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Chapter Text

Harry let out a deep sigh. He was genuinely happy to finally be considered important enough to be invited to an Order meeting.

Still, he was anxious about the information he was about to learn.

It only proved there had been a valid reason for keeping him out of things until now. He didn't want to admit it, but once again, the adults had been right.

He was just a child. Without support, he didn't have the strength to face the truth. Even when he had cheated death, he'd been only a baby who couldn't even speak yet.

At least, that's what Molly Weasley—whom he saw as a mother figure—often reminded him. And she never missed a chance to repeat it whenever he tried to do anything remotely dangerous.

Harry gathered his scattered thoughts and left his room, doing his best not to let his excitement show on his face. In the hallway, he ran into the twins. It was quite a surprise to see them there, considering they'd been using Apparition for even the shortest distances since the day they came of age.

The mischievous, slightly smug grins that spread across their identical faces made it clear they'd noticed Harry's puzzled look. Yes, you could easily think of them as one person—they were that alike.

"Hey, Harry! What a coincidence. We were just on our way to the Order meeting ourselves," Fred said.

"What? You two, too?"

"Of course," George grinned even wider. "Remember, we're adults now. And we're quite problematic.

"I think George meant responsible," A girl voice interrupt their coversation.

At that moment, the door in front of them opened and Hermione appeared. "Before you ask—yes, Ron and I are going too."

(Normally, there's a play on words here. In my native language, "problematic" is *sorunlu* and "responsible" is *sorumlu*.)

Sorry, mate. This isn't special for you," Fred said, though he didn't sound sorry at all. He grabbed his twin's arm and disappeared with a *poof*, perhaps to prove just how "problematic" they were.

Hearing the commotion downstairs and Mrs. Weasley's predictable scolding, Harry and Hermione couldn't help but giggle.

Still, Harry was genuinely disappointed to learn he wasn't the only one invited to the meeting.

Maybe it was a kind of disappointment rooted in the lack of trust—even after all the responsibility they had already placed on his shoulders.

But the little hallway encounter had been enough to lift his spirits. When Ron emerged from the bathroom, they headed down the creaky stairs into the common room together.

It wasn't long before the rest of the Order members emerged from the darker corners of the house. Once they had all gathered randomly around the table and started eating, Harry realized nothing was going the way he'd expected.

He glanced at Hermione, who had just returned to the table with a small bottle of potion. Their eyes met, and he knew she was probably thinking the same thing. She nodded ever so slightly.

Trying not to break the calm atmosphere, she said, "You told us there was a meeting... but this just looks like an ordinary dinner."

Sirius raised an eyebrow and looked at the curly-haired girl. "What can we possibly discuss on an empty stomach? Why don't you ask Ron what he thinks?"

Hearing his name, Ron quickly looked up from his meal. "Huh?"

Sirius gave Hermione a smug look that clearly said 'See? Told you so.'

Lupin chuckled softly and sipped his hot chocolate without touching the spicy food in front of him. "Don't mind Sirius, kids," he said. "Only Dumbledore knows what today's meeting is about. He said he had important news to share, but we don't know when he'll arrive. Until then, just focus on your food."

Sirius was about to respond when Tonks and Moody walked in, and he decided against it.

At this point, nearly all the Order members had arrived. But instead of fiery discussions, the atmosphere was surprisingly calm, punctuated by quiet laughter as they continued eating. That was, until the awaited guest finally appeared.

Or rather—guests. Within moments, Kingsley, then Snape, and finally Dumbledore Apparated into the room.

The sight of Snape made Harry groan softly and drop his fork—his appetite gone. He had no idea that what he was about to learn would make him lose it for much longer.

Even Ron stopped eating. He wiped the tasty sauce from the corners of his mouth with a napkin and straightened up, his expression suddenly serious.

Unlike the boys, Hermione simply watched Ron with mild disgust but showed no particular animosity toward the newcomers.

Snape remained standing, ignoring them completely. Kingsley looked as though he was debating whether or not to take a seat, eventually deciding against it, perhaps sensing that chaos was only moments away.

Dumbledore, after casting a noticeably thoughtful glance at Harry, let out a sigh and slowly took a seat—unlike the two men standing beside him.

Even the previously calm Order members seemed tense now.

"I mentioned earlier that I had important news," Dumbledore began. "But I needed to ensure its accuracy first."

He looked around the room and added in a calm tone that starkly contrasted with the gravity of what he was about to say:

""Please remain calm when you hear what I am about to say"

"For the love of Merlin, just say it already," Tonks blurted out, her hair changing color—possibly due to stress.

Dumbledore looked at her and the other impatient members before delivering the information he had learned hours earlier:

"Voldemort has a daughter."

Chapter Text

These words had the effect of a bombshell in the room.

In fact, the Order members reacted as most people would. They began talking all at once, firing questions at the person who had delivered the news.

Their greatest enemy had an heir.

Harry was wide-eyed in shock, his gaze darting between the headmaster and the other Order members, silently pleading for an explanation. But Dumbledore, the only person in the room who could provide one at that moment, ignored his unspoken request. He raised his hand slowly, his movements deliberate. "Please remain calm. I’m not finished."

"That’s usually not a good sign," Sirius muttered under his breath as the room fell silent.

Dumbledore, who would normally have ignored such a comment, responded this time. "Actually, I have some good news on the matter."

Lupin, as curious as everyone else, asked, "What good news could there possibly be in this situation? Is the girl already dead?"

"No, she is alive and must be in her thirties by now. Her name is Sally Jackson. Our knowledge of her is limited, which is understandable since we didn’t even know she existed until now."

"So what’s the good news?" someone interjected.

"We’ve located her. She lives in America, and there’s no record of her attending Ilvermorny. Considering she didn’t appear when Voldemort 'died,' I suspect she might be a Squib. She may not even be aware of the wizarding world."

"How did you find all this out?"

Dumbledore sighed. "That’s where the trouble begins, Mrs. Tonks. We didn’t discover it ourselves. Voldemort told us."

The room erupted in gasps at the mention of Voldemort’s name. Several glances turned toward Snape, and soon the entire Order, including the younger members, was staring at him. A flicker of disbelief shone in many of their eyes.

Snape’s expression remained unchanged, his usual sullen demeanor intact. "After his downfall, Voldemort witnessed firsthand how many of his so-called loyal Death Eaters had betrayed him. Except for Bellatrix and me, he had to win many of them back. I don’t think I need to elaborate on the methods he used. These events must have made him realize that he needed someone completely loyal—someone of his own blood. So, he began searching for his daughter, whom he evidently already knew about."

The members of the Order understood that this explanation was largely speculative, as they couldn’t expect Voldemort to have confided in them directly. But since Snape wouldn’t say something he wasn’t certain of, and Dumbledore trusted him, they accepted his words as truth.

Mrs. Weasley voiced the question on everyone’s mind. "So, what do we do?"

"We’ve just located her, and it won’t be long before Voldemort does the same. We must reach her before the Death Eaters do. She grew up far removed from this world of dark ideologies and death. It shouldn’t be difficult to sway her to our side."

"What if she really is a Squib?" Harry couldn’t help but interject sarcastically. Hermione nodded in agreement. "That would be quite ironic."

Dumbledore responded firmly to their side comment. "If that’s the case, we will take her into protective custody."

Harry, surprised and disappointed by the decision despite the optimistic tone of the conversation, objected. "Do you seriously want to protect the daughter of the man who murdered my family?"

Lupin turned to him with understanding, though his words were not what Harry wanted to hear. "Harry, she could be a victim, just like you."

"I’d rather go back to the Dursleys than have her stay in this house!" Harry protested one last time, but Dumbledore’s resolute expression had already made the answer clear.

"We can’t allow that, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said gently.

"But—"

"We don’t have time for these discussions. We need to act now," Kingsley interjected, reminding everyone of the urgency.

"Who’s going?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Lupin, Sirius, and I will leave immediately."

Sirius, who hadn’t expected to hear his name, was already excited, regardless of the mission’s nature.

"But he—" Hermione began, about to state an obvious fact everyone already knew, but Dumbledore cut her off. "No one in America knows him or is looking for him. I guess he’s missed being able to move around freely without relying on his Animagus form."

Harry suppressed the urge to insist on joining them when he saw Sirius’s smile. He didn’t want to ruin his godfather’s chance to finally step outside.

Chapter Text

When three silhouettes appeared in front of an old building, a cat ran away and no one else saw this extraordinary sight.

"Here?"

Sirius was surprised because the building looked so ordinary. That was exactly what was odd about it.

"It must be so."

By silent agreement the three walked towards the building and climbed the old, in no way safe looking stairs. 

The other two stared nervously at the closed door in front of them as Dumbledore stopped. 

Just when they thought they would burst in without warning, Dumbledore knocked calmly on the door.

They waited for what seemed like a long time until they heard some noises coming from inside.

The door opened, and a middle-aged woman with brown hair, quite beautiful, and a pleasant smile on her face appeared on the other side. Her smile faltered when she noticed their abnormal style, but she quickly recovered, "I don't think I know you. How can I help?"

Dumbledore smiled at the woman, even though he already knew the answer, and asked, "We were looking for Sally Jackson, ma'am. I wonder if she's here?"

The woman looked surprised to hear this, "Yes, Sally, I am. Jackson-Blofis actually. I'm married."

"Oh, of course, Mrs. Blofis. We have some very important matters to discuss with you. May we come in?"

Sally seemed to be torn between them for a moment, but eventually agreed and opened the way for them to enter. At that moment, Lupin shook his head in denial, without her noticing. He had used the Specialis Revelio spell, and nothing had come of it. This meant that there was no dark magic in the house, or that it had not been used.

The woman in front of them was gentle and caring. She had her own family, away from the war, and she seemed happy. She didn't look like someone whose father had committed blood genocide. Moreover, they hadn't found any traces of magic in the house. Even though the three of them had some prejudice against this woman, they were inclined to believe that she was a good person.

The person most inclined to believe was Sirus. Because he had clear ideas about the role of family in determining a person's character. Perhaps this was why his attitude towards women was more relaxed. He asked naturally, "Mrs. Blofis, where does that beautiful smell in the house come from?"

A smile appeared on the woman's face, "Oh, I was baking cookies before you arrived. If you wait two minutes, I can offer you some."

"Yeah, of course."

"Great, water, coffee, juice?"

"Water." They didn't bother asking for different things. The main reason they sent her in was to share their first impressions about her. Not cookies. Okay, maybe some cookies too...

"She seems like a good person." Sirius said.

Dumbledore did not say anything. He simply listened to the two of them silently as he looked in the direction the woman had gone.

Sally returned shortly thereafter. She placed the items she had prepared on the small table in the middle and sat back down on the couch across from them. "Yes, I'm listening."

Dumbledore sighed before speaking, signaling that this was going to be a long explanation. "You may not believe what we say, but I ask that you listen patiently to what I have to say. Then I will show you the evidence you want."

Sally nodded without speaking. 

"You are a wizard, Sally Blofis. We came here assuming you knew that, but you don't appear to be."

Sally's eyebrows rose. She was obviously surprised, but not in disbelief, as if she were looking at a madman. She believed.

This attitude made them think that she already knew about the existence of the wizarding world, but if that were the case, they would have already been lured into a trap. Moreover, there was no sign on the woman's face that she knew them.

They explained to her the same way they would to an ordinary person the existence and agenda of the wizarding world. Sally accepted them incredibly quickly, but she looked thoughtful. She wondered where all these facts would connect.

"I kind of get what you mean, but I still don't understand how this all relates to me. You seem to be on the verge of a war, yet you're going so far as to go beyond the boundaries for what you call a 'squib'. There must be a special reason for this, right?"

"We've been waiting for you to ask this, Miss Blofis. It may be shocking information, but the enemy we were talking about earlier, Voldemort, is your own father." 

Finally, a look of disbelief crossed Sally's face. She had accepted everything without question from the beginning, but this... "This is impossible. I know my family. My mother, my father... My father was definitely not an evil wizard."

"Unfortunately, this is all just an illusion created in your mind, Miss Blofis."

"Impossible..."

Sally, who looked completely devastated on the outside, had actually believed all of this. It wasn't as if she hadn't heard more weird ones. Moreover, she had already been convinced that this wise old man wouldn't bother playing a prank on her, and that any prank could have such a deep, malicious plot. Still, she was shaken when they told her that her family wasn't real. When she realized how complicated things were, she decided not to tell them about Percy, who they didn't even know existed.

Her son was powerful. With his godly aspect, he was far superior even among his own 'kind'. In addition to all of this, the fact that he could use magic frightened even his own mother.

But that wasn't the main issue. Percy had just saved the world. After all this adventure, he had said that he didn't want any more adventures, or at least wanted to stay away from tasks like saving the world. He was tired. All he wanted was to live the most normal college life he could with his girlfriend as a demigod.

She had to lie to him and to these people to give him this opportunity. Sally was willing to do it. Her son's peace of mind should not be disturbed by her own family problems.

Percy would probably be furious with his mother if he heard what she was thinking. Luckily, he was still at camp and there was still another month of summer left. 

Whatever this madness entailed, Sally could handle it herself. At least that's what she thought.

Finally she sighed in defeat,

"What can I do?"

Dumbledore smiled approvingly for the first time since he had arrived. Sally was convinced, even though had not asked him for any proof. She was easy to get along with. "It is good that you trust us. Now all you have to do is let us test you—"

At that moment, a red light exploded. It was a spell from Lupin's wand. The target was Sally.

Just as the spell was about to strike her, Sirius stepped in front of her and used a shield spell, blocking the attack.

Events had happened so quickly that Sally had no time to react.

"Excellent." Dumbledore was still smiling.

"This was our first test. Please do not misunderstand, the professor has no intention of harming you."

Chapter Text

After a few less dangerous tests, they were finally certain that Sally was a Squib, so they decided to take her to the old Black mansion. 

Since she couldn't use magic, she could be killed by her own father himself. So Sally was among those they were trying to protect. 

But whatever their purpose, they were strangers who had suddenly appeared and intervening her life. Moreover, they had dragged her into a war. They could not continue to do this for long. Therefore, they would allow her to attend a comradeship meeting they had organized, where they would discuss what should be done.

This was the best they could do for Sally.

After using the key and apparating, Sally's stomach turned. So she just watched the house appear out of nowhere without expression. Her lack of reaction was becoming more and more surprising with each stage.

Lupin and Sirius, standing next to her, smiled sympathetically as they saw her turn pale. Lupin looked embarrassed by his unexpected attack. "It's another thing this spell can do," he said. Sally acted as if she saw it every day, but he still felt the need to explain.

Sally tried to smile at them too but failed. Then she entered the old house full of people who were curious about her existence.

...

Percy was filling his backpack in the Poseidon cabin where he was staying alone. He thought for a moment about whether or not to take his blue sweatshirt, then tucked it away.

Finally, he placed some ambrosia and a small bag full of first aid trinkets in the small compartment at the front.

When he was finished, he closed the bag, thinking he definitely forgot to take something, and put it by the door to get it later.

Just as he was about to go to Annabeth, the door opened and his girlfriend was already there. The blonde girl smiled at him, "Are you leaving today?"

Percy replied as he hugged her, "Yeah, my moms birthday is tomorrow and she must have romantic plans with Paul." He faked a face as he left. "So I want to surprise her early.”

Annabeth laughed and ruffled his hair, "Idiot."

"You'll miss this idiot." Percy tried to act cute and moved closer to his girlfriend, showing how much he enjoyed having his hair stroked. But Annabeth had spent more time with him than any other human and was used to his mannerisms. She put her index finger on his forehead and shooed him away, "As long as you don't disappear for months again, I will be fine." She was still smiling, but her voice was filled with annoyance, even though she tried to hide it.

Percy smiled shyly but said firmly, "Never again." When he saw that his girlfriend remained silent despite his answer, he wanted to change the subject, "We haven't played capture the flag in a long time. How about joining us tonight?"

Annabeth didn't want to disappoint his efforts. She let out a disdainful snort and crossed her arms over her chest, "No need. We already know Athena Cabin will win."

Percy put his arm around her and pulled her close. They started walking together, "Then you should ask them if they want to ally with the Poseidon cabin."

He was the only one in the 'Poseidon cabin'. But he was an ally they couldn't refuse. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes at his confidence and led him to the training grounds to teach the new demigods how to sword fight.

...

"Tell me, Severus."

"They took the girl, my Lord. I do not know where they took her." Snape waited a moment to be reprimanded, but it did not come.

"They could kill her instead of me." A malevolent smile appeared on Voldemort's inhuman face. Snape knew in that moment that he had misunderstood the whole matter, that deep down the matter was very different.

What the Dark Lord wanted was not his daughter, who had been a Squib from the start. 

Well then... What did he want to achieve by searching for her?

Or 

...who?

Snape shuddered at the idea, and unwanted thoughts began to enter his mind.

'Perhaps there is another heir.'

'or did he lie because he suspected me of treason?'

If this were a test, Snape would be a dead fail.

But 'unfortunately' this was not a test. Sally was truly the Lord's daughter.

However, it was not his daughter that he wanted to be with, but his daughter that he wanted to kill. She was one of the biggest obstacles in his case.

"Sally's son..."

With a terrifyingly quick reflex, Snape raised his head and looked into Voldemort's eyes. But he immediately returned to his previous stance and bowed his head. 'No. That is not possible.'

"The person I am looking for is my grandson."

The real danger was still free.

Chapter Text

Percy knew something was wrong the moment he stood in front of the building. Still, he climbed the stairs quickly, trying to stay calm. He slipped the key silently into the lock, opened the door with a soft click, and stepped into a familiar hallway.

He took a deep breath. The hallway wasn't as messy as he had expected.

But he had relaxed too soon—because the real chaos was waiting in the living room.

His stepfather, Paul, was sitting on the couch with a book in his hand. But his eyes were vacant, unfocused. He wasn't reading—just staring, lost in thought. He hadn't even noticed Percy walk in.

"Paul—"

The man looked up, startled. Somehow, a mix of relief and deeper worry crossed his face when he saw Percy.

"Welcome, Percy. Please, sit down."

Percy was starting to feel truly anxious, but he did as Paul asked and sat across from him.

His dyslexia and ADHD always flared up when he was nervous—his legs bouncing, fingers tapping in a steady rhythm.

His mom wasn't home.

And judging by Paul's demeanor, she hadn't just gone out for a walk.

"Did something happen while I was gone? Where's my mom?"

He tried to keep his voice steady, but he couldn't help the edge in it. He hadn't seen his mother in nearly a year. And the last time he had seen her, they'd been in the middle of a war.

After the Titan War ended and Percy thought he could finally go home, he was kidnapped by a maniacal goddess. He spent eight months in an enchanted sleep, then found himself in another war—this time with no memories, completely unaware of how worried his mother must have been.

And now, after everything, he was finally home—but his mother was missing.

"I don't know. I swear I don't know," Paul said, exhaling deeply. He looked like he had aged years in just a few days. "When I got home from school three days ago, all I found was this note—"

Percy snatched the note from his hand and began to read, the letters blurring and dancing around the page thanks to his dyslexia. His mother had written that she had to leave suddenly due to "family matters" and would contact Paul as soon as she could. But that wasn't what made Percy uneasy.

It was the line: There's no need to tell Percy.

First of all, Percy didn't know of any relatives. His mother's entire family had died in a plane crash. And the idea of hiding something from him? That was one of the most suspicious things he'd ever read. Normally, he wouldn't be home for another month, and his mom seemed to be counting on that. Despite this, she'd still warned Paul not to tell him.

"Ugh—" Percy ran a hand over his forehead, overwhelmed. When he finally spoke, his voice was low but sharp: "You don't believe this crap, do you?"

Paul shook his head. "Of course not. I think she was trying to hide something between the lines. If your mom really wanted to convince me, she wouldn't have written something so obviously false."

But that only made things worse.

His mother might be somewhere out there, needing help. And Percy couldn't think of a better reason than himself.

How many enemies could a woman who ran a small café and dreamed of being a writer possibly have?

Well... if you had a demigod son, even a simple question like that had a lot of complicated answers.

Percy couldn't sit still any longer. He started pacing the house, looking for any other clues.

"Paul, did you notice anything strange that day—?"

He called out from the kitchen, but when he didn't hear a response, he walked back to the living room—only to be met with a scene he hadn't expected.

Paul had collapsed on the couch, unconscious, and two women Percy didn't recognize were standing over him.

His hand instinctively reached for his pocket.

The two strangers, who seemed to anticipate the move, instantly raised their wands.

They were dressed in strange clothing that covered their faces and bodies. Their presence felt odd—not monstrous, but definitely not normal.

And they looked too old to be demigods.

When they realized Percy was only holding a ballpoint pen, they hesitated and slowly lowered their wands.

"Don't make any sudden moves," one of them warned.

Percy ignored her. "What did you do to my dad!?"

One of the women glanced at Paul, slumped on the couch. "He just fainted. He's alive."

Though Percy couldn't see her face, he could feel the disdain in her voice. It made his blood boil.

"You'd better be telling the truth."

The woman who had just spoken pulled back her hood, revealing black, curly hair. "Check for yourself—and then back off."

Percy eyed her warily. He didn't want to get close, but this was Paul—the best stepfather he could ever ask for, the only man who had made his mother truly happy. He had to take the risk. And he wasn't afraid of these two.

He stepped forward, swiftly lifted Paul's limp form from the couch, and carried him to another seat farther away.

He was relieved to find that Paul was breathing. That meant he could now focus fully on the real threat.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"

Then, like a bolt of lightning in his mind, a terrifying thought struck him.

"Did you kidnap my mom?"

The black-haired woman turned sharply, hatred flashing in her eyes. "Why would we ever want to kidnap her? That filthy little Squib—"

Her words, dripping with venom, were abruptly cut off by the other woman, still hooded. "Bella!"

Bella didn't continue. "You know I'm not lying, Cis."

'Cis' pulled back her hood, revealing straight brown hair. She shot Bella a disapproving glare before turning to Percy.

"Yes, your mother was kidnapped—but not by us. She was taken by your grandfather's enemies."

Percy blinked. That didn't make any sense.

"What are you talking about? My grandfather died years ago—and he was never the kind of man to have enemies."

Bellatrix burst out laughing so hard that Narcissa had to shush her again.

"Whoever you're talking about," Narcissa said gently, "is not your real grandfather. Please, Perseus, let us tell you the full truth."

Percy flinched at hearing his full name—Perseus—but he didn't argue. Not now. He needed to find out the truth and, more than anything, find his mother.

"We don't have time for this."

"I'll be quick. Just listen carefully," Narcissa said. "Magic and wizards are real. Your mother is a witch, and your real grandfather is one of the most powerful wizards in the magical world. He has many supporters—but also many enemies. People who wanted to hurt him kidnapped your mother. And when he realized you were in danger too, he called you back to protect you—just as he once sent you away to keep you safe."

Percy listened silently, but everything she said only raised more questions. Every time he tried to speak or even think, the thoughts slipped from his mind like water through his fingers. When he tried to focus, his head throbbed. And then... strange sentences appeared in his mind—thoughts that didn't feel like his.

Even if my grandfather never sees me, he's willing to protect me. He must be a good person.

I think I can trust them.

Percy felt sick from the echoing voices in his mind. He staggered back, realizing something was wrong—but not knowing what.

"STOP IT!"

At his shout, the fog in his mind suddenly lifted. Bellatrix took a startled step back, surprise flashing across her face.

Then she smiled—a wide, manic grin. Narcissa looked at her and instantly understood what she was thinking.

This was going to be fun.

And Narcissa... she felt sorry for Percy.

Chapter Text

Sally was an easy-going and affectionate grown woman. She was a expert at taking things easy, especially after years of living with a pain in the neck like Gabe.

…and only someone as patient as her could endure three days of this torture.

When she first stepped into the house, she was met with judgmental looks that turned from fear to disdain, and people who called themselves the 'good side'.

She made no sarcastic comments and answered all the questions that were asked of her. After two days and one night without sleep, she finally showed some anger.

Because when she was asked what a 'phone' was, she thought they made fun of with her.

"I don't know how you guys communicate or if you're just making fun of me, but I need a phone to tell my husband."

The Order members looked at her with annoyance, seemingly uncomfortable with Voldemort's daughter making any sort of 'communication'.

Besides, they didn't really know what a phone was.

"Harry knows. I'll get him-" said Mr. Weasley eagerly.

But his words were cut short when he met Mrs. Weasley's terrifying gaze.

The last thing they wanted to do was introduce Harry to Voldemort's seemingly harmless daughter.

All the children had been sent upstairs and were treating Sally like she had the plague. Sirius and Lupin tried to tell the others to be more polite with their looks, but it was no use.

Perhaps Dumbledore could have broken this prejudice, but he didn't seem to want to. When they apparated back to the manor, he had simply vanished.

At that moment, a familiar apparating sound was heard in the hall and everyone turned to Professor Snape who had appeared in the middle of the hall.

The man, who was usually expressionless 24 hours a day, looked worried, adding further tension to the already tense atmosphere.

"Is there any development-"

But Snape listened to no one. His sharp gaze swept quickly around and settled on Sally.

He quickly walked towards her and grabbed her shoulders.

"I know what you're hiding. Tell me!"

Sally was shocked. What did this man, whom she had seen for the first time in her life, know about her?

Her eyes wandered for a while over the professor's face, trying to recognize him but failing.

"What do you want from me?" Then she frowned as if an illogical idea had occurred to her,

"If you already know what I'm hiding, why don't you tell us?"

Everyone in the room was so surprised by Snape's sudden outburst and attitude that they had not noticed this detail.

"Tch."

Snape ran a hand through his greasy hair. He was under great stress.

"An Unbreakable Vow." The words, spoken in a hiss, caused sighs in the room. Snape was one of Voldemort's most trusted men. But even he had made him take an unbreakable vow.

Whatever this information was, it must have been very important.

Sally went into defensive mode when she saw the glare directed at her darken,

"I don't know what you're talking about. I have nothing to hide-" just as she finished, she remembered the truth she didn't hide but had been avoiding speaking: her son, Percy.

She repeated himself with determination, “I don't know anything. It seems like this guy just hates me because of my blood."

...

After an experience resembling shadow travel, Percy found himself in the garden of a large mansion.

His investigative eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, identifying any possible escape routes. Bellatrix and Narcissa, standing next to him, did not notice.

Narcissa gently wiped her sweaty wand-holding hand with her handkerchief and glanced at Percy to make sure he hadn't gotten lost too nervously.

"Be respectful. Otherwise you know what will happen."

Yes, he did know. He had initially tried to escape, but had been overwhelmed by an unfamiliar form of attack. The white light that had struck him had caused unbearable pain to spread throughout his body. Clearly, this was not an experience he wanted to repeat.

In the end, he decided not to reveal his power, but to go to these people and find out what they wanted.

But the most important reason was his mother. If he hadn't gone with these two strange women and chosen to run away, it would have been impossible for him to find any other clues about her. So he nodded obediently.

He acted as if he had become docile after learning the truth, but he was the only one who was aware of the storm inside him.

"Good." Bellatrix backed up and, less than gently, pushed him towards the massive entrance door.

They passed through a wide hall and stopped in front of another magnificent door.

Percy had taken the opportunity to examine the structure during his walk. Although he was not usually interested in such structures, he was fascinated. He immediately thought about what Annabeth would think and how she would immediately pull out her notebook and start drawing.

A small smile appeared on his face, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

Annabeth... Just a few hours after he promised her he wouldn't get lost again, everything had gotten so messy... He couldn't help it, and he was lost again.

He made a mental note that he had to reach her somehow, no matter what.

While he was in these thoughts, the door in front of him opened and a large yet depressing room appeared before them.

In the large room, there was a long table surrounded by people wearing black cloaks like the ones worn by the women next to him. On the table was a mass that looked like a corpse, and just as Percy thought he saw it, it disappeared.

His dazed gaze continued to roam the room and finally met with a pair of red eyes.

Red...

He had never seen anyone with red eyes other than Ares, and something inside him told him that he would love the owner of those eyes as much as Ares.

Oh, and he had a few interesting features besides his eyes.

For example...he had no nose and his skin was a pale green.

Percy didn't react much, as he wasn't the most interesting creature he'd ever seen.

He came back to his senses when he heard crashing sounds from both sides of him. He was angry because ADHD had distracted him again.

Bellatrix and Narcissa were on their knees. Narcissa reached out a pale hand and secretly pulled him down as well. Percy didn't object and knelt. He sensed the woman's good intentions and didn't want to embarrass her.

"We brought him, my Lord."

When he heard the word lord, Percy involuntarily raised his head again and looked at the man who was a long table away from him. He coincidentally made eye contact with the man who was already looking at him.

He shivered slightly when he saw his scowl creepily, but he didn't react otherwise.

After seeing and defeating several gods, a titan, and many monsters, most 'horrifying' things had lost their effect on him.

The other people in the room shivered when they saw this brat staring directly into their lord's eyes and not looking away, but no one dared to speak or whisper.

Voldemort would normally be disturbed by such a display, he would prefer to be feared and he could easily achieve this whenever he wanted. However, he enjoyed this display of courage from the child he had pinned some of his hopes on and wanted to attract to his side.

"Welcome to my ranks, Perseus Jackson. You may rise."

Chapter Text

Percy stood up calmly. His demeanor was admirable. He could remain so calm when such a completely evil and powerful man was standing before him.

The Death Eaters, who would never admit to thinking it when asked, nodded in agreement in their minds, but this stupid audacity alone did not make him worthy of being the Dark Lord's grandson.

Percy was aware of all the stares in the room. He could tell they were evaluating him. He felt like he was in front of the gods of Olympus. A more average version of it, of course.

He was afraid but not of anything happening to him. He afraid of what his actions might do to his mother. That's why he seemed so calm and docile.

He turned to the only way he could cope with his fear. Sarcasm. Whenever he felt uneasy, whenever he encountered an enemy he couldn't handle, he would talk until he drove them crazy. Annabeth was aware of this habit, and she had tried to break him of it by telling him that it only made things worse.

But this wasn't something Percy could do.

"Hey grandfather -"

He began speaking with a completely fake cough.

"This whole thing is perfect. I really loved it. Being on your ranks and all. But my mother was kidnapped. Of course, I'm sure you already knew that but-"

It had been a long time since Voldemort had been spoken to so casually and disrespectfully. In a moment of slight surprise he had allowed him to continue,

"Yes, I know that. We will save her. For that you need to help your grandfather, Perseus."

"I hear you're pretty strong with this magic stuff," Percy scratched his chin and asked thoughtfully, "Why do you need my help?"

Voldemort's long, thin fingers curled around his wand and an unreadable expression passed through his unnatural eyes. 

Percy heard a sigh next to him. He glanced at Narcissa secretly. Had he gone too far?

He had realized some time ago that the chances of him escaping from this room were slim, so he figured now wasn't the time to test the limits of his grandfather's patience.

He was lost in his thoughts until he heard a voice that sounded a little soft, interestingly enough, "I'm not at my full strength due to some matters, son. But we must hurry to save your mother."

"I can't use magic."

"But you have potential. You must have experienced events before that you can't explain."

Percy thought, even after he learned of his godly heritage, he had experienced some events that he couldn't explain. Once, at a boarding school he was in, a bully found it hilarious to stick gum on his head. His teacher solved this terrible situation by cutting off all of his hair.

Percy had felt so naked. He had thought he wanted his hair back. When he woke up in the morning, they were indeed there. He still remembered how his teacher had looked at him as if he had seen a ghost.

After a while he stopped thinking about it because it wasn't a bad thing. But finally he had an explanation. Magic

He had experienced many more events like this, but there were some that were lost in his childhood memories.

"Oh, that's right.."

"You will train to shape your magic and save your mother. Bellatrix,"

"My lord," said the shaggy black-haired, maniac woman, as Percy called her, who was still kneeling, indicating that she was listening.

"Take Perseus to his room. You know the rest."

Percy sighed with relief. As long as he could get out of this situation, he was ready for anything. Just as he turned to follow the woman,   he heard his grandfather say a few words he didn't understand. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.

...

"That's too bad. You shouldn't have done that."

When Dumbledore returned to the old Black mansion, they finally learned the information that Snape had mentioned, that Sally had been hiding.

Sally frowned. "I'm sure they won't find him."

Snape muttered, "We'll see." Then he disapparated with a low tearing sound.

"I hope it is as you say. There are very few places that Voldemort cannot reach," said Dumbledore.

Sally thought of the camp and the protection around it. No mortal could enter the borders or see the camp. 

She nodded confidently. "As long as you give me a phone, I'll make sure that guy can't get to Percy."

When what she wanted finally appeared before her, she glanced at the people she was sure would not give her a moment or two of privacy. Then she reached for the phone and punched in the numbers, planning to call Paul first.

"Sally!? Is that you? I was wondering where you've been. You need to know what's going on."

"Calm down honey, I'm safe-"

There was a sigh of relief on the other end of the line, followed by a short silence. Then Paul said in a low voice,

"Percy was kidnapped," she said.

Chapter Text

When the companions saw Sally turn pale after saying a few words, they immediately knew something was wrong.

Sally listened to the voice on the other end of the line for a moment longer, then said nothing and held the device away from her ear.

No one asked any questions. No one wanted to force a woman who looked like she was on the verge of tears to speak, no matter who she was.

The silence was broken when Sally finally spoke, "If I had picked up the phone sooner, my son would be safe right now—" She was angry as she explained the situation, taking several deep breaths and pausing briefly between sentences. "Percy was safe where he was, but he came home a month earlier than he was supposed to. My husband said he suddenly passed out, and when he woke up, Percy was gone."

There was a brief silence. Molly Weasley, who cared deeply for her own sons, looked at Sally with empathy.

Dumbledore played with the end of his long beard for a moment, lost in thought. Then, as curious eyes turned to him, he said, "Calm down, Miss Blofis. We'll find him."

"Safely?" Sally asked.

Dumbledore hesitated. "He will live."

Sally didn't respond. After years of knowing her son was in danger, it was fair to say she had grown accustomed to such situations. But being used to it didn't make her any less worried.

...

Percy groaned softly as he woke up, his head feeling like it weighed a ton. For about five minutes, a whirlwind of voices and fragmented thoughts raced through his mind until he finally regained his senses. He managed to piece together his memories and sat up from where he had been lying.

He remembered meeting his grandfather, who had saved him from an attack by his enemies. Then, he had fainted from exhaustion.

Now, he was lying on a soft bed in a very comfortable room.

Percy had a nagging feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. He sat still for an unknown amount of time, lost in thought.

As he pondered, the door to the room opened, and Bellatrix walked in. "You're finally awake, my dear."

"Dear? Thanks, but no. I mean, please. I prefer Percy," he replied.

Bellatrix waved her wand without hesitation, and in an instant, the curtains and windows in the room flew open.

Then she looked at Percy with a tenderness that unnerved him. "Are you excited for your first day in your new home?"

Percy tried to ignore her odd behavior. "Not really. This place is too fancy and weird. And too crowded—"

"That's enough," Bellatrix interrupted, her voice still soft but firm. "You'll like this place."

Percy sensed the underlying threat in her tone—*you'd better learn to love here*—but he chose not to dwell on it. After all, this woman was one of his grandfather's subordinates. She wouldn't hurt him.

"Can I make a phone call? I want to explain to my girlfriend why I suddenly disappeared," Percy asked.

Bellatrix looked at him with disapproval as she approached. "You have bigger priorities than that, Percy."

Percy forced a smile and pushed himself back in his seat as Bellatrix drew closer. "Look, you don't even want to know how good she is at judo—"

But Bellatrix didn't listen. She quickly uncapped a small bottle that had suddenly appeared in her hand and pressed it to Percy's lips.

With his control over liquids, Percy could have avoided drinking the potion if he had been prepared, but he was caught off guard.

He quickly jumped back. "What was that!? It was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted." He was cut off by the strange sensations coursing through his body. "This isn't fun—"

Bellatrix laughed. "No, it certainly is." Then she took out another bottle and drank the foul liquid without hesitation.

Percy watched in horror as she transformed from a young woman into an elderly one. He made a small noise of realization and rushed to the mirror in the room.

"Oh my gods! What have you done to us?"

Percy began to feel his face and body with his hands. His facial features had completely changed, and he looked almost 4-5 years younger. The most alarming part was that he had become shorter.

He turned around, demanding an explanation.

Bellatrix seemed indifferent to his distress. "We need to get you a wand, and for that, we'll be venturing into enemy territory," she said, then grinned. "Oh, and if the potion has side effects, you could stay like this forever—"

Percy stared at her, on the verge of screaming, and Bellatrix burst out laughing again, proving once more that she was utterly unhinged.

Percy looked in the mirror once more. He bore no resemblance to his former self. His hair was now light brown, and his eyes were dark brown. His old clothes hung loosely on his smaller frame. He sighed in resignation. "Well, can I at least change?"

Bellatrix walked toward the closet in the room. "Of course. Your grandfather has thought of everything for you, my dear."

"I thought we agreed on this matter—"

"...here they are," she interrupted, tossing an all-black outfit into his lap.

Percy caught the clothes but paused when he noticed she had no intention of leaving. "So... aren't you going to step out?"

"Why?" The woman's ever-present smile widened.

"I need to change."

"Are you embarrassed? How adorable."

Percy flinched. This woman was seriously creeping him out. She was treating him like her own child—or rather, like a creepy, overbearing nanny.

Deciding not to overthink it, Percy finally managed to shoo her out of the room. After changing, they used a strange, wizard-specific method to travel—stepping into a fireplace and enduring a cloud of dust.

They arrived at a street that was chaotic yet quaint and nostalgic. Percy grinned at the sight of several buildings and shops that defied architectural logic, clearly held together by magic. He imagined Annabeth's reaction.

She would probably lose her mind.

His distracted thoughts were interrupted when they stopped in front of one of the shops.

The structure had the words "Ollivander's Vines since 382 B.C." written on it. Due to his dyslexia, Percy most likely thought it said "wands" instead of "vines."

(There's a wordplay here too. In my native language,  they are written as **wand = asa** and **vine = asma**. I don't want to change these parts because I had fun writing them.)

They entered without stopping.

Inside, they met an old man. This man handed him a few weapons and asked him to use them.

No, he handed him a few wands and asked him to wave them.

But in this case, it was pretty much the same thing.

Because the first few dozen times Percy did as the man said, all the windows and glass bottles in the building exploded.

The man, who seemed oddly amused by the chaos, said, "Please wait for me for a few minutes. I think I know what suits him," and disappeared behind a stack of boxes.

When he returned, he held another box in his hand.

The wand he pulled out was a delicate shade of light green with hints of white, its texture thin and elegant. It didn't look drastically different from the others, but Percy felt drawn to it. "Something tells me this is the one," he said.

He took the wand and waved it gently. This time, nothing exploded. Instead, a blue halo enveloped him, and the scent of the ocean filled the room.

"Excellent. It seems this wand has chosen you," the old man said.

Percy felt like a true wizard in that moment, holding the elegant piece of wood in his hand.

---

Chapter Text

Percy wasn’t sure what to think about everything that had happened. Now, aside from his supernatural abilities with water, he had gained several other intriguing skills. Though he had acquired them through the harsh training of a strange woman, he couldn’t deny the sense of satisfaction he felt.

"Stupefy!"

The dim room lit up with a flash of white light. The spell from his wand shot toward its target, but—once again—it didn’t achieve the desired result. Bellatrix blocked it effortlessly with a shield charm. To his surprise, she praised him before retaliating, "Excellent! You’re improving quickly, Perseus."

"My name is Percy—"

"Vermillious!"

"You’re not listening to me!" Percy dodged to the side just in time. His reflexes had been his saving grace throughout this grueling training. Without them, he would’ve been dead by now.

When he first dodged one of her spells using nothing but instinct, Bellatrix had been genuinely shocked. She immediately followed up with a barrage of spells to "test" him. Percy didn’t know what they did, but judging by the exploding vases and shattered windows, they weren’t exactly friendly. He avoided them without hesitation.

At first, dodging the rapid bursts of light had been nearly impossible. But after days of relentless practice, it had become slightly easier.

"You won’t rest until you defeat me today."

"What!? That’s impossible," Percy retorted, sidestepping another spell.

"Then I guess we’ll be here forever, sweetheart."

Percy immediately regretted engaging with her and reminded himself once again how much he hated this training.

...

By the time the room was in complete disarray, Percy had finally disarmed Bellatrix and earned a moment of respite.

He had no idea how far he’d come in such a short time. What he had achieved in just two weeks would have taken years of training for others. But Percy didn’t see it that way. To him, it still wasn’t enough.

A few explosive spells felt trivial. Ever since he’d started learning magic, he’d expected something more profound—something extraordinary.

A communication spell, for instance, would have been incredibly useful. Ever since he arrived here, the goddess Iris hadn’t answered any of his prayers, and he still hadn’t found another way to contact Annabeth.

These thoughts swirled in his mind as he stepped out of the massive sink.

As he walked back to his room, his steps slowed, and he eventually came to a halt. At first, everything about magic had been fascinating, but now, after weeks of endless duels with a deranged woman and constant back-and-forth between his room and the sink, it all felt... wrong. His mother was still missing, and here he was, wasting time. He could’ve saved her without these spells. For a moment, he questioned why he had endured all of this without protest. He had pushed his own needs aside for far too long.

Immediately, excuses flooded his mind, as they always did. His grandfather had insisted that learning magic was necessary to save his mother, and he wanted to protect them both. Percy couldn’t afford to disappoint him. But this time, the excuses felt hollow.

Instead, he decided to explore the house and see what was really going on. After wandering aimlessly for a while, he found himself in front of the room he’d been dragged to on his first day here. The door looked larger than he remembered, and it was slightly ajar.

He was about to leave when a noise from inside caught his attention.

Then came the scream.

Percy froze. Against his better judgment, he peeked inside, making sure to stay hidden. The scene was eerily familiar: the shadowy figures seated around the table, his grandfather presiding over them like a king.

But something was different this time. In the spot where Percy had once stood, a disheveled man was now kneeling, pleading desperately, "P-please, my Lord! I don’t know anything! I didn’t do it—"

His grandfather, unmoved by the man’s pleas, gestured to someone nearby. "Bring the potion."

Percy found a better vantage point, his heart pounding. Doubt began to creep into his mind. He needed to see what was happening, what they were doing to this man. Then he heard his grandfather’s voice, cold and commanding: "Crucio!"

A flash of blue light erupted from his wand and struck the kneeling man. Percy watched in horror as the man’s agonized screams filled the room. It was torture—pure and simple. Just from the man’s cries, Percy could tell the pain was unbearable.

He stood frozen, torn between intervening and staying hidden. This man must have been a traitor, he told himself. As disturbing as it was, it wasn’t his place to interfere.

The potion arrived moments later, carried by one of the hooded figures. Percy’s grandfather held up the small vial, a cruel smirk on his face. "This is Veritaserum. If you can still deny your crimes after drinking this, I’ll let you die." With a wave of his hand, the potion was forced down the man’s throat.

What happened next shattered Percy’s illusions.

The man began answering questions—truthfully this time. His confessions spilled out, one after another. This wasn’t just interrogation; it was mind control. Percy had no idea magic could do something like this.

And then it hit him: they had done it to him too. He was sure of it now. His mind had been tampered with, his thoughts manipulated. But why? And how much had they taken from him?

For the first time since arriving here, Percy’s mind felt clear. All the doubts he’d pushed aside came rushing back, and this time, he couldn’t ignore them.

This man—his grandfather—was a monster. He tortured people without remorse and cared nothing for his family. The hooded figures around him were no better. They were part of some dark, twisted cult, and they feared his grandfather above all else.

This wasn’t a place of safety or learning. It was a den of evil.

Percy’s stomach churned as he realized the truth. He had been manipulated, his mind tampered with, all while he blindly followed their orders. For nearly three weeks, he had wandered this house, oblivious to the darkness around him.

But no more.

He was done playing their games. He had to get out of here, find his mother, and put an end to this madness.

As he slipped away from the door, his resolve hardened. He would escape this cursed place, no matter what it took.

Chapter Text

Percy couldn't escape.

His lesson with Narcissa was set to begin in half an hour. This meant his absence would be noticed sooner than he had hoped. Therefore, he decided to wait until midnight to make his move. Besides, he needed to familiarize himself with the layout of the house to plan his escape.

Taking his wand with him, he ventured out for another quick exploration. After passing through a kitchen filled with strange little creatures and a long corridor, he finally located the exit door.

That was enough. He could turn back now, but as he was returning, he sensed someone behind him. This person didn't even wait for him to turn around. "Who are you?"

Percy slowly turned around. Standing before him was a boy around his age, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a sleek, all-black silk suit, similar to Percy's own attire. His hair was neatly slicked back, and he carried an air of nobility.

The boy had his wand pointed directly at Percy and looked completely on edge.

Percy chose to ignore this fact. After all, having a wand pointed at him was equivalent to having a gun aimed at him (arguably even more dangerous), and thinking about it would make it harder to speak rationally.

"Who are you asking as?" Percy smirked confidently.

The blond boy raised an eyebrow. "As the owner of this house?"

"I knew—wait, what?"

"Yes. This is my house." Percy fell silent. Despite having spent a considerable amount of time here, he had no idea who he was sharing the house with. He shuddered. Seeing Percy's silence, the boy continued, "You're not going to say you didn't know, are you?"

Percy coughed a few times. The situation was truly bizarre.

Percy turned his eyes away, “Sorry, but I thought this place belonged to that creepy green guy." 

The boy immediately tensed up. His already alert gaze narrowed further. "Did he bring you here?"

"Yeah, buddy. I've been staying here for a while. But don't worry, I was just about to leave." His tone was so calm, as if staying in someone's house without their knowledge was the most normal thing in the world.

He turned to leave. The lesson was about to start, but the blond boy wasn't about to let him go so easily. "Wait, where do you think you're going? What's your name?"

Percy, though only a few steps away, pretended not to hear and quickened his pace, disappearing from sight and leaving the bewildered boy behind.

He didn't dwell too much on what had just happened. After all, he didn't have much time left in this house.

...

Pretending to believe things without questioning them wasn't easy. When the woman in front of him recounted history in a completely altered way, he couldn't just say, "What nonsense is this?" Instead, he responded with vague remarks like, "Oh, really?" or "Poor grandpa."

Of course, sometimes he exaggerated so much that it started to become amusing. Even though Narcissa gave him strange looks, he kept up the act.

"Then the Lord received a prophecy—"

"..." Percy tensed up at this part. Whenever prophecies were involved, things never ended well. He had plenty of experience in that regard.

Noticing his sudden focus, Narcissa relaxed and continued, "It was a prophecy about a boy named Harry Potter, destined to kill him..."

When Percy heard the whole story—though many details were twisted, he could still see the core of it—he felt a pang of pity for the boy named Harry.

A prophecy had once shattered his life too, and that destruction had brought him fame.

'The Boy Who Lived.'

'Dumbledore.'

These individuals seemed to be his grandfather's greatest enemies, and if he could find them, they might be able to help him with his mother. They could protect her from this terrible parent.

Finally, as a plan began to form in his mind, he took a deep breath. He would escape first, then find a way to locate them.

Whatever was going to happen, it would happen tonight.

...

Percy quietly opened his bedroom door and slipped out. Soon, the exit was within sight. It seemed like an easy escape.

Percy was now certain that he had a talent for completely ruining situations just by thinking about them, because after taking a few more steps, he sensed someone in the darkness.

"Draco was right," said a male voice he hadn't heard before. It was filled with mockery. "Look at him, thinking he can escape."

"If he broke the spell, he must be stronger than we thought. Be careful."

"Don't be ridiculous, Narcissa. I've been dueling with this brat for days."

And then a familiar figure emerged from the shadows. He didn't need to guess. It was Bellatrix. Every nerve in Percy's body tensed. His eyes met hers, and she was smiling as usual. "Despite his quick progress, he's no match for us."

Percy frowned. His eyes immediately began scanning the area, trying to determine if there were more enemies lurking in the shadows. When he realized there were only three of them, his confidence grew.

This was easy. He could escape without a problem.

They had underestimated him.

Maybe he wasn't a powerful wizard, but he had things they weren't aware of.

He didn't engage in banter with them as he normally would. The last thing he wanted was for his grandfather to show up and reduce his chances of escape to zero. He needed to make sure everything happened as quickly as possible.

He gripped his wand tightly. He couldn't rely on Riptide in a situation like this. The sword had seen him through countless battles, but he had no idea how it would work against wizards. Neither option seemed promising, so he didn't want to take that gamble.

"Aquamenti!"

He shouted his first spell and began running toward them.

Bellatrix laughed when she heard the spell. "A water spell? I taught you better than that!"

Percy ignored her taunts. No one understood how dangerous a child of Poseidon who could create water could be better than he did.

He sidestepped a red light coming toward him and used the water he had created to obscure their vision. Then he managed to get behind Narcissa and disorient her.

"You little—"

Hearing that unfamiliar male voice again, he instinctively moved away from his current position. Sure enough, a second later, an explosion occurred where he had just been standing.

"Don't kill him!"

"I know!"

Percy was still manipulating the water. But to create a greater impact, he needed more. He felt the plumbing in the house and the familiar tug in his stomach.

And then the ground beneath the two people still firing spells at him collapsed.

Percy took advantage of the chaos and sprinted toward the door, throwing himself outside. The rest was easy. All he had to do was call Mrs. O'Leary and shadow-travel as far away from here as possible.

If everything had gone as planned, it would have been a commendable plan. But as he ran toward his salvation—the forest—he heard a hissing sound from behind him. "Crucio."

A pain unlike anything he had ever felt before coursed through his body.

He had experienced worse, but this was different. The pain was everywhere at once, with no clear source, and it was suffocating.

He immediately collapsed to the ground. As his vision blurred and he was on the verge of passing out, he saw the faint outline of Voldemort standing before him.

He saw Bellatrix and the blond man who had mocked him earlier running to the dark figure. Both immediately bowed their heads in respect and obedience.

Seeing this, Percy felt the pain intensify. No, he didn't want his mind invaded again. He didn't want to blindly accept everything they said. He didn't want to succumb to evil like them.

That would be far too dangerous.

At that moment, with every fiber of his being, he wished he were anywhere but here.

Then he blacked out.

Chapter Text

Percy was having a strange dream in which his algebra teacher turned into a terrifying monster and tried to eat him. However, just as Mr. Brunner was about to save him from the chaos by throwing a ballpoint pen, everything went dark.

Percy was used to having lucid dreams. He instantly realized this was happening in his subconscious.

When a beautiful woman appeared before him, he was certain. He bowed slightly, "Goddess Hecate."

The goddess smiled, "Perseus."

Percy didn't correct her. He wasn't surprised, because you didn't need to be a child of Athena to figure out that all this magic business had something to do with the goddess of magic.

Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, the goddess continued, "I can guess what you're thinking, young demigod. A great prophecy has just ended, and you thought you could finally relax. But it seems the Fates still have plans for you. This time, your path intersects with the world of witches and wizards—my world."

Percy couldn't help but scoff, "Please don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about this. It's a great honor. Who wouldn't want to be a hero..."

Hecate didn't seem angry. "Not to be a hero, but to save hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent lives. You must accept this task, Perseus. I will help you."

Percy felt weary. "My lady, I've been held captive by a bad guy for a while now. Why have you decided to help me now?" Percy's words were respectful, but his tone and implications were anything but.

"The gods cannot directly interfere in the lives of mortals. You know this. Even now, I can only guide you. You are completely lost."

"Ah, that faddle." Percy used the word Hazel had taught him, fully intending its meaning. "What do I need to do?"

...

Percy opened his eyes, his entire body aching, and lay still for a while without moving.

He tried to look at the blinding sun until he felt something wet in his hair.

He straightened up and locked eyes with the hellhound beside him. The massive dog stopped whining when it saw he was awake and began wagging its tail excitedly, jumping around.

As Percy petted the dangerous but adorable animal, he started looking around. He was sure they were in a forested area. Still, he asked, "Where are we, Mrs. O'Leary?"

Percy wasn't expecting an answer, but he got one. "So you're saying you don't know where we are?"

Percy's hand went to the pocket where Riptide was as he turned around quickly. He saw Nico sitting under a tree, polishing his large black sword. Percy sighed in relief, "You scared me."

Nico raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged. He was used to such reactions.

Percy sat back down where he had been, "Did you save me? Where are we?"

"No, I just followed Mrs. O'Leary. Still, I wonder what I saved you from and why you called her."

Percy shrugged just like him, "It's a long story."

"I can't even imagine."

Nico stood up and walked over to Percy, handing him a small bag, "You don't look so good. Lucky for you, I have some ambrosia with me."

Percy quietly nibbled on a piece of ambrosia as a thousand thoughts raced through his mind. He felt a bit safer with Nico by his side. His presence made Percy feel closer to returning to his old life.

But he couldn't escape. He was already deep in this mess. He couldn't ignore it and go on with his life. Besides, his mother was still missing, and a goddess was counting on him for many things. "Nico?"

"Yeah?" He looked at the Hades demigod beside him, who looked much healthier than before, and asked, "My mom... Is she alive?"

Nico flinched for a moment. He had been wondering why the boy in front of him had been missing for weeks, but he had avoided asking, fearing it was a sensitive topic. But now that Percy had brought it up himself, he refrained from commenting.

A bit afraid of the answer, he used his powers and then relaxed with a deep sigh, "She's alive."

Percy's dull eyes instantly lit up. He realized what had been weighing on his soul for weeks as he felt a huge burden lift off his shoulders. Now that he knew she was alive, he wouldn't give up on finding his mother.

"You need to go back to camp. Annabeth isn't doing well. She hasn't been able to reach you for days. You know how hard it is."

Percy finally stood up. After eating the ambrosia, the taste of his mother's blue cookies lingered in his mouth. This strengthened his resolve even more.

I'm sorry, Annabeth, he thought.

"I'll have to trust you with this, Nico. Please tell her I'm safe. I'll send her a message as soon as I can."

The Hades demigod frowned, but Percy couldn't tell what was bothering him, "Whatever. Do what you have to do."

Percy smiled. He brushed off the dust, trying to tidy up his disheveled appearance. He looked like he'd been tossed around. Which he probably had.

"Good luck."

Percy could only give Nico a brief glance before shadow traveling. Both of them were gone.

He looked at the spot where he had been lying and picked up the staff lying there. He didn't know if he was in the forest right next to the mansion or somewhere else, but it didn't matter anymore.

Goddess Hecate had told him how he had managed to escape from his grandfather. He had performed a spell he had never done before. He used “apparition”

When he asked her why Iris messages weren't working, she said a counter-spell was blocking them. Percy would try sending an Iris message again once he was somewhere he was sure was safer.

For now, he put it off and thought about what the goddess had said.

"You guessed right. Your grandfather is not a good man. He is the monster the wizarding world fears most..."

"You need to go to the people who will help you..."

Percy took a deep breath and followed the instructions he had been given.

12 Grimmauld Place... He closed his eyes and thought only of these words.

The goddess had told him that appration to a place he had never been before was difficult, but she hadn't been willing to help him with that. She had just muttered something about him having the ability to do it and showed him an image of the place he needed to go in his dream.

Having this extra information didn't help Percy's confidence. That's why he hesitated for a long time before trying.

A feeling of being pulled through a narrow pipe found him a few minutes later. When he dared to open his eyes, he was on all fours on the ground.

He had expected it to be similar to shadow traveling. But this was a bit more exhausting and nauseating.

When he managed to pull himself together, he stood up slowly and looked around. He was on a creepy street, just like the one he had seen in his dream. Among the row of buildings, the number he was looking for was missing...

"Looks like my luck is holding."

......

"We have a visitor."

When the others turned to him, Mad-Eye Moody stood up, ignoring his spinning magical eye, "Outside."

When he said this, the atmosphere became even more tense than it already was. Lupin suggested, "Why don't we go take a look?"

Sirius said, "It could be a trap," while Dumbledore stood up but didn't speak. The members of the Order waited for a moment to hear what he would say, but when he remained silent, Tonks finally spoke up,

"If they had found this place, I don't think they'd give us a chance to talk. Maybe it's just a Muggle."

Mad-Eye shook his head in disagreement, looking displeased, "He used apparition. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sensed his presence. And if he were just a passing Muggle, I wouldn't have mentioned it."

"Let's take a look." When the old headmaster finally made his decision, no one objected. They followed him to the door. Before all this happened, they were in the middle of a meeting that had been happening regularly but fruitlessly for days. How would they save Sally's son? Or themselves from a potential danger?

As soon as they stepped outside, they realized who the visitor was, but he wasn't who they expected. First of all, he was very young. His hair was as black as night and messy. His eyes, which were looking around absentmindedly, were a pleasant sea green. He was wearing a black silk suit, but it looked disheveled. Most of the buttons on his white shirt were undone, and the fabric, which you would expect to be neat, was wrinkled. It was clear he had been through tough times.

"Who could he be...?"

The young man, who had seemed unaware of their presence until now, turned toward them as Lupin spoke. He was looking at the courtyard hidden by magic.

The group of adults unconsciously held their breath. Percy continued to stare at their location with unfocused eyes for a while longer, but finally, he frowned and gave up.

"Did he see us?" Sirius whispered.

"No, but there's something interesting about him." Dumbledore answered as he stepped out of the range of the spell.

From Percy's perspective, this was a man appearing out of thin air. He instantly tightened his grip on his wand and pointed it at the approaching man. He was still unsure about using Riptide on mortals.

"Who are you?"

Percy was a bit surprised that the man, who he was now certain was a wizard, didn't react to the wand, but he didn't show it.

"You're the one standing in front of our house, young man."

Percy immediately frowned. "You didn't come out of a door, old man. Do you think I didn't see what you did—?"

Then he realized what was happening. Because where the man had just appeared, there was a townhouse similar to the others but in worse condition. In front of it was a small group of people looking at him with curious expressions—people who hadn't been there a moment ago.

Percy acted as if his earlier outburst had never happened and lowered his wand, "Alright... I guess you're the people I'm looking for."

Tonks asked in surprise, "You were looking for us?"

Mad-Eye Moody, who was looking at Percy with complete suspicion, hissed, "Unforgivable Curse." His eye was still spinning wildly.

Interestingly, many people took this seemingly crazy man seriously. In fact, after hearing this, someone pointed their wand at Percy.

Percy instantly took a step back and raised his hands in surrender, "Hey, hey, can we at least introduce ourselves first? I'm sure we'll get along."

"Your name and why are you looking for us?" Mad-Eye Moody asked harshly again.

Percy gave up trying to reason with them. He just answered the question he was asked,

"I'm Percy Jackson. I'm here to find Harry Potter."

Chapter Text

Percy regretted his words the moment they left his mouth. He realized he might have sounded threatening. Maybe that's why, the instant he finished speaking, he heard the familiar sound of magic.

He quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the beam of light that shot toward him.

He glanced at the stunned crowd and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I know how that must have sounded," he said, "but I swear I don't mean any harm."

Some of them threw quick glances at Mad-Eye Moody, who had just attacked the boy. Their wands were drawn, but none of them had any real intention of attacking without hearing him out first.

"We know who you are, Perseus Jackson, and where you came from," said Dumbledore.

Percy swallowed hard. His mind instantly jumped to his demigod heritage. But only a few seconds later, he realized they weren't talking about that. Calming himself, he quickly assessed the old man's words.

"I escaped from the manor," he said.

"Assuming you've never used magic before," Dumbledore replied, "there's no way you could have escaped from that place on your own."

Percy hesitated. A flood of thoughts raced through his mind.

"How do you know I've never used magic before? And how do you know about the manor?" he asked suspiciously.

Doubt gnawed at him. The goddess had told him that the wizarding world wasn't even aware of his existence — let alone the fact that he was Voldemort's descendant. Yet these people seemed to know far more than they should.

After a moment's silence, a tall man with long black hair spoke, looking uncertain.

"Your mother is here."

For a moment, Percy's mind went blank. He couldn't say anything. Panic started creeping in, but then he remembered Hecate's words — these people were allies, ones who could help him.

Steadying his breathing, he managed to say,

"That's good news. I'm glad she's safe."

The adults noticed that the boy in front of them was far more guarded than he had been moments before. Even if he trusted them, that trust was fragile at best.

In truth, Percy didn't distrust them — he distrusted the gods. Especially Hecate, who had once sided with the Titans. Who was to say she no longer held a grudge? Especially considering how spiteful gods could be.

What if all of this was a trap, and these people had been sent to kill him and his mother?

Percy's moment of distraction lasted only a few seconds.

"I'll tell you everything," he said. "After that, it's up to you whether you trust me. But first, let me see my mother."

Despite his cautious attitude, Percy knew the adults were underestimating him — and he intended to use that to his advantage.

If anything went wrong, all he had to do was grab his mother and run.

He sighed quietly.

If only it were that easy.

He glanced again at the old man radiating raw power. Percy knew he was the headmaster — and that he was considered a match for Voldemort himself. That fact complicated things.

"Very well," the old man said.

"You may see her."

Without waiting for the murmurs of the others, he turned and headed toward the already open door — a silent invitation for Percy to follow. Despite all his doubts, Percy didn't hesitate.

After all, this wasn't the most dangerous situation he had faced. That title still belonged to whatever happened the next time he saw Annabeth.

The members of the Order, however, were thinking something else as they watched him go.

This boy did not look weak at all.

Despite what his mother had said about him not even knowing about magic before, Percy carried himself with confidence.

His posture was sure, his athletic build was obvious, and — most importantly — he showed no fear in front of complete dangerous strangers.

Even if the situation was new to him, he clearly believed he could handle it.

There was another thing they couldn't ignore: the unmistakable scar left by the use of an Unforgivable Curse.

Whether he had cast it or survived it, both possibilities were equally disturbing — and both pointed to strength.

If he had cast it, his abilities were undeniable.

If he had survived it, his quick, brave recovery spoke volumes.

There was something else that caught their attention: Percy's resemblance to Harry.

The messy black hair, the green eyes — albeit a different shade — it was striking.

It was unexpected, at least to those who hadn't seen Tom Riddle in his youth.

Dumbledore, however, had already formed his own thoughts.

The headmaster called out to a woman who had been standing off to the side, lost in thought, making no move to interfere.

But before she could react, Percy had already reached her and thrown his arms around her.

He almost cried.

Both he and his mother held themselves back. They had experienced reunions like this too many times to turn every one into a dramatic scene.

The gratitude in Sally's eyes was enough for Percy.

And seeing him alive and well was all Sally needed to let go of her fears.

Percy leaned in and whispered in her ear,

"Did they hurt you? I can get you out of here anytime you want."

Sally smiled and shook her head slightly.

"They're not going to hurt us."

Only then did Percy pull back and smile.

He turned to face the others.

"In that case, let me explain everything."

...

Meanwhile, the Weasley twins, Harry, and Hermione were all upstairs.

They hadn't been allowed to attend the meeting or come downstairs — which meant they had missed everything that had just happened.

"...so it was them who taught me magic and the history of the wizarding world," Percy was explaining,

"Not only did they underestimate me, but they also placed enchantments on my mind.

I broke free when something I witnessed triggered my memories.

With no one controlling me anymore, it was easy to exploit the gaps and escape.

If the Dark Lord hadn't returned at the last second, no one would have even noticed I was gone."

There was a short silence.

Percy could tell they didn't fully believe him. He braced himself for the next questions.

"How did you find this place?" It was Lupin who spoke first.

Percy paused, pretending to think about it.

"When they caught me, all I could think about was wanting to be with my mother. I guess the god heard me."

His mother chuckled at that, but still scolded him,

"Don't joke, Perseus."

Percy grinned and ruffled his hair.

"I'm being completely serious."

He hadn't felt this safe or at ease in a long time.

The smile he gave his mother was genuine.

"Unforgivable Curse.”

Their light conversation was cut short by Mad-Eye Moody's gruff voice.

A violent shiver ran through Percy at the words alone.

"Cruciatus," he said, the word feeling foul in his mouth.

They didn't question him any further. His reaction spoke volumes.

"Is that enough for you?" Percy asked, his voice tired.

"Because honestly, I'm exhausted — and I need a change of clothes."

More than that, he needed a private place to talk to Annabeth.

He could imagine how worried she must be, and he didn't want that worry to linger any longer.

The Order members, seeing the sorry state Percy was in, realized he wasn't lying.

His black suit — the one he had worn throughout all the fights — was torn and battered.

A motherly red-haired woman promised to find him some clothes and disappeared up the stairs.

Before he could follow, Dumbledore advised him to keep his connection to Voldemort secret — even from Harry and his friends.

Not wanting any more judgmental stares, Percy agreed without hesitation and made his way upstairs in search of the bathroom.

Other important matters could wait.

Right now, he needed a hot shower, clean clothes, and the strength to survive the conversation he was about to have.

Chapter Text

Percy turned on all the faucets he could find and controlled the water. Before heading upstairs, he managed to pull a drachma from his pocket, tossed it, and whispered a prayer. "Goddess Iris, please accept my offering and show me Annabeth Chase."

For a fleeting moment, the familiar cabin and the girl he loved appeared before him. Percy had been worried the message wouldn't go through, so he finally let out the breath he'd been holding and simply watched her—still unaware of him—for a moment longer.

"Oh my Gods!"

A warrior like her wasn't slow to notice. Percy hadn't even spoken yet when he saw her eyes begin to well with tears. Every explanation he'd prepared, every joke meant to ease the tension, vanished from his mind.

"I'm sorry."

...

Percy stepped out of the bathroom, now feeling somewhat refreshed in clothes that were slightly too big for him. The conversation with Annabeth hadn't lasted long—he didn't want the people downstairs to grow suspicious, and they were more than prone to that. He had only managed to tell her that he was safe and could now send Iris-messages whenever he wanted. He also made sure to mention that, this time, the problem had nothing to do with the Gods. He was sure that helped ease her mind, even if just a little.

Inside, he felt an overwhelming urge to hold her tightly and promise that everything would be okay. Because if he had lost Annabeth and gone without hearing from her for so long, he knew he would have fallen apart. So he could imagine what she must have felt. If it were up to him, he would never let her go through something like that again.

He let out a deep sigh and realized he had already reached the room he was told to go to. He was now wondering how to explain to its residents that he'd be staying with them.

He didn't bother trying too hard. As usual, he didn't rely on plans. He knocked on the door, and when a hesitant girl's voice said, "You may come in," he pushed it open.

There were four of them. A red-haired girl with blue eyes lay on a bed reading what looked like a newspaper—Percy could've sworn the photos were moving. The other three sat on the floor. Two were playing some weird chess-like game, and the other girl with big, frizzy curls sat nearby with an open book in her lap.

"Hey guys!"

They all stopped what they were doing and turned to this overly cheerful stranger standing in their room. They tried to figure out why he was there. Eventually, the redhead decided to return the greeting.

"...Hey?"

"Who are you?"

Percy closed the door behind him and casually walked over to the two kids on the floor, clearly sensing their discomfort.

"I'm Percy. I'll be staying here with you until school starts."

Percy could tell the black-haired boy with glasses didn't quite believe him—and he wasn't the only one. Percy’s eyes lingered on the boy’s face and the mark on his forehead. Percy grinned.

"You must be Harry Potter."

It was only then that the others realized they hadn't introduced themselves—they'd gone straight into questioning him.

"Yeah, that's him. I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'm Ron Weasley. And that's Ginerva—my sister."

Harry didn't feel the need to repeat himself, already well-known, and continued to observe Percy. Ginny, frowning, sat up and grumbled, "It's Ginny. Don't call me Ginerva."

Percy didn't let the silence hang too long.

"Yeah, I get it. A stranger suddenly showing up in your room and saying he's gonna live with you—it's weird. I know that. Don't think I don't."

Without pausing, he went on, "I mean, I have pretty weird reasons for being here. You know, Voldemort's back and nowhere's really safe—"

The sudden sharp shift in their expressions made Percy go quiet. He didn't know what he had said wrong. But oddly enough, Harry looked... more upbeat.

"Names have power, Percy. You should know that."

"Oh—" Percy did know. Gods, he knew that very well. But he'd never seen mortals react so strongly to just a name.

"Sorry. I'm really new to all of this."

"Are you? Why?"

Hermione was quick to question him.

Percy pointed to himself with a friendly smile. "You might've noticed from my accent—I'm not from around here. I'm from America."

They all nodded slowly. "And why are you here? You seem to know about the war."

Percy hesitated. He hadn't really planned his lies.  As he tried to come up with something plausible, two more teens burst into the room, saving him.

"You guys will not believe what just happened!"

"George, shut up!"

"Okay, okay, but—" George stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the stranger in the room. "Who's this guy?"

"Percy."

"Wow, that explains a lot."

Percy just grinned and didn't bother repeating his introduction. "Go on, I'm curious now."

"Well, since you're already here, I guess it's fine. I think."

Fred didn't have the patience for small talk and cut right in. "They're letting her go back to her house. You know—You-Know-Who's daughter. After everything she did. After all the information she got from us."

"What?!"

"That's insane!"

"Hey! Keep it down—"

"Why would they let her do that? Are they completely mental?"

While they argued, Percy didn't know what to think. He had just been reunited with his mother—only to be pulled away again. Still, the only thing he truly cared about was her safety. His thoughts were a mess.

"There's no real danger. She's a Muggle-born. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't do anything. I'm sure Dumbledore and the others haven't told her anything important."

Hermione's words brought the debate to an end. She made sense. Even if they tried to consider every possibility, it would take too long.

It was at that moment that Percy remembered the role he was supposed to be playing.

"Wait—Voldemort has a daughter?!"

"Shh, Percy! I heard footsteps."

A hand clamped over his mouth, and just as he looked around, the two boys who'd barged in disappeared with a pop.

Once the hand was removed, Percy whispered, "Why are we hiding? And for the love of the God—can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?"

Chapter Text

After saying goodbye to Percy, Annabeth reached out with her hand toward the image of her boyfriend and dispersed it. She sat there for a while longer before letting out a deep sigh and standing up.

"Okay..."

They couldn't go on like this. They had promised each other that they would never be separated again, but barely any time had passed before fate started to repeat itself.

She left the cabin and headed towards the Great Hall. It didn't take long for her to find the person she was looking for.

"Chiron, how can I learn to do magic?"

...

"Yeah, you won again, Ron. Enough already."

"One more round."

"Ugh..."

As Hermione started setting up the game again, Harry was still watching them with a scowl. Finally, he broke his silence and spoke up.

"It doesn't make sense for that guy to just join the group out of nowhere. There has to be a reason they brought him here. Especially at a time like this."

Without pausing her setup, Hermione replied, "I agree he's suspicious, but there's nothing we can do about it. They trust him, so we should too."

"Once everyone thought the same about Quirrell."

"For Merlin's sake. I can prove to you he's not walking around with you know who behind his head."

Harry glanced briefly at Ginny, who had just teased him. He knew why they were so against his ideas. Percy seemed harmless and quite likable. He sighed deeply before speaking again, not ready to give up yet. "He doesn't need another face behind his head to be dangerous."

When no one backed him up, he added in a helpless tone, "Fine, let's drop it. You must have more important things on your mind."

When Hermione finally finished setting up the game, she looked up and met Harry's eyes with understanding. "Why don't we just keep an eye on him for a while? If we see anything suspicious, we can figure out what to do."

Harry knew that was the best he could do for now. And even though Hermione seemed indifferent, he realized she actually agreed with him. After giving her a quick look of gratitude, he decided not to bring the subject up again that day and, as Hermione suggested, to keep Percy under observation.

Percy walked in with a strange expression just as Ron was about to claim another victory over Hermione, and still, no one spoke.

Percy sat silently on the edge of the bunk, his expression still questioning life itself.

"Percy?"

The young man slowly turned, indicating he was listening.
"Is something wrong?"

"Oh... maybe."

Ron looked up at Percy, who wasn't in the mood to talk, and understanding what was wrong, said,
"It's one of Fred and George's pranks, isn't it?"

Percy twitched slightly where he was sitting and looked seriously into Ron's eyes.
"That can't be a prank. It's definitely a form of torture."

The girls giggled softly as the mentioned twins appariate in the room.
"Percy, we have some blue cookies. Do you want some?"

"Very generous of you, but please—no thanks."

While Harry was laughing at this scene, he tried to get rid of his prejudices and convince himself that Percy was someone who deserved his trust.

...

Percy was sharing a room with the twins. One night together was enough for him to realize just how much they resembled the Stoll brothers in every terrible way.

Despite his thoughts, after a little conversation about magically turning food blue, he had been subjected to a series of pranks.

For the love of the gods... he would never forget the taste of those blue pancakes.

A small shiver ran through Percy's body and he shifted to find a more comfortable sleeping position.

That day they had sent his mother home. Percy had done everything to ensure she was safe. The old headmaster and the others respected his decisions more than he had expected, and many of his other conditions were accepted as well.

Besides, his relationship with Harry Potter and his friends hadn't turned out as badly as he had feared. He know they were suspicious of him, but he thought that was natural.

After all, he himself approached everything around him with suspicion, so he couldn't really judge others for doing the same.

Although he hadn't encountered any dangerous behavior or attitude yet, he had already deviated three different plans to escape from this place.

As he thought over the plans in great detail, he fell asleep.

But a dreamless sleep was only a pleasant fantasy for him.

Luckily, this time he wasn't having terrible dreams about any missing friends. This was different from all the rest.

Someone—or something—was interfering with his dreams again, he was sure of it. But this time it wasn't a god. It was his grandfather.

Since Percy had long considered this possibility, he wasn't too surprised.

In front of him stood a dark human figure emanating a powerful aura. This was Voldemort's reflection in his dreams.

As soon as he finished examining him, a strange voice echoed in his head.

"Perseus Jackson, you are strong."

Percy tilted his head and kept looking at the blurry shadow ahead.

"Strength is everything. Respect belongs to the strong, wealth belongs to the strong... Life belongs to the strong."

"... I really can't imagine where you're going with this." Voldemort didn't seem to be listening. He continued,
"That's why I've decided to give you another chance. Wherever you are, come back. This time, with no lies, of your own free will. I will guide you to become a strong leader."

"Your offer touches me deeply, grandfather." Percy smiled. It was a rather sarcastic smile.
"But unfortunately, I don't have the strange hobby of killing people just because I want to."

He fell silent after that, waiting. He already understood that his grandfather wasn't the type to insist. It was remarkable enough that he was giving him another chance at all.

Percy was right. As soon as his grandfather was offended, he didn't wait any longer and drew his wand, casting a familiar spell.

Percy knew he was dreaming, but the trauma from the Cruciatus Curse was still with him. When the light hit him, he woke up drenched in sweat.

"Ha-ha—"

His chest rose and fell rapidly as he took deep breaths. He had endured many physical and mental attacks until now. But the Cruciatus Curse was a completely different matter. Unlike injuries from battle, it was a method of torture, designed not to weaken the enemy but to cause unbearable pain.

Once Percy regulated his breathing, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He quietly looked at the bunk and the twins, who were sleeping upside down and sideways.

At that moment, he silently vowed never to use that spell no matter what.

Since it was still dark outside, he sat on the bed for a while longer before lying down again.

Thank the gods, this time he managed to sleep peacefully without any dreams.

...

That morning was much busier than usual. Percy wondered why but didn't want to ask Harry, who seemed ready to cast random spells anywhere the slightest touch landed.

Instead, he turned to Sirius Black, one of the kindest people he had met since arriving.

Percy was surprised by what he heard. Somehow, the famous figure in the wizarding world—Harry Potter—had been reduced to an attention-seeking, suspicious teenager. The only reason was his use of magic in self-defense and his claims that Voldemort had returned.

It seemed that the problem for English wizards was not just Voldemort. They were divided even among themselves.

"That old fool Fudge really believes Dumbledore wants his position. If he did, he'd have done it already, but he doesn't see that. So the Ministry uses all its power against him. Harry's trial is just a stepping stone for their real goal."

Sirius fell silent, and Percy didn't speak either. They both watched Harry, who was nervously biting his nails.

"He looks really tense. I know he's innocent, but if I didn't, I'd probably be convinced otherwise."

"Yeah. I thought he was used to this stuff by now, but he's still just a kid."

This time Sirius let his gaze roam over Percy.
"And so are you. There will be those who bully you because of your bloodline. So you should hide the truth as much as possible—"

"But if it ever comes out, please don't do wrong things."Lupine, who had just arrived beside them, finished Sirius's sentence.

"Everyone here has chosen to trust you. I hope you won't disappoint us."

Percy had struggled with expectations since he was a child. Usually, when gods asked something from him, they weren't as polite as these two men.

So he decided to ignore the arrows of suspicion aimed at him.

"I will never betray you."

He smiled confidently and left their side to join the twins.

Lupine and Sirius watched them go. Even those simple words gave them a strange sense of reinsurance.

"Thunder is rolling. Looks like it's going to rain. Today's going to be really tough for Harry."

Chapter Text

"His spells aren't flawless, but there's something about him that sets him apart from the other students. I don't know exactly what it is, but whatever it is, it seems more than enough to make up for the gaps."

"Even so, he still needs to overcome his theoretical shortcomings."

"That's true. So, the most suitable class for him would be Year 4. But judging by his talent, I think we can push him a little further. What do you say we place him in the same year as Harry?"

"He's definitely talented, but with so many gaps, how could he possibly take the career exams? That could cause a lot of trouble in the future."

"Why don't we just ask him?"

Everyone agreed with Lupin's suggestion. Just as they were about to call Percy, who had just been dueling Tonks, they saw he was already walking toward them.

That could only mean a few things: He had already lost, given up, or they were taking a break. No one seriously thought Percy might have won.

"I really hate exams. I can't remember if I mentioned it before, but I have dyslexia and attention issues. I've never been a good student."

As Percy reached the group of silent adults, he continued speaking:

"Still, I want to be in the same year as Harry. I think we got along really well." Percy glanced at Tonks, who had just arrived next to him. "Also, I heard everything you said about my talent. Thank you. Maybe it'll remind some people that they shouldn't underestimate me."

They had first considered testing Percy when they realized he was able to avoid certain laws due to the confusion surrounding his identity — something Percy hoped Harry would never find out about. Especially not while he was already being judged harshly for a single spell.

At first, he hadn't been too keen on the idea. Even if he didn't see them as enemies, it was too early to show all his abilities. So, he had decided to hold back.

However, after facing off in countless duels against witch like Bellatrix, Tonks had been fairly easy—especially since she'd been too afraid of hurting him to go all-out. Percy had taken advantage of a distracted moment and disarmed her with his final move.

"You've brought a monster here," Tonks said, unable to hide her annoyance when she realized the kid was teasing her. Still, she didn't try to make excuses for her defeat.

"I'm nothing like those creatures. But I'll take that as a compliment anyway."

"You won?"

Percy turned to the tall, greasy-haired man who had just spoken. It was Professor Snape. Percy didn't have anything personal against him, but he was influenced by Snape's double agent status and the fact that Harry and his friends didn't like him.

Trying not to show his displeasure, Percy replied, "I wouldn't call it a full victory. She was holding back."

After talking with them for a bit longer, he was sent back home.

Sirius whistled as he watched the boy walk away.

"We really need to tell Dumbledore. He beat an Auror without proper training. That means he could become terrifyingly powerful in just two or three years."

"Yes... definitely."

Everyone there could tell just from the expression on Nymphadora Tonks's face that she hadn't held back at all.

...

Percy went home without realizing the mistake he had made, not because he was trying to spy on them, but simply because he hadn't thought about it.

He hadn't exactly been thrilled when he first found out he had to attend school. But after learning that professors would be around to protect him, he hadn't objected.

After spending a few weeks in that dark house and his last interaction with his grandfather, he was very sure about which side he was on.

That's why, when he was given the chance to join Harry and his friends' year, he saw it as an excuse to get closer to them. The exams didn't really matter to him. His future career wasn't going to involve magic. Even if that dream had to be postponed, he was still determined to go to Camp Jupiter with Annabeth someday.

After spending a few hours with Hermione — who had taken it upon herself to tutor him when she realized how little he knew about the History of Magic — Harry and Dumbledore returned.

Harry had finally shed the grumpy expression he'd worn for days. He hugged two of his friends and whispered with a smile, "I should've known there was nothing to be scared of as long as Dumbledore was there."

Sirius entered the room just then, smiled, and ruffled his godson's hair.

...

Percy did as he was told and ran toward the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. He was sure he'd go flying and crash to the ground with all his luggage — but instead, he passed right through.

...For a moment, I thought they hated me

He turned back toward Harry and the others. Harry, in particular, seemed to enjoy Percy's cluelessness. He liked having the upper hand for once.

"Every time we talk about something magical, you act like a Muggle."

Ron looked strangely serious, like he was bringing up something no one else had noticed.

"You shouldn't say that, Ron," Hermione scolded him in her usual know-it-all tone.

While they argued, Percy was lost in entirely different thoughts. He hadn't even known magic existed until recently. Most of the time, he'd had to find solutions to problems the hard way. He regretted that.

Every time he saw Hazel control the Mist, it had always felt strange and foreign. He'd never thought he might be capable of doing something like that himself.

And now, a magic school had appeared — and surprisingly, it wasn't Hazel who had to go, but him. There were many possible reasons for that, but the most important was probably that the goddess Hecate seemed to despise Hazel.

Percy really wished one of his friends could join him on this bizarre adventure. They always went on missions in groups of three, minimum. Even though he'd done many quests alone, none had been quite this serious.

Especially Annabeth... He would give up a lot just to have her by his side.

He didn't know if he'd be able to contact her while at school. Even the protection spells at the mansion had blocked Iris messages, so he couldn't imagine Hogwarts would be any different. He'd mentioned it during their last conversation. He'd watched her frown, and in that moment, he knew she had a plan. He didn't know what it was, but if it kept them in touch, that was all that mattered.

He sighed deeply at the thought.

"I don't like schools either. But Hogwarts isn't like the others... It's different. Magical. Forget your past experiences—"

"Classes still matter a lot. You should care about them."

"Hermione!"

Percy's mood lifted when he saw Hermione and Harry arguing. At least he'd made some new friends. His relationship with Harry was a little risky, but for now, he had no choice but to keep some truths to himself and earn Harry's trust. After the threat of Voldemort passed, Harry could doubt him all he wanted. Sure, it might hurt then, but at least it wouldn't put every wizard's life in danger.

Percy smiled at them. "I'm not saying the classes don't have affect but... mostly, I just miss my friends. Don't worry about me, guys. I'm fine."

Hermione and Harry fell silent and looked at him. They were trying not to make him feel like an outsider, but they couldn't quite manage it.

Before they could say anything more, the train whistle blew.

"We're going to be late!"

They all rushed to board the train. There wasn't even time to say proper goodbyes.

After a bit of searching, they finally found an empty compartment.