ATTTENTION ALL READERS!!!!!!! Before you read this part, re-read the chapter before this because I added onto it. You might be confused if you don't, so please do!! Message sent and recival confirmed....You may now continue...
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Percy P.O.V.
"WHAT?!" Harry shouted, standing up in protest. Many other students got up shouting and yelling in confusion. Many students followed Harry's example, voicing out their opinions of discontent and betrayal. The shock resonated in my body, confusion following only to be overpowered by my anger. I turned towards Dumbledore eager to get some clarification.
"What do you think you are doing?!" I hissed. "Are you trying to expose me and the Order?! Are trying to turn these kids into soldier?! They will DIE!!" I felt my aura flaring up but I did nothing to stop it. No one would see it anyway and it would only show Dumbledore how truly and royally pissed I was.
"Which is exactly why I made you a teacher. As a student, you would not be able to properly protect us. Did you not swear to defend us? I am simply holding you to your word Perseus..." I felt my anger flare.
"Do not presume to hold power over me mortal! Yes I swore an oath but so did you. They cannot find out about the others in this world. Especially now! They won't survive or understand!! They are civilians, they won't be able to fight!"
"Thus you shall teach them to. You know better than anyone here what war is...and war is coming, we can no longer pretend otherwise Percy. I want them to live, to be safe. You are my only hope in that regard. You cannot die, you can heal and you can prepare them for what will come.
"I can prepare them to defend and attack but nothing, no training I can do will prepare them for killing. For death. No amount of words and practice can steel a person for the first time they take a life. It will break them..." Dumbledore looked down.
"It's a risk we will have to take...Sacrifices have to be made..."
"Do not speak to me about sacrifices" I spoke bitterly, flashbacks of my fallen friends and past battles flashing through my vision. I slumped my shoulder slightly in defeat and took away my emotions, speaking in a monotone voice. "But I see your point. Better to have them prepared and lose a few then leave them defenseless for slaughter. I just hope you understand what you have forced them into. I will train them as I have been trained. They could very well die in my class. I will not sugar coat or lessen my trainings. I will treat them as soldiers and push them just as hard. They will get no coddling form me Dumbledore. If its a war they will face, then it is with war that I will prepare them. I hope you understand that..."
"...I do Perseus. I do. But remember, they are children. They are not like you..."
"You seem to forget that I am a child too...they will just have to grow up. It's either that or their death." I walked away from him before he could reply. I stepped forward and observed the chaos in front of me. I have to train that....Is this how Shang felt in Mulan? I continued to watch a little bit, deflating as I say a Slytherin throw a pathetic punch. They had no form or technique. Or power. It just sucked plain and simple.
I continued to wait, seeing if they would calm down by themselves. I stood there for maybe a minute before my ADHD started making me aggravated. I flashed my eyes silver and shouted.
"ENOUGH!!!!" I added extra power and persuasion in my voice as it echoed within the room. The students immediately quieted down. They fearfully turned towards me, some of the younger children shaking slightly. I faced them emotionless, glaring slightly. I've got a lot of work to do if they are scared just by me....
"Sit down now!!" Many students lowered their heads and scurried back to their seats like scared dogs, tails tucked under their legs. Many tried to resist my order but grudgingly followed, glaring at me with malice and curiosity. Bring it on Bitches I thought as I narrowed my eyes back at them.
"You care to finish explaining?" I asked Dumbledore, turning back to face him. I would scoffed and laughed at the expressions on the teachers' faces. Their eyes were bugging out and their mouths hung low. Speechless. They were speechless, totally caught unawares. I smirked as I saw Snape silently snicker and scoff at them. Dumbledore cleared his throat and stepped back towards podium.
"I know many of you are confused and I can see how you feel betrayed, but everything has a purpose. Professor Jackson," I flinched slightly as he called me Professor. I couldn't hide my involuntary shivers at that word. Shit, I really am a teacher...who would've thought...."has come here at my request for two reasons. He is the son of one of our most powerful graduates and is a member of our wizarding family. We should greet him and respect him as much. The second reason however is a bit more morbid." He paused, letting it sink in and a sombre air descended upon the students. Watch what you say Gandalf or you'll get it.
"Professor Jackson is a warrior, a soldier. He has fought in many battles and has survived them all. I brought him here because he knows better than any other wizard the true challenges we are facing. I brought him here to prepare you. There is more than just Dark Arts that threatens wizard kind. He is here to teach you how to live, how to survive and how to defend yourself. That ties into our other changes in staff. Professor Snape has graciously accepted his new position as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Taking his place as Potions Master is Horace Slughorn, a graduate and old teacher of this school. Both Professor Jackson and Snape will be working closely together in order to challenge you and prepare you for your futures. Now finished your meals and head to your dormitories." I noticed how the students began to murmur at the mention of Snape's promotion.
The house leaders or prefects began to round up the students, trying to maintain what little order there was. They began to march out of the dining hall reluctantly, many turning back to stare at me curiously. I clenched my jaw and waited for the doors to close before I relaxed.
"So how is this going to work? I can't be both a student and a teacher..." I saw the other teachers look at Dumbledore as well, curious for his answer.
"I am going to have you attending our school as a sixth year student, that way you can keep a closer eye on our more troublesome students. I do not plan on you taking Ancient Runes seeing as how you are well versed in both Ancient Greek and Latin." Many of the Professors raised their eyebrows, impressed. "You will however will be taking Defense Against the Dark Arts and helping Professor Snape. You won't be taking Arithmetics or Herbology either seeing as how you will not be taking any N.E.W.T.S. When you are not in class, you will be teaching or studying. I will give you your schedule tomorrow as well as a tour of the grounds. I would like for you to assist Hagrid with his classes as well. Familiarize yourself with the monsters he is teaching the children about. The more you know about the dangers they face and know, they better you can prepare them. Throughout the year, we will be holding tutoring sessions to catch you up on the curriculum you are missing and to see how your classes and students are behaving." I nodded my head in understanding, my mind spinning with the schedule I would be maintaining.
"What about my teaching space? I will not be working in a classroom. I would like to use some of the open fields around the school and the Forbidden Forest..."
"The Forbidden Forest?! We tell them with strict clarity to venture there Mr. Jackson, I will not allow you to disrupt the order and balance we have here!"
"Peace Minerva..." Minerva huh? Greeat....a new Athena...just what I need.
"I have little care for what you want Professor. My main and only focus is the children and preparing them for what we all know is out there. It will be violent and it will be intense. There will be no textbooks and tests, there will only be blood, sweat, tournaments and competitions. I refuse to coddle them. I will teach them the way I was taught and that means pushing them to relying on their instincts and to the absolute brink of their abilities. I want them to live and to survive. The only way I can achieve that is by showing them death and putting them in life threatening simulations. Call me heartless or reckless, I don't care, but do not presume to think there won't be results. This world is in chaos Professor. This order you speak of is crumbling away. I think it's about time you accepted that and adapted." She balked, completely stunned. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and anger. It was obvious how I frustrated her but I only gave her a stony gaze. They would get no mercy or sugar coated words from me. They had to face the bitter facts of this world.
The tension was cut off by someone clearing their throat. "Very well then Professor Jackson. Tomorrow we can scout out your class locations with Hagrid. He knows the Forbidden Forest better than anyone. What I do not know is how we will prepare all of your equipment in time..."
"Don't worry about that. I can prepare it easily and I can attain the weapons with no trouble. I'll be storing them here but there will be many layers of defenses and locks surrounding them so the students cannot take them. Also, I don't want to be teaching any of the younger students. They are too weak and inexperienced. I would prefer some of the older and more responsible. If I find any student unable to work in my class or unworthy, he's out and has to try again next year. I want no nonsense." Dumbledore nodded, understanding where I was coming from.
"R-real weapons...you plan on teaching them with a-actual w-weapons?! My dear boy, how ever do you plan on achieving that?" I turned towards the stuttering and wide-eyed man.
"Yes I do Professor. We will not begin with weapons however seeing how weak they are but yes, the weapons will be real, just like the pain. They need to learn the risks and caution that must be used when in battle. As I said before, I will not coddle or protect them. I will train them as soldiers because one day, the will have to fight as one and as an army."
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Harry's P.O.V.
"ENOUGH!!!!" Percy's voice rang out and echoed across the dining hall, his voice deep and commanding. It held a power and a warning that had me shivering in unease and fear. What is this? Every student turned towards him and I saw in disgust and anger how some of the younger children were shaking in fear of him, their wide doe eyes full of confusion. And Percy just stood there uncaring, his stone cold eyes not even flickering with regret. He simply stared us down, daring anyone to challenge him.
"Sit down now!!" He left no argument. No one wanted to test him. He was in utter control of us...the power in that simple command was astounding. Before I could register it, I felt by bottom slam back into my seat, hands clasping together as I tried to stop their shaking.
"You care to finish explaining?" he asked Dumbledore, turning back to face him. It was disgusting how he was enjoying our fear and submission. His tone was aggravated and almost mocking towards Dumbledore and I felt myself bristling at how easily he dismissed our Headmaster. No one spoke but you could almost hear how our brains were turning in curiosity.
"I know many of you are confused and I can see how you feel betrayed, but everything has a purpose. Professor Jackson," I saw how Percy flinched slightly as he was called Professor. "has come here at my request for two reasons. He is the son of one of our most powerful graduates and is a member of our wizarding family. We should greet him and respect him as much. The second reason however is a bit more morbid." He paused, letting it sink in and a sombre air descended upon us students. If his parents are so powerful, how come I've never heard of them? Why in the bloody hell should I be respecting him?
"Professor Jackson is a warrior, a soldier. He has fought in many battles and has survived them all." What are you talking about Dumbledore? He's my age! How can he be more powerful and experienced than me? I'm the Chosen One, not him! "I brought him here because he knows better than any other wizard the true challenges we are facing. I brought him here to prepare you. There is more than just Dark Arts that threatens wizard kind. He is here to teach you how to live, how to survive and how to defend yourself. That ties into our other changes in staff. Professor Snape has graciously accepted his new position as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor." My stomach dropped. I could feel the blood draining from my face. We all broke out into murmurs and as Dumbledore continued to speak, my thoughts drowned him out. Snape is our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Snape is our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Snape is our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. That's it. We're dead. We are all so dead.
"A Death Eater as our Professor....it's gone to bloody Hell Harry. To Bloody Hell, mate." I numbly nodded, focusing back on Percy and Snape. Dumbledore's words seemed to strike a cord within Percy. His eyes looked so haunted and broken, it was like shattered glass. If I hadn't looked into his gaze, I would have thought he was a statue. An emotionless, expressionless statue. What made him like that? What made him so....dead? So broken? Just who is Percy Jackson? Why does Dumbledore trust him? Why does Dumbledore trust both of them? Snape and Percy are mysterious. They are merciless, they are powerful and they are unknown variables. My stomach burst into butterflies, the feeling so intense I felt sick. So many things were going out of control and I was losing it. I was losing my control and I was losing my grip. He was getting stronger and now a new guy was here. A new guy that was very chummy with our local Death Eater. Perfect
"Harry? Harry? Harry!"
"What?"
"It's time to go. The prefects are leading us out..."
"Right. Of course. Let's be off then..." I followed the other Gryffindors heading out, stealing one last glance at the tense form of Jackson before the doors shut with a heavy bang. The sound echoed inside of my head, a symbol of my Fate being sealed. This was going to be my year. If things weren't dangerous before, they certainly were now.
I was silent the entire walk to our house's Common Room. I only listened to the whispered questions of my friends and the older students telling the new members about how great the school was. Of course they wore fake smiles as they tried to laugh. Hogwarts was a shadow of its former glory and we all noticed this. I looked up as we approached Fat Lady's painting.
She held herself with a regal grace despite her figure, her chin held high and fingers held by her face elegantly. Her cream togas flowed down in gentle ripples and layers, slightly wrinkled and shaped. She wore two tight golden bands on her arm, one a single circlet and the other ended in swirls. Her hair hung down a little longer than her shoulders, permed and curled, framing her face. Her cheeks were rosy pink, the rest of her face powdered pale. Her lips were bright cherry red and were held in a slight dramatic smirk. She inclined her head towards the prefect and the children broke out in gasps.
"The things unseen..." She smiled and nodded, cooing at the new children and scowling playfully at some of the older students, telling us to keep out of trouble. As if that would or could stop any of us.
"All right. New students with me, everyone else off to bed! We have any early start and it is almost curfew! Go! No gossiping tonight!" Hermione giggled quietly at something Ron said and started to whisk away.
"Goodnight boys. See you in the morning."
"Night Hermione..." She smiled and Ron looked on star-struck.
"You all right there Ron?"
"Huh? Sure Harry. I'm fine. Today's just been mad. Know what I mean?"
"Ya...I sure do Ron...I sure do..." and with that we prepared for bed, my mind wandering away, thinking about Percy and The Dark Lord.
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Percy P.O.V.
After my chilling final words, I wandered the halls, getting directions from the occasional ghost. My heart clenched in pain as I admired the architecture. Annabeth would have loved to be here. I felt the shadow of a smile as I imagined her intellectual babble. I could see her face as I closed my eyes, her face full of awe and amazement. I could see her brushing her blonde curls out of her eyes as she took down notes and drew some of the architecture.
I had to fight the sob threatening to leave me, closing my eyes to prevent the tears from falling. I felt so empty and hollow, so lifeless. Every color around me was just a shade of grey. There was no true light and is there was, it never fell on me. No matter where I went, I would be reminded of my Wise Girl. I would see the images of us together, of her being happy, only to have painful flashes of her death destroy those memories. I didn't know how to breathe without her...I was so lost and I couldn't show it. I can't show it, ever. I have to be strong but...how can something so shattered carry the world without breaking?
"Who are you? I know every Gryffindor within Hogwarts but I have never seen you before." I looked up, startled to see a painting glaring at me. I was a little taken aback but quickly adjusted.
"My name is Perseus Jackson ma'am but please call me Percy. I am a new student here from America and the new Professor." She raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed.
"That is quite an achievement my dear!" I nodded my head, eyeing her regal toga. I narrowed my eyes slightly. There was something I wanted to test...
(A/N: To all my Greek readers, I apologize if the Greek translation is wrong. Tell me if it is and give me corrections do it is accurate. I credit the new translation to fandom_girl2)
"Είσαστε από την Ελλάδα" She looked at me in astonishment. Gotcha
"Ναι είμαι, γιατί; Έχεις περάσει τόσος πολύς καιρός παό την τελευταί αφορά που μίλησα Αρχαία Ελληνικά. Δυστηχώς μετά την τραγική πτώση της Ελλάδος, η γλώσσα εξαφανίστηκε. Τέλος πάντων, εσύ που στο καλό την έμαθες;" I smirked.
"Είμαι από την Ελλάδα και εγώ. Η γλώσσα αυτή είναι μέσα στο αίμα μου. την μιλάω σχεδόν σε όλη μου την ζωή"
"Πόσο υπέροχα, από εδώ και επέρα υποθέτω οτί θα μιλάμε πολύ! Δε μπορείς να φανταστείς πόσ μεγαλοπρεπείς γλώσσα μου φαίνεται ότι είναι. Και εσύ, εσύ, μιλάς με τέτοια μεγαλοπρέπεια και χάρη, λες και είσαι Θεός!" I blanched. Shit! She might catch me!
"Αμμ, ναι, ευχαριστώ." I answered awkwardly.
"Αα, όχι αγαπητέ μου, πρώτα πρέπει να βρεις τον κωδικό, υπάρχουν κάποια πρωτόκολλα τα οποία πρέπει ν α ακολουθούνται."
"Φυσικά μΙλαίδη μου, στην τελική τα πράγματα που δεν φαίνονται είναι τα πιο όμορφα, έτσι δεν είναι;"
"Έχεις δικιό Πέρσι, πράγματι είναι ..." And with those final words of hers, her portrait moved and opened up, leading into a room.
(English Translation...)
"Are you Greek ma'am?"
"Why yes, yes I am! It has been so long since I've last spoken Ancient Greek! It's become a dead language sadly...very tragic the fall of Greece...but however did you learn it?!"
"I am Greek. The language is in my blood. I've been speaking it for most of my life."
"How marvelous!! We will be speaking a lot from now on! The language is so regal I find. And you, you speak with such presence and grace, almost like a God!"
"Yes...uh...thank you."
"Oh no my dear, you must first speak the password, there is a protocol that must be followed my dear."
"Of course Milady. The things unseen are quite beautiful are they not?"
"Indeed they are Percy, indeed they are..."
I nodded my head towards her in farewell and in respect. She was very animated and dramatic but that was part of her charm. I walked past her and entered to corridor leading to what must have been the Common Room. First thoughts? Red. Lot's and lots of Red. What's wrong with the color blue or some black? It's so bright and cheery in here. It's almost sickening. In a...sort of good way. I guess.
There were quite a few plush velvet armchairs spread out around the room for the students. There were five to the left in front of me circled around a large study table, most likely for a study group. To my right there were two more chairs and s plush couch in front of a large fire place. It was blazing a lit the room up with orange and yellow hues. Looking at them made me think of Hestia and how she was so supportive of me during the past few months. There were more study tables spread out joined by stools and red pillows. The carpet was a really shitty, vintage, antique pattern that covered most of the floor. Would it kill them to go modern? It's not that bad. Medieval went out of style centuries ago. Let traditions go...Let them go. It was very welcoming and homey though. I'll give it that. I could see myself hang out here a lot.
I looked ahead to a little arch that led to some stairs. Seeing nowhere else to go, I went up. They were narrow and circle round into a higher platform, a sort of deck above the Common Room that split off to ways. One ways was for girls, the other way for boys. I went up to the boys' rooms, my eyes getting heavy as my energy began to drain. Today was finally catching up to me and I was ready to pass out. I walked by many doors, all of them closed until I reached the end of the hall. There was a large glass window that depicted the image of a stormy ocean calming down, the sun shining through the clouds, a white bird flying off to the horizon. Next to the window was an open door with a parchment nailed to it reading PROFESSOR JACKSON.
I took the parchment and torn it off of its nail. I pulled the wooden door back to see if it was labeled on the front. Just above the middle there were iron letters labeling the room as mine. Sweet Privacy. Guess being a teach has its perks. I stepped inside to a are room. There was only a desk, a bed, a dresser and a lamp. I took it in, grimacing at the small size and cob webs. Definitely going to summon a new place tomorrow...But now, sleep...If I can sleep.
I face planted onto the small bed, wincing at how hard it was but grateful for it none the less. I've slept on rocks and bones so this was a blessing. I closed my eyes, praying that I would not be haunted by flashbacks or dreams tonight. I turned over and faced the window, smiling at Artemis' moon chariot, anxious to sleep but afraid as well. Before I knew it, my eyes were closed. Then the screams started...
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I'm evil. I know it....don't kill me!! I apologize for the cliffhanger but I had to. Good news though, next chapter we will be starting class and seeing Percy as a Professor!!!! I have to keep you guys on your toes though so expect a few unexpected surprises in the next few chapters to come...
Also, I added a little bit to The Fates Hate Me. In short summary, Percy gets tattooed, or marked, by his power and the SPQR mark changes. Also, the tattoo is enchanted armor...
I am so happy with the feedback I've getting fro you guys!!!! Keep commenting, I love to hear your opinions and be in contact with you all!!!! I am so thankful for my 2,197 reads you guys!! I wouldn't be anything without you all so thank you!!! Comment what you think about this chapter!!!!
I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!
Adieu,
Aisha