percy to do with the summoned water, it wasn't the explosion of power that followed.
The water shot from her wand in a massive surge, but it formed into a torrent, like a tidal wave crashing forward. Percy stepped into the deluge, his hands outstretched as the water swirled around him, transforming into a shield of liquid force.
He slammed his hands down, and the water shot forward like a bullet, crashing into the drakon's chest with a force that sent the beast stumbling back. It hissed, its yellow eyes burning with fury as it recoiled.
Tonks gaped. "What the bloody hell was that?"
Percy didn't respond. He stood, somehow dry, as the water around him moved like it was alive. The drakon, disoriented but still very much alive, was now glaring at him as though it had been personally insulted.
Tonks muttered curses, her heart still racing as she steadied her breath. She raised her wand again, casting another Confringo spell, but this time, Percy was already ahead of her.
"Watch out," he warned. He turned to face the drakon, his expression deadly serious. He held his sword high, eyes narrowed.
Without another word, Percy charged.
The drakon lunged, its jaws snapping for his throat. But Percy was faster. It was like the water had… energised him.
With a roar of his own, he leapt, twisting in midair to drive the sword deep into the drakon's throat. The creature howled in pain, but Percy didn't stop. He wrenched the sword sideways, and with a final, furious screech, the drakon collapsed, its massive body sliding to the ground with a heavy thud.
And then, because thinks couldn't get any weirder, the drakon turned into dust. Gold dust.
Percy stood over the spot where it had vanished, breathing heavily. He turned to Tonks, his grin returning despite the sweat dripping down his face. "Told you it'd be fine."
Tonks stared at him, her wand still raised. "You're insane."
"Probably." Percy's sword somehow became a pen again. "But you've gotta admit, that was kind of fun."
"Fun?" Tonks shook her head, laughing despite herself. "You're lucky I don't arrest you for reckless endangerment."
Percy flashed her a cheeky smile. "What can I say? I live dangerously."
Tonks rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "You're unbelievable."
Percy shrugged, twirling his weird sword back into pen form. "Hey, I said I'd handle the heavy lifting."
Tonks stared at him, torn between yelling at him and laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. Finally, she settled for shaking her head. "You're completely mental, Jackson. Absolutely, certifiably mental."
"And yet, you're still here," Percy teased, his grin widening.
"Only because someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed," Tonks shot back, though there was a hint of a smile on her lips.
"What an honour you have," said the grinning Percy.
"What an honour indeed," the Auror said. "What was that demigod comment about?"
Instantly, Percy's grin faltered, just for a moment, as his gaze shifted to the floor.
"It was a joke," he mumbled.
"Didn't seem like one." Tonks said.
There was a flicker of something else behind his usual confident expression. "It's… complicated," he said, his voice quieter than before. "It's not something I usually talk about."
Tonks watched him carefully. She could see that there was more to him than he let on. "Hey," she said, her tone softening, "you don't have to tell me everything. But you know, if you ever want to, I'm not exactly a stranger to weird and complicated things."
Percy didn't answer right away, his fingers idly tapping the pen he was twirling. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice rougher than usual. "I'm not exactly what people think I am. I mean, you saw that thing back there… I deal with monsters like that all the time. But I'm not just some kid who gets lucky."
Tonks nodded slowly. "I get it," she said quietly, even if she really didn't. "No need to explain more than you want to."
Percy's eyes softened for a brief moment before he flashed her that familiar, half-cocky grin. "Thanks, Pinky."
Tonks smiled, though it was tinged with sympathy. "You're a pain, but you're not as impossible as I thought."
"High praise coming from you," Percy teased, but there was a genuine warmth behind his words.
They stood there for a few seconds, before Percy's grin returned, brighter than before. "So, think you're ready for the next one?"
Tonks rolled her eyes. "I swear, I'm going to end up in St. Mungo's at this rate."
"Only if you're unlucky," Percy said with a wink.
"Lucky for you," Tonks said, "I'm not exactly one for the easy life."
Percy chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, then. Glad to have you along for the ride, Pinky."
Tonks crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips as they headed out of the warehouse together. "Don't get too used to it, Jackson. One of these days, I'm putting you in handcuffs for your reckless endangerment."
Percy's eyes sparkled with mischief as he matched her stride. "I'll take my chances."
And so, despite the mess they had just survived, the two of them walked off into the night, each knowing that their unlikely partnership might be a little more complicated than either of them had expected.
Ok, so, I wanted to write a chapter between 2 and 3 to kinda flesh out Percy and Tonks relationship. That's part of the reason this chapter is so short, because I took bits of it for that chap.
Anyway, how are you liking the fic so far?
Review responses:
Crywold178: Thanks! I agree, it does feel a bit rushed. I'm happy you liked it though.
KaidoFett: Thank you! Yeah, I might, key word being might, write a jealous Remus. And yes, I am aware I am being threatened to be found 'Liam Neeson style'.
gigamans57: I understand your point, but I kinda just wanted to make Percy's assimilation into the Wizarding World more easy. This was the way I decided to do it, I guess.
GonkDroid3000: Ah, that was just a joke. We're back!
Guest: Thank you, I will!
Ltbutterfly287: Well, I updated in nine days! (Is that enough to not be found Liam Neeson style?)
That's all! Much love to you all, see you before Jan 5th hopefully.