Charlie casually paced around the ceiling of one of the countless hallways of Hogwarts. He needed a way to discover where the other schools were, he was skilled in magic, but that didn't make him omniscient.
Perhaps he could appeal to the conscience of a wizard, but he doubted many of them had one.
"What are you doing up there?"
Charles looked up, or down at the old witch staring at him incredulously.
"Pacing." He replied like it was obvious.
"On the ceiling?" She nearly exclaimed, a Scottish accent peaking throught her voice.
"Well I can't do that anywhere else without people trying to hex me." He deadpanned.
"You must be the demigod who has been causing so much trouble around our school." She said stating the obvious.
"If you have a problem with that... I don't really care if you do it's not like you can stop me."
The witch sighed "I guess you are correct, even with the castle crawling with aurors no one was able to catch you. May I speak with you face to face."
Charlie narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but he sensed no ill intent from her.
So he slowly made his way down the wall and jumped down in front of her.
Minerva McGanogall looked uncharacteristicaly shocked. "My you are younger than I expected."
"I get that a lot." Shrugged Charlie "now what do you want to tell me?"
The transfiguration professor looked from left to right and softly started speaking.
"You are looking for the emplacement of all the other wizarding schools aren't you?"
Charlie perked up "can you help me?"
"Under one certain condition." Professor McGanogall bargained.
Charles titles his head "and that condition would be?"
Asked the young legacy, ready to hear out the witch.
"Don't hurt the children's. They don't know what they are doing. To them it's an unprecedented attack on their home. They're elders may not, but they can learn better."
Charlie crossed his arms at the admitedly weak defense. "Listen you have nothing to fear for the young children okay, but there is no excuse for the actions of the wizarding world."
The teacher sighed "I must admit you are right, but if you keep your word then I will gladly reveal to you the emplacements of the other schools."
Charlie nodded "if you're expecting a magical contract or binding, not in a million year. I'm never getting anywhere near one of those." Scoffed Charles never the one to practically seal away his capacity to choose for anyone.
"Then I hope you know how to keep your word." Grimmly stated the professor. She produced a rolled up piece of parchemin from her loose sleeve. She handed it to Charles who immediatly inspected it.
"You know I'll come back to burn this place to the ground if your lying rigth?"
"Believe me no one is more aware of that." Fearlessly stated the professor.
Charles memorised the emplacements and pocketed the parchemin.
He looked up and passed the professor "friends of yours?" He asked audibly cracking his neck.
McGanogall looked around them. Each end of the hallway was being blocked by Aurors. Dolores Umbridge leading them.
"Giving vital informations to savages? How dissapointing Minerva. Throwing away such an impressive carreer for such lowly beings."
Charles titled his head. Silently telling the older woman to leave. She pulled out her wand "child I am already doomed, but I will be damned if I go down without a fight. Just leave that toad to me." The witch demanded her eyes glaring in Umbridge's direction.
Charles shrugged "as you wish."
The Aurors shared nervous looks, perfectly aware of Minerva McGanogall's reputation.
"What? Cat got your tongue? You always seemed so eager to oppose me, but now I guess you've finally learned your place." Umbridge giggled insufferably behind her hand.
"Oh there's a lot of things I want to say to you Dolores. Fuck you being one, but I doubt your small brain and fragile ego can process the rest." Spat Minerva.
"Hot damn." Charlie said a wide smile slowly spliting his face.
"What are you dimwits waiting for!" Umbridge shrilly demanded the motionless Aurors.
"Expeliarmus!" The red bolt of light shot out of the man's wand, only to swerve back into his wand, by a flick of Charlie's fingers.
The Aurors at the other end of the hallway tried to shoot the legacy in the back, but McGanogall swiftly stood in front of them wand drawned.
"Think twice gentlemen." She said her voice dangerously low.
Meanwhile Charles slammed his hand upon the ground. The stone rumbled and a wave of serpents made of stone erupted from the ground. The wizard still possessing a wand managed to knock one away, but he and his partner were quickly entangled in multiple snakes violently snapping their jaws close to their face.
Making them scream in terror as they thought they were about to become the beast's dinner. And if Charlie had bothered scultping a digestive track from the stone animals they would have been.
The other wizards finally steeled themselves and started attacking the old professor. Who swiftly erected a barrier and stood her ground as curses and hexes slammed into her shield.
Charlie easily lept over McGanogall and sent two balls of fire at the walls next to the wizards. The small burst of flames effectively breaking their concentration.
He landed back crouching, giving McGanogall the opening she needed to disarm them both. Now not being even a semblance of a threat Charlie raced forward and rolled under a sloppy punch.
He rolled upon his hands, extanding his body and kicking the wizard in the chest. Sending him flying head over heel and back onto the cold stone.
Charlie flipped back on his feet and before the witch could react, he placed his leg behind hers and grabbed her face. Swiftly and effortlessly slamming her into the ground. Umbridge who no longer had any human shields, resulted to taking out her wand.
Charlie flicked his finger, sending the witch sliding accross the ground at blinding speed with a telekinetic burst.
Umbridge schreeched as she was blown throught a door another and one more before her screams were drowned out.
Charles looked back at McGonagall and shared a nod with her before racing back deeper into the castle.
He had one last thing to do before leaving Hogwarts. And that was make an offer.
He had to knock out a few dozen wizards and witches on the way there, but he finally reached Gryffindor tower.
The fat lady in the painting tried to ask for the password, but she swung open with a wave of Charlie's hand. "Brute!" She yelped.
He barged inside the tower. The members of the D.A remained while the other ran out at the sight of him.
"Chelsea!" Charles called not running up the stairs up the girl's dorm. He was more polite than that, although the fact that the girl's could simply come down to the boy's dorm whenever they wanted rubbed him the wrong way.
Chelsea ran down the stairs "what's wrong?" She asked her blue eyes wide with anxiety.
Charles handed her the paper. She snatched it and quickly read it's content. Her face going pale as she realised what it meant.
"We can go to the other schools and--"
"I can't." Chelsea answered cutting off Charles eager planning.
"What?" He said his tone shifting to dangerously cold.
"I know they did a lot of wrong, countless wrongs in just the past few years, but I can't give up on them. The Legion and all the other demigods taught me so much. Lessons i'll never forget, but the Wizarding world, it's my family, it's my blood too. I have to stand by them, I have to make it right." Chelsea explained trying to sound steady, but Charlie could tell this decision was tearing her apart.
Not even Hermione thoughtlessly jumped in the conversation. The tension in the room being palpable by even the most blind and foolish person.
Charles looked at her up and down and realised Chelsea was shaking.
He could never stop people from being afraid of him, no matter how hard he tried. So was the curse of being born powerful, his father and his sisters could understand, but he always tried so hard.
He couldn't force her hand, he shouldn't force her hand. So he wasn't going to.
"You know out of all the lessons we might have taught you. I think you missed the most important one." Charlie finally softly spoke throught the cold silence.
"And that would be?" Chelsea shackily wondered. Handing him back the parchemin.
"Familly doesn't end with blood, but it doesn't start there either."
Charles pressed a comforting hand to Chelsea's shoulder. "I have to do what has to be done. And I know you'll do what you think is right. If it's not me someone else Will help you."
With those words Charles walked away, to finish his mission. Not a quest, a favor for a God or a Goddess. Just the right thing to do.
While Chelsea stayed in the same place. Persuaded that she could make things right. Not out of arrogance, or with overwhelming power.
Just out of hope.