Here we are... the chapter we've all been waiting for.
~•~
June 24th, 1995
The pounding in his head was what woke him initially. Then, as his brain woke with him, he realized that he was tied to the base of a damp stone statue in the middle of a graveyard, alone.
He groaned, trying to stay quiet. Someone must be around right? He strained against the ropes binding him but they were clearly magical, the tips of his fingers numb from being held so high above his shoulders.
Wincing as he forced his eyes to stay open, Percy looked around, trying to figure out where he was. There was no landmark except for the large mansion atop the hill overlooking the graveyard, as well as the stone angel marking one of the graves which Percy couldn't read from such a distance in the dark. There was a sort of hovel behind him, he could see it from the corner of his eye. Other than that, there was nothing but cawing crows flying over him and the growing pounding in his head. He was sure the statues were beginning to move of their own accord.
A long coughing-fit suddenly and achingly took over his lungs and he spluttered, his guise of unconsciousness blown as soon after, a figure appeared in the light of a dim fire in front of him. His lungs ached; it felt like they were bleeding.
The figure was now in front of him, so close that Percy could smell the stench of his breath. Squinting, Percy managed to make out some features; the largeness of the man's body and the excessive hair on his rat-like hands and face. His eyes were wild and, if possible, manic.
"P-Percy," he stammered, voice rough and weak, "y-you are so big now! You have grown! Y-you look so much like- S-Sally-y, d-d-darling S-Sally."
It took a few moments for Percy to realize who was in front of him. When he did, he lunged at him, straining on his binds to the point that the ropes began cutting into him, chaffing at the skin of his wrists. Percy had never felt such fury before, and his temper got the best of him. He started shouting. "You! YOU FOUL RAT! YOU SOLD MY PARENTS TO VOLDEMORT! YOU COWARD! HOW CAN YOU EVEN LIVE?! YOU-"
"Wormtail!" Came another voice. It was so chilling, so deadly that it silenced Percy as shivers ran down his spine. He knew that voice. "Keep our guest silent."
"Y-yes, m-m-master," Pettigrew obeyed and turned back to Percy, "I did what I had to do to survive, Perseus," he said, strangely confident in his words, "they meant nothing to me anyhow."
"I WILL KILL-" Percy was cut off before he could finish, gagged by a piece of material being shoved into his mouth. He coughed and spluttered but Peter had aimed it just right; stuck.
"You will not find regret from me, Percy," he said, "I can only offer you a chance- a chance to join me, your uncle Wormtail, at my Lord's side. I will not tell him of your true lineage if you do. He will reward you greatly-" with one deep glare from Percy, he stopped, puffed out his chest and nodded, "very well. We will see for how long that lasts. You are one of us, or you are our enemy. Choose your side carefully, Perseus." With that, Wormtail was gone, leaving Percy alone.
~•~
The sky did not change color here. There was no difference between day and night as far as Percy could tell. Wormtail made no indication either. The rat said nothing to him at all. A large cauldron had appeared out of nowhere, just a few steps in front of the stone angel. It couldn't be a good sign, especially since there was whispering inside the hovel, an urgent whisper. Percy briefly wondered whether people were urgently looking for him.
He tried everything he could; his wrists were raw from the effort of trying to escape his binds and his right arm was cramping, having tried to reach for Riptide which, he realized with absolute horror, was not in his pocket. His head was still pounding as well. He tried making a rainbow despite the absence of both rain and sun, hoping to Iris Message someone - he didn't care who at this point. He even prayed to his father and every other god he could imagine in his head, Roman included. Someone. Anyone.
For the first time in a while, Percy Potter was scared, and he was scared for himself.
A great amount of time must have gone by in the dark. Percy was lightheaded, almost certain he was bleeding somewhere and he was desperately trying to keep himself awake and therefore, alive. Everything was spinning faster than his brain could follow.
And then... a pop.
There was gasping, panting. It came from behing the angel on the other side of the graveyard where Percy's eyes could not reach. He followed the sound, objects turning fuzzy as he moved too quickly.
"You okay?" Said a voice. Percy's eyes widened; it couldn't be.
"Yeah," answered the other. Absolutely not. "You?"
"Where are we?" It couldn't be.
"I've been here before."
"It's a portkey," Cedric's voice claimed, "Harry, the cup is a portkey-"
"I've been here before," Harry cut him off, "in a dream."
Percy tried to stand, get their attention, but his muscles wouldn't listen and he stayed where he was before, unable to speak, unable to move, unable to fight.
"Cedric," Harry continued, his tone firm but frightened and stressed, "we have to get back to the cup! Now!"
"What are you talking about?" Cedric questioned. Percy longed to hit him over the head. He moved quickly, kicking his feet against the ground; he felt like a child. It had worked though - Cedric looked over, ears pricking. "Who...Percy?"
"Percy?" Harry questioned, following Cedric's eyes. The boys were at his side at once; Cedric beginning to cast reversal charms on the ropes holding Percy against the stone. Harry hurriedly helped with the filthy material, visibly shaking. "Percy?" He whimpered.
Percy coughed, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. "Be quiet!" he hissed, "You have to get out of here, now, Cedric leave-"
"Don't you even dare say it," Cedric growled, "I'm not leaving you. We don't do that."
"You don't understand," Percy continued, glancing over his shoulder quickly, where the door was creaking open slowly, "You have to go now!"
"Not without you!" Harry added stubbornly, "Who's-"
He suddenly started to scream. He clutched his forehead, right where the lightning scar was etched into his skin, doubling over from the pain. A fire started beneath the cauldron. Looking back again, Percy saw the door was open and Wormtail was leaving the hovel, a nasty grin on his rat-like features.
"Harry!" Cedric called out worriedly.
"Get back to the cup!" Harry hissed, "Take him and go!"
"Absolutely not-"
"Argh!" Harry yelled in pain again, looking up. The other boys followed his gaze; Wormtail's entire form was eluminated now, as well as the bundle in his arms.
Cedric, the idiot, stood up, brandishing his wand towards them, standing alone. "Who are you!" he shouted, "What do you want!"
"Kill the spare..."
Percy's eyes widened as he watched helplessly. No, no, no, no-
"Avada Kedavra!"
It was as though it was slow-motion. The green light escaped the point of Wormtail's wand and lunged towards Cedric, grabbing him in a death grip. It was so sudden, not even their demigod reflexes could help them. Percy was helpless but to watch his best friend's body fly across the grass until he stopped moving all together, glossy eyes staring blankly at the sky above him.
~•~
Percy didn't comprehend much of what happened in the next few minutes, his eyes wide and trained on Cedric's limp body. Everything was frozen: time, action. Just Cedric. Cedric Diggory. Dead. A pointless death. A spare. What life was there without Cedric Diggory in it?
He was brought back to the present by a loud splash. Wormtail stepped away from the cauldron, arms empty, and turned to the stone grave which Harry was now restrained to. He was crying quietly. Percy's dazed anger bubbled.
"B-bone of the father... unwillingly given, " Wormtail said as his wand levitated a bone from the grave and let it fall into the water. Then, he raised his right arm and a knife, muttering, "F-flesh of the servant, w-willingly s-sacrificed," and with a great wail, his hand splashed in the water, the blood turning the liquid seering red.
Percy was left to watch helplessly, unable to move as Wormtail went over to Harry, muttering once more, "Blood of the e-enemy, forcibly taken." Harry screamed through sobs as Pettigrew's bloody knife cut into his arm; there was so much blood. Wormtail dropped the knife into the cauldron as Harry continued to scream in agony. Percy wanted to cry. Harry didn't deserve this, nothing like this at all.
Moments passed. Let it have gone wrong, Percy thought, let it have drowned. He was sure Harry was wishing the same. The cauldron bubbled as flames rose from the water, something which should not have been able to happen. Then, it stopped. It's dead, Percy decided hopefully, he's gone.
If only he were right.
A body, white and as thin as parchment, rose from beneath the surface. First the shoulders, then the head and the body, uncurling and stretching as though it were an animal waking from its winter slumber. When the eyes opened, they were bright, bright red.
Voldemort.
A long, tense silence, before he moved.
Voldemort walked over to Wormtail, who sobbed in the corner, cradling his arm. "My wand, Wormtail," he said. The voice, now in full form, nausteated him. Wormtail presented it with a flourish. "Hold out your arm."
"Master," Wormtail sobbed with relief.
"The other arm, Wormtail," Voldemort hissed.
Thunder boomed overhead. Percy looked up, almost hopefully, only to see the cloud forming a skull, out of which a serpent slithered. Dark clouds moved down from the sky, forming a ring around the cauldron. Figures remained when the smoke cleared, dressed in cloaks and masks.
"Welcome, my friends," Voldemort said. "After thirteen years... where to start? Here you stand before me as though it were only yesterday. I confess myself... dissapointed. Not one of you tried to find me. Crabbe! Goyle! McNair! Not even you... Lucius."
Percy's ears pricked.
"My Lord!" Lucius said, voice pleading. "If I had detected any sign -a whisper!- of your whereabouts-"
"There were signs, my slippery friend, and more than whispers," said Voldemort.
"My Lord, I have never renounced the old ways. This image I have been obliged to present each day since your absence... that, is my true mask." Percy could tell from the blood pumping quickly through Lucius' veins that he was lying. His heartrate was picking up.
Percy frowned then. He moved his fingers, twitched his arm. No one batted an eye - no one was paying him any more attention.
"I returned..." Wormtail said eagerly
"Out of fear!" Voldemort hissed. "Not loyalty. Still... you have proved useful these last few months, Wormtail." Percy watched as Voldemort replaced Wormtail's hand and heard Wormtail sobbing his thanks.
Percy forced himself not to flinch, nor anger as Voldemort neared Cedric, smearing his muddy foot over the pale skin of Cedric's once tanned, prestine face. Voldemort was tutting with mock sympathy. "Such a handsome boy," he coed. Percy had to control his breathing to keep himself from shattering the cauldron of tarnished liquids.
"Don't touch him!" The voice was Harry's.
"Harry!" Voldemort said, as though he just realized Harry was there. "I'd almost forgotten you were here, standing on the bones of my father. I'd introduce you but word has it you're almost as famous as me these days. The Boy-Who-Lived," Voldemort declared. A pause of whispers in which Percy got up for the third time, keeping to the shadows, and then, "Shall I truly divulge how I lost my powers? It was love. You see, when dear, sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her son, she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch him. It was old magic... something I should have foreseen... but no matter; things have changed. I can touch you now..." As Voldemort touched Harry's scar with one pointed finger, Harry screamed.
Voldemort moved suddenly and Harry fell from the confines of the ropes, smacking hard against the floor. "Pick up your wand, Potter!" Voldemort commanded. "I said pick it up. Get up! Get up!"
"No," Percy said forcefully. "No, leave him! He's a child! He can't even fight!"
Everything paused. The eyes turned unto him now. Voldemort came up to him. "Perseus Potter... I have never had the pleasure of meeting you before. My plans were to rid myself of the boy first and procede with you but I see I didn't miss much." The Death Eaters laughed in sync with him while Percy held his glare.
"Fight me." Percy growled. "Or are you so weak that you cannot risk a duel with someone of age? So weak that you choose instead to fight a child who has no knowledge of such skill... just to attempt at proving yourself superior." He watched with a satisfied smirk as Voldemort took the bait. His own confines released him and he fell to the floor, forcing himself to stay upright.
"Wormtail! Give the boy his wand!" Voldemort demanded and Wormtail did so in a hurry, throwing the wand at Percy. Percy caught it with the skill of a dual-swordsman. It was something he'd been working on while at New Rome.
Voldemort cleary wanted this over with as he did not even wait for Percy to ready himself before he fired a cruciatus curse. Percy blocked the first and dodged the second, but the third struck him right in the chest. He collapsed, shaking with the curse, finding himself consumed with pain. It burned from the depths of his bones to the surface of his skin at a force Crouch did not have the first time. Percy couldn't help but scream. Every nerve and muscle was on fire, like he was being electrocuted with unimaginable force. Again and again, the spell was repeated, like a never-ending story.
"Crucio!"
After what felt like hours, it stopped. It seemed that Voldemort had tired of punishing him for his words. Percy felt slightly stupid. He definitely should not have said those things - the first insult would have been more than enough to distract Voldemort from fighting Harry. Though, Percy couldn't be sure if that was happening now or not. His ears were far too busy echoing with the same buzzing and his eyes seemed to be stapled shut, body unable to move in fear of punishment. He only faintly heard the spells around him being cast. Then, a warm feeling came over him.
When he opened his eyes, he was still in the graveyard. It was chaos, to say the least, and his body was on fire where it lay stranded outside the circle of Death Eaters surrounding Voldemort and Harry as they dueled. Harry was on the ground, writhing in pain as Voldemort stood over him, the red from his wand glowing dangerously with the torture curse. No one had noticed that Percy was alive.
"Harry Potter," Voldemort drawled after the final curse came to an end. Percy slowly rose to his feet. "I hope they remember your name."
"Master?" Lucius' voice came. Percy quietly thanked him for giving him time to move. "Is it not important to wait? To kill the boy later? To use him as ransom against Dumbledore?"
"No," Voldemort said, "it is not. Avada Kedavra!"
Harry shut his eyes tightly, visibly shaking, tear tracks running down his cheeks. A child.
Percy felt the spell hit his back hard as he dove in front Harry, his mouth freezing open in one word: run.
~•~
Harry stood alone in the graveyard. His friend and his brother were dead at his feet, having buckled under the same curse as his parents had so many years ago, leaving him all alone. Everything seemed slower.
"No matter," Voldemort was saying, "he was of no importance. Now, where were we Harry? Come on, look up, I want to see the light leave your eyes when I kill you— just like the rest of your family's. Your father, your mother, your dear brother and after you, everyone else who is loyal to you."
Harry swallowed thickly and banished the tears that threatened to pour out at watching his brother's knees give out and his eyes darken, void of life. Percy was still on the floor, having fallen onto his right side, his arms and hands empty and stretched out in front of him.
Rage pooled in Harry's chest. Percy didn't deserve to die. Cedric didn't deserve to die.
"Have it your way, then," Harry said aloud. He stepped over his brother's body like a shield and raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Expelliarmus!"
~•~
It was cold. Very cold.
"Percy," a voice he recognized from long, long ago spoke. Soft and gentle. Familiar. "Percy, open your eyes for me, darling."
Slowly, he did. It was bright, warmer.
He sat up carefully but soon realized that there was no pain. He looked around, frowning, and then looked at his wrists. They were unmarked.
"What the Hades..."
Then he remembered: he was dead.
"Percy!" He heard, and then a body collided with his. Eyes wide, Percy sat stiffly in the grip.
The body moved away and grinned widely, patting his back. "It's been a while," Jason said. "What the Hades are you doing here?"
Percy blinked, tears welling in his eyes. Jason.
"Hey, now," said another voice, "this is no place for such language."
"Oh shove off the lad, James," another said, "your language was much more foul when you first got here, don't even deny it."
"Nobody else needs to know that, Marls!"
"Oh, can you two shut it? Bloody hell."
Percy didn't know when he'd closed his eyes, but he opened them again to see two women in front of him. One was Lily. The red hair and green eyes so similar to Harry's was the uncanny indication. The other... he wasn't so sure.
They both hugged him simultaneously, their embraces warm -so warm- and comforting and... loving. Percy couldn't stop the tear that trailed down his cheek. "Mum..." he whispered.
"I know, darling," Lily whispered. Her fingers curled gently through his hair down to his neck. Percy buried his face in her shoulder. He felt warm circles being rubbed on his back by a heavier hand. When he looked up again, he found himself surrounded. James was kneeling behind him, all jokes set aside, and it was his hand on his back. Lily still held him close. Marlene -at least he guessed it was her- stood beside James, her hand on Percy's shoulder. And the last...
He turned and looked at her. "Mum?" He asked softly.
The woman's kind brown eyes shone with tears as she nodded. "Yes, honey, it's me, it's me."
He jumped and hugged her tightly. He didn't know her but... he did. It was a confusing matter which he did not want to face at the current moment.
When he looked up again, he found more people. More he knew, more he loved, more he lost. Among them, Castor. Luke. Bianca. Lee. Jason. Silena. Ethan. Zoe. Michael. Beckendorf. Cedric. There were others too, those he did not recognize. There was a young man who looked a lot like him, except his hair was not so dark and his eyes brown in place of green. Beside the man stood a small child. Her hair was cut in a short black bob and her eyes a sparkling, fierce grey.
"I... am so confused right now," he sniffed.
Of course, everyone laughed.
"This is the edge of Elysium," Lily explained gently.
Percy swallowed thickly. "I died, I remember."
"Well... no," she said.
"Huh?"
"You are alive because I want you to be," said another voice.
Percy grimaced.
He turned and, sure enough, Hades stood there, arms folded and serious.
"There is an opening between heaven and Earth right now," Hades said, "because of your brother's spell. With my blessing, it will allow you, who is on the verge of death, to return. You will return."
Percy stood up, squaring his shoulders. "What do you get out of it?"
Hades smirked. "You're learning. My dislike for Tom Riddle is far greater than my hatred for you, Potter. I need you to do something about it."
"In case you haven't noticed, he just killed me."
"Then go back and kill him first. If there is to be balance in the world, he must be destroyed."
Percy paused, thinking, but then finally nodded. "Fine."
"Good. You must go then, the spell is drawing to a close."
Percy nodded. "Just... give me a minute." The son of Poseidon turned and faced James, who was standing right behind him. They were the same height, though the curly mess of James' hair made him look slightly taller. For a moment, really, Percy thought it was Harry at his shoulder; they looked so very much alike. It was uncanny, really. James smiled and hugged him tightly.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into honey brown eyes. Percy couldn't help it when he lunged and grabbed Cedric in the most fierce hug he had in him. Cedric hugged him back just as tightly. "Live," Cedric whispered, "for us. For me."
"Ced, I can't leave you here-"
Cedric tightened his embrace. "We'll see each other again one day. In a very long time, I hope."
Percy chuckled and hiccupped in tears. When was the last time he had cried like this? He didn't want to let go. "I love you," Cedric said, "my brother." Cedric let go and vanished into the air. The others were gone too... all except for his three parents.
"You don't have to go, Perce," James said. "If you feel you can't..."
"Thank you," Percy said, sniffing again. "Thank you but... Cedric's right. I have to live. I've got Annabeth... Harry. He's all alone out there, I can't leave him. Plus, Hades just won't let me anyway."
"You're a good brother," Lily said with her gentle eyes. She came forward and cupped his cheeks, pulling him down to place a kiss on his forehead. "Just remember... it's your life, Percy. You don't always have to watch Harry, right?"
"You'd beg to differ if you saw him," Percy chuckled, "I don't know how he always finds himself in the middle of everyone else's messes."
"It's the Potter genes," James added. He earned a slap from both Lily and Sally.
Finally, however, Sally turned to him. "You're a very brave boy, my son. I'm very proud of the man you have become."
Uncertain how to reply, Percy smiled and nodded and allowed the woman to embrace him again. When she let go, they, too, were gone, and in their place, a final person remained. The girl.
"Hello," she said and smiled. Her two front teeth were large and scewed in opposite directions but Percy found it adoring. He knelt to his haunches and smiled back.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"I don't have one," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"I died before I was born. You and Mommy didn't have time to give me a name."
Percy would never again know the feeling of realizing that it was his daughter, his unborn, lost daughter, standing before him. "You- you're-?"
The girl nodded and grinned again. "All me, Daddy." Without warning, she raced up and jumped into him. Percy stood, holding her to him, allowing her to wrap her legs around him and hold her head against his chest comfortably as he hugged her tightly.
"My darling," he said softly, "I'm so sorry."
"It wasn't your fault, Daddy. And it isn't Mommy's fault either. I don't think it's anyone's fault."
He hugged her tightly. "Then," he said, "why don't I give you the name Mommy and I were talking about giving you?"
The girl retracted herself, looking at him with curious eyes. "What's that?"
"Regina," he whispered. "Gina for short. It means 'Queen'. You were going to be our little queen."
The girl grinned and tackled him again with childish glee. "I love it! I love it! I love it!"
"You do?"
"Yes! I'm going to tell everyone! Bye, Daddy!" She wiggled free of his embrace and ran off into the brightness to the egde of green, and disappeared.
Percy allowed himself a smile, "Goodbye..."
~•~
Eyes snapping open, Percy jumped awake as his spirit fell back into his body. All around him was chaos. People crying, some screaming. A few feet away, Amos Diggory was screaming, clutching the body of his son.
"P-Percy?"
The son of Poseidon shook his head and shakily got to his feet, searching for the source of the voice, when he was tackled.
Ron and Hermione were both hugging him tightly. The twins soon followed, each taking a shoulder to support him before his knees gave out from the shock.
"You- you looked dead!" Hermione shouted, unheard by others over the voices. "Harry thought-"
"Where is Harry?" Percy asked, looking around quickly. Moody was absent as well, he noticed.
"Percy!"
"Draco, where's Harry?"
The boy paled slightly as all their eyes turned to him. "Erm, Moody took him up to the castle, I think."
Percy let out a long series of curse words before saying, loudly, "That's not Mad Eye! That's Barty Crouch Junior!"