It was almost Christmas and over the course of the last few weeks you could say Percy was more irritated than anything else how come Harry couldn't just drop the three headed Dog.
While talking to Hermione he figured out that they knew something new. Nicolas Flamel supposedly what ever the dog was guarding it had something to do with him, and now they even suspect Snape of trying to steal whatever the dog was guarding.
If anyone was suspicious in Percy's opinion it would be Professor Quirrell.
"Percy! Professor Quirrell is a really nice professor and he's an absolute mess." Hermione scoffed.
Percy thought it was unethical to judge someone based on how they act. Luke taught him that during the summer.
Otherwise things were going great Percy has perfect grades and quidditch started recently although Percy refused to go due to how high the stands were. He heard they unfortunately lost to Gryffindor due to harry accidentally eating the snitch.
Best of all winter was going by fast and soon Christmas would come. Everyone was excited to go back and see their families, but Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays. So Percy naturally signed up spending his winter in a castle or with the Dursleys.
It didn't surprise him when Harry signed up as well looking very excited he didn't have to see the Dursleys and he got to spend his Christmas with Ron.
As for Percy he was hoping to use this opportunity to sway or convince Harry to drop the Thing the dog was guarding as well as getting closer to him. Their relationship has fallen apart vastly since they were separated in to different house.
Maybe it was the people Percy hung out with. But one thing about It was they weren't bad once you got to know them. Most of the ideals they follow was pushed on them from a young age especially Malfoy. He had a mouth but he was also a good friend when he needed to be he even invited Percy to stay at his manor for Christmas break. Percy already signed up to stay at Hogwarts though.
The only other bad thing about Malfoy was the fact that he couldn't let things go or learn when to keep his mouth shut.
As we were leaving potions he decided to provoke Weasley and almost got beat up muggle style. Luckily Professor Snape came to his rescue.
"You just don't know when to shut up do you Malfoy?"
"What do you mean by that Perseus?"
"You didn't have to insult Weasley he almost beat you up."
"You would have helped me." He laughed. "Besides I don't need to worry about rift raft like him."
"He would have gotten a good punch in before I could have reacted Malfoy." Percy simply stated "Your lucky Snape saw it before I did."
"I'm going to eat." Percy said leaving Malfoy stunned.
There it was the great hall with all the delicious foods Percy will spend the next 10 minutes of his life gorging, Or he was going to until he saw the Trio talking to Hagrid.
"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.
"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me – Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."
"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.
"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"
"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."
"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here – I've told yeh – drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."
"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.
"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere – just give us a hint – I know I've read his name somewhere."
"I'm sayin' nothin'," said Hagrid flatly.
"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.
Thats when Percy decided to talk to Hagrid.
"Hey Hagrid I was assigned a new project from Professor Binns about wizards throughout history I was hoping you could help?"
"Did he, wht're person did he assign." Hagrid asked with a brow raised.
"He said since I was doing so well he'd give me a bit of a challenge and assigned me someone named Nicolas Flamel." Percy stopped looking up at Hagrid for what could be seen as help.
"Did those three put yeh up ter this?"
"What three are you talking about Hagrid?"
Hagrid breathed a sigh of relief before looking at Percy suspiciously again.
"You won't tell them about this will yeh?"
"Hagrid I have know idea what you are talking about." Percy paused. "I could talk to a different teacher if you don't know."
"No No it's fine." Hagrid said stopping him.
It seemed Nicolas flamel isn't on any recent books because he is so old. 665 years is quite a long time maybe not as long as the gods but close. But he is friends with Dumbledore and the trick to his old age as well as his fortune was something called the philosophers stone that could supposedly make someone immortal or turn anything to gold.
"Thank you Hagrid I'll turn in my report before Break starts."
"No problem Perseus." Hagrid said with a warm smile.
Then the holiday's started Malfoy and everyone else left. Leaving just Percy and some other Slytherins from different years.
To say Percy wasn't intrigued by the new information he learned would be a lie, but he thought it better to just keep to himself and ignore the situation entirely Luckily Harry and Ron have been to caught up with the holiday to even focus on the Nicolas Flamel situation.
While they were playing wizard chess which Ron was surprisingly good at. Percy on the other hand spent most of his time sending letters to Annabeth and camp hearing about what going on with them. Luke was still no where to be found, but otherwise everything was going great with them and they were excited for his return.
Percy couldn't lie he was excited to get back to camp he would love to see Grover again as well as Annabeth. Clarisse could wait though the way magic could influence his future quests and endeavors would be quite beneficial. The only other thing Percy did was first try and learn as much as he could from the library as Malfoy wasn't here to bug him, and second try to get a stupid bow on his owl.
The Owl he had was a monster in her own right maybe it was Athena cursing him or maybe they just hate him but it would attack him at every opportunity and it was to much for him to handle if only he told Hagrid sooner. Thats what he thought until he came up with a better idea.
It was his Christmas present to Annabeth if he wasn't available for a IM she could just send some mail to him plus it was her mothers patron bird. It was ideal for her to have it over him.
When he finally got the blasted bird to sit still he put a bow on it and sent it on its way to Annabeth. He hoped by tomorrow on Christmas she would receive the gift. That night Percy slept with a wide grin on his face.
Percy woke up not expecting any presents but was pleasantly surprised to find two sitting at the foot of his bed. When he opened the small package he realized it was a photo of Him Annabeth and Grover after their first quest. The other was a fifty-pence piece from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.
Percy walked to the great hall ready for breakfast and his present for Harry it wasn't much but he hoped that it would get them closer.
walking over to the Gryffindor table Percy simply handed Harry his present and said "Merry Christmas Harry." before going back to his table. He ate his food as he watched Harry's reaction to the quidditch book Percy got him to say he was surprised would be accurate. Harry didn't get anything for Percy and Percy didn't expect anything from him.
Before Harry could return it or talk to Percy the twins drag him outside with the rest of the Weasleys.
For the rest of the day Percy spent his time going over spells or roaming around the castle hoping to find new areas he hasn't explored before. One of the idiotic things he did was bringing a broom into the castle hoping to learn how to fly with a limit that was the ceiling.
You could probably tell that professor McGonagall was not amused to find the torn banners and sets of destroyed armor stands. Percy finally decided that brooms were not for him. After spending the last quarter of his day fixing his messes while Filch watched over him. Before he knew it Filch told him to scram to his dorm as it was to late for him to be out here any longer.
As Percy was on his way back something bumped into him making him stop in his tracks. He pulled out his wand ready to find the invisible person until he heard his brother's voice.
"Percy come with me."
Percy only saw his hand motioning toward what he guessed was Harry. He walked forward only to feel something drape over him he saw harry and everything around them through what seemed to be some type of silk or cloak.
"Invisibility cloak what do you think, cool right?"
"Yes cool indeed." Percy could only say while he was in awe.
They slowly made their way to wherever Harry was leading them. They ended up in front of the fat lady and as Harry made Percy wait outside while he was getting Ron.
"Why is he here?"
"They're his parents too Ron." Ron looked down at his feet a bit embarrassed.
"it's fine Harry I haven't been the nicest person this year but I want to see this thing already before we get caught." Percy said slightly pushing Harry.
With Ron and Percy covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.
"I'm freezing," said Ron.
"Let's forget it and go back," Percy agreed.
"No!" Harry hissed. "I know it's here somewhere."
They passed a ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armor.
"It's here – just here – yes!"
They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror.
There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.
It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket – but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.
It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
"See?" Harry whispered.
"Harry I don't see anything." Percy replied.
"Look! Look at them all...there are loads of them...."
"I can only see you, Harry," Ron said.
"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."
Harry stepped aside and Ron stepped forward, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas.
Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.
"Look at me!" he said.
"Can you see all you family standing around you?"
"No – I'm alone – but I'm different – I look older – and I'm head boy!"
"What?"
"I am – I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to – and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup – I'm Quidditch captain, too!"
Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry and Percy.
"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"
"How can it?" Harry asked. "All my family are dead."
"Do you want a try Perseus?" Ron asked anxiously.
Percy walked up to the mirror wondering what he would see.
Percy saw himself older an age he was told to be impossible for someone like him. He was with Annabeth and Grover at camp smiling happily. Then something unexpected happened it changed in front of him into another version of himself living as a wizard.
This mirror was a mystery to Percy it showed him a possible future and it showed Ron one too could Harry's been a possible future also where their parents were alive?
"Did you see them too Percy?"
Percy looked at Harry and he lied "I saw Mom and Dad standing behind me and you."
"I told you Ron their there!" Harry said pointing at the mirror. Percy tapped his shoulder and left the room leaving the two boys alone.
Ron and Harry argued over the mirror for sometime until they figured out what time it was and started to head back to the dorm as soon as possible.
Percy spent the rest of the day to himself.
Ron was trying to convince Harry to not go back to the mirror. But nothing Ron said seemed to convince Harry and it looked like nothing was going to stop him.
That third night he found his way more quickly than before. He was walking so fast he knew he was making more noise than was wise, but he didn't meet anyone.
And there were his father and mother smiling at him again, and one of his grandfathers nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all.
Except –
"So – back again, Harry?"
Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.
"I – I didn't see you, sir."
"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.
"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."
"I didn't know it was called that, sir."
"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"
"It – well – it shows me my family –"
"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy, and Percy with your family as well."
"How did you know -?"
"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"
Harry shook his head.
"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"
Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want...whatever we want..."
"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. Your brother Perseus seemed to figure out what it was the moment he looked into the mirror or was shocked by what he saw so much he had to leave. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is even real or possible.
"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"
Harry stood up.
"Sir – Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"
"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."
"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"
"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."
Harry stared.
"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.