The weeks following, Sirius had begun to notice a change in Perci. She would stay locked in her room for hours for some days, and others she would be out and about around the house, helping Molly cook or clean. Sirius had noticed her appetite was bigger and her bony structure became more muscled. Her eyes held a energetic aura and her smile was a big as Sirius had seen it. Sirius could feel she was becoming more and more like her old self.
Winter was quickly approaching and Harry's letters had become more and more detailed. He talked about how Umbridge was gaining more power at Hogwarts. It was only about a week from when the school usually let out for Christmas and Sirius couldn't wait to see his godson again. Sirius had already gotten him a present and one day he decided to include Perci in this gift.
Sirius climbed the old wooden stairs up to the attic where Perci had taken to living in with Buckbeak. He knocked and waited patiently, something that was difficult for him, for Perci to open it up. He waited for a few seconds before knocking again with a slight frown. Still, no answer. "Perci?" He asked. "Are you okay in there?" Sirius was met with silence. He tried the door knob, but it was locked. Maybe she was sleeping, Sirius thought. Or maybe she's choking and dying, he thought again. With that image running through his brain he pulled out his wand and spoke, "Alohamora." The lock clicked and Sirius pushed open the door. Sirius trudged through the small room, looking in every creek and crevice. All Sirius found was a slightly opened window and red, orange, and yellow feathers on the floor.
----
"Stubefy!"
"Stubefy!"
"Stubefy!" They shouted back and forth as the death eater dummy spun from person to person. "Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Reducto!" Ginny yelled and the dummy burst into black dust. Harry grinned and clapped for them.
"Good! Now on to dueling!" Harry gathered them around a long stage like the one Harry faced Draco on in his second year. "Hermione, Ron, you guys first."
Ron grinned triumphantly and trodded up to the witch. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." He whispered.
Hermione gritted her teeth but gave him a tight smile. "Thank you Ronald." Ron walked to his side and Hermione went to her end. Perci smirked up at George. "Three pounds on Hermione." George grinned.
"You're on." He whispered.
Ron opened his mouth and raised his wand, but Hermione had already cast Stubefy. Ron was against the wall with his wand on the other side of the Room of Requirements in a matter of seconds. The girls burst out laughing and crowded Hermione in a giggling fit. Ron limped over to his brothers and Perci with a sheepish look. "I let her do that." George scowled at him and dropped the money into Perci's awaiting hand. Each member of the army got up on the platform and dueled someone. They did that for hours until everyone had gone at least twice. Harry watched as "his pupils" laughed and practiced with a smile. They were getting better and better with each session and many of them had improved. Even Neville won one of his duels. It pained Harry to have to leave them for a few weeks.
"Now that's it for this lesson. We aren't going to be meeting again until after the holidays." Many of them groaned as Harry said this. "Just keep practicing and well done everyone." Harry finished. The mixed group of wizards and witches clapped for Harry.
Ron elbowed him. "Great job, mate."
Harry's smile grew. "Thanks." He said, watching Cho Chang slowly drift off to the side. Harry quickly said goodbye to everyone, before he made his way over to her. Fred and George stepped in front of them.
"We've been thinking, Harry, we could always slip Umbridge some puking pastilles into her tea." Fred said holding open a bag of their trickster treats.
"Or fever fudge. They give you these massive boyles-" George continued. Harry sighed, trying to look over the both of them to see if Cho was still there.
"Come on guys, I'm sure Harry would rather be doing something else than talking to you." Perci led her friends away and out of the room, but not before she turned around and made a squeezing motion with her hands and nodded toward Cho.
"Grab that ass." She whispered. Harry blushed and headed over to Cho, trying to ignore Perci. Cho didn't acknowledge his presence, but stood staring at a picture.
Harry cleared his throat. "Are you alright?" He asked. "I heard Umbridge gave you a rough time the other day."
She turned her teary eyes to him. "Yeah," she replied shakily. "I'm okay. Anyways, it's worth it." She looked back at the picture. Harry followed her gaze. His eyes landed on the old, moving picture of Cedric and Perci. It was the only good picture anyone had of him.
"Oh, that. Yeah Perci put it up a few days ago." Harry said softly. Cho grimaced. "You don't still think Perci killed him?"
Cho shook her head. "No, it's just, learning all this...makes me wonder if he'd known it..." Her voice was soft and delicate.
Harry scrambled for the right words. "Cedric did know this stuff. He was really good. It's just," Harry prayed his voice didn't crack or he didn't cry, "Voldemort was better."
Cho nodded and sighed. "You're a really good teacher, Harry." She chuckled "I've never been able to stun anything before." 'You stunned me', Harry thought. Cho looked up at the growing mistletoe between them. Harry saw Perci mutter charms and point her wand above them out of the corner of his eye. He'd have to thank her later. "Mistletoe." Cho muttered, leaning in close to Harry.
All Harry could do was focus on her lips. He remembered saying somethings stupid about nargles and then he kissed her. It was his first and the most amazing feeling he had felt. His lips sparked with electricity. His mind went blank. Harry could've stood there forever, just kissing her.
----
Perci landed through the window of Grimmauld Place with a small purple sack held between her teeth. She transformed back into her human self and set the bag down. It was full of her daily dosage of an unknown potion that kept her looking as good as new, a few books Snape had lent her, and several trinkets she had nicked from his office.
She stuffed the books and bottomless pouch under her bed and downed the vile. She gagged at the usual taste of vomit that came with the potion. Perci cursed Snape; couldn't he have added some kind of flavor? Grape? Mint? Strawberry? Perci dropped the vile back down the purple pouch and once again pushed it all under her bed-not the best hiding place, Perci noted, must find another one.
Perci straightened her clothes before she opened the attic door and headed down the steps to the kitchen. Perci was met with Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and Sirius staring at her with their arms crossed.
She raised her eyebrows. "Is everything okay?"
Mrs. Weasley's eyes popped out of her skull and her ears turned pink, much like Fred's. She couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Where have you been?!" Mrs. Weasley screamed. Perci was slightly taken aback. Mrs. Weasley had never yelled at her in all the years she acted like a second mother to her. Perci felt her heart scrunch up and her stomach clench as her eyes dropped to the ground. When she looked back up at Mrs. Weasley, she was silently sobbing. Perci frowned and enveloped her in a tight hug.
"Don't leave like that again!" Her voice shook. "We didn't know if a deatheater found you or if the Ministry arrested you." Molly clutched to Perci like she did her own children.
"I just needed some air." Perci choked out. She glanced up at Sirius. His look showed her he knew she was bullshitting him.
Perci continued to comfort Molly for a few more minutes before she wiped her tears away and hustled to the kitchen saying she need to finish washing the dishes. Sirius grabbed Perci and dragged her inside the attic. He slammed the door shut. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He whisper-screamed, the vein at his temple popping.
"I was getting some air." Perci replied cooly.
Sirius narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't like being lied to, Perciana."
"I'm not lying." Perci tried to slow the rapid beating of her heart. She was a pretty good liar, she learned from the Stolls and even taught Fred and George how to be expert liars, but it was always difficult for her to lie to people she cared about. She could feel her stony facade slipping.
He let out a breath. "I just want you to be safe, Perce." Sirius' face softened.
"I am, I will be. Don't worry about me." Perci replied.
"I do worry about you, especially since what happened these past few months." Sirius grabbed her hand gently. "It's just–" Sirius fought to find the right words. He could practically hear the ticking of her time bomb. If she was normal, she would've been written down as an angsty teenager, but she wasn't normal. He dropped her hand and began to head out of the attic. As a second thought he turned around one more time. "I know you sneak out. You probably have for a while now. Just don't do anything stupid." Sirius grinned. "I know that will most likely be a challenge for you."
Perci rolled her eyes with a slight smile, watching him as he left her. Perci let out a deep breath, her smile falling. She leaned against the wall, sliding down it. She hated what she was doing, but it was the only way if she wanted to achieve her goal.
'Push them away,' Snape had said. 'You don't need them getting hurt in this, too. Only two people will pay the price for your actions.'
Perci remembered her last meeting with Snape.
----
Snape pulled down a thick leather-bound book from the top shelf of his private collection. Perci sighed as she flipped through the pages of the last one he had given her. Her eyes burned as she tried to unscramble the words on the pages. She wished her ADHD and dyslexia would fade as fast as her powers over water were. Perci slammed the book shut and threw it on a table.
"Why am I reading?" Perci groaned. "I thought you said you were going to teach me about being a Phoenix and how it'd help me." Perci crossed her arms.
Snape did not look away from the book he pulled down. "Leaning goes two ways: reading and doing." His monotonous voice pierced through the floating dust and potion fumes in the compact office.
"How will learning about my powers as a Phoenix help me?"
"Why do you want to kill her?" Snape ignored Perci's question. He turned around, closing his book, finally. "Revenge?"
"Yes, and to stop her from doing it again." Perci narrowed her eyes. "Why can't I just use the Killing Curse? Why do I have to use whatever powers your trying to teach me?"
"You won't need to use the powers I help you discover to kill her, that is for another purpose. And to use the Killing Curse, you need the mental strength, determination. Killing someone is not a simple thing, Perciana. It has torn even the strongest apart. You are here for me to strengthen your mind, for me to help you discover your potential, and to get your memories. I am here to help you."
"Why? Why do you care?" Perci asked, her eyes narrowing.
Snape's face turned red. Did she know the real reason? "I want her dead just as much as you do." He replied. Snape cleared his throat and threw the book he was reading at her.
Perci caught it with ease and read the title aloud. "The Unforgivable Curses: How to Perform Them." Snape threw her another book titled, 'Strong Mind, Strong Heart'.
"Read those. I want them finished before our next meeting after the holidays." Snape said.
"That's only two weeks! I'd have to read everyday. Fucking hate reading." She muttered.
"Get over it. If you really want to kill her, then you will finish these by our next meeting. You may leave now. I've filled your pouch with your regular dosage and other items."
Perci groaned, gathered her things. She focused, imagining herself erupting into flames, her wings sprouting and feathers growing. She soon took off into the air, heading back to Grimmauld Place.
----
He slid along the cool dark tile. The cold tickled the scales on his underbelly. He glanced at himself in the smooth reflecting tile that also covered the walls. Yellow, slitted eyes stared back at him. He came upon a black door with a golden knob in the middle. The door opened, as if he had commanded it too.
He slid through the shelves stacked with glowing orbs, behind the unsuspecting man. His bloodlust grew as he got closer. The man turned around slowly, looking down at him. His blue eyes widened, fear growing in them.
Harry felt little spurts of glee. He couldn't contain himself anymore. He lunged at the man, his fangs sinking into the man's face. He lunged again. And again. And again. The man's screams—oh my the screams. Harry would've laughed if he wasn't too busy. The screams gave him life.
"Nagini."
Harry stopped, hearing his master. He slithered around, facing his master. Voldemort gave him a smile and held out his arm. Harry slid toward him. Once they touched, both of them were gone.
Harry awoke in a cold sweat.
----
Molly's scream woke Perci up from her peaceful slumber. Perci grabbed her wand, and practically flew down the stairs to the living room. Molly was with Sirius in her pajamas, standing in front of a portrait. Perci noticed Phineas speaking softly to the two of them. Sirius nodded and retrieved his wand.
"Mrs. Weasley? Sirius? What's happened?" She asked. Molly turned around with a teary, pale face. She broke into loud sobs, awaking the irritable portrait of Sirius' mother. She began to scream and gripe loudly.
"It's Arthur, he's been attacked in the Ministry." Sirius said. The door of Grimmauld Place opened and slammed shut. Remus, Tonks, and Mad Eye trudged through the house loudly.
"We need to go now!" Mad Eye yelled.
"I'm going with you." Perci said. She headed over to them.
"No, you'd be going straight into the Ministry's hands." Remus shot back.
"I don't care! It's Mr. Weasley! I'm not going to–" Perci's eyes were on fire now, her anger barely contained.
"No! You're staying here. That's the end of it." Sirius growled. With that they were out the door. Perci looked back at Mrs. Weasley. Her body shook and contorted. It was as if she felt her husband's pain as her own. Phineas tried to speak over her sobs.
"Your children will be arriving soon, Molly. Everything will be okay."
Perci helped Mrs. Weasley to her feet and led her to the couch. She went to the kitchen and got a cool, wet cloth. She carried it back and wiped Mrs. Weasley's tears and sweat away. She tried soothing her. Her sobs became low whimpers and sniffles.
"He will be fine, Mrs. Weasley. He's strong, stronger than a lot of people." Molly nodded, but burst out crying again. "Just breathe. Shhhh." Molly clenched to Perci, her nails digging into Perci's neck and arms, clawing, trying to hold onto something that she knew wouldn't slip away. Perci rocked Molly back and forth and she began to calm down. Perci heard the door open and slam shut. The floorboards creaked as the Weasley boys and Ginny ran through the house to the living room.
"Mum? What's going on?" George asked. Molly quickly wipes away her tears and gathered her bearings. She got up from the couch and Perci's grasp.
"Your father was in an accident, but Sirius and Remus and the others went to help him." Her voice shook.
"Is he alright?" Ginny choked out. Molly's lip quivered before she embraced her. "I don't know, sweetheart." She replied.
She went on to hug her other children before running into the kitchen, saying she was going to make some soup. Fred left the room without a word, heading up the stairs. George went to follow him, but stopped, seeing Perci on his tail. George knew Perci could help him.
Fred slammed the door to his and George's room shut and fell onto his bed. He put his head in his hands. He tried not to cry, but it was no use. Perci didn't waste any time in knocking. She opened the door and closed it quietly.
'Don't say anything stupid.' She thought. 'Please don't say anything stupid.' Perci kneeled in front of him and pried his hands from his tear stained face. She held his shaking hands before putting them to his side. He didn't stop crying, he didn't have the strength to hide. He but his lip so hard, blood filled his mouth. He opened his eyes and looked at her.
'What do I say?' She thought. 'Do I say anything?' Fred choked on his sobs. Perci gently pulled Fred to the ground beside her. Fred put his head in her lap and continued to cry, scream, and curse. Thank the gods their room was sound proof. Perci's stroked Fred's hair, as he finally calmed down. She listened to his heartbeat, soft and slow, just how it usually was. He clenched to her just like Molly did, but it made Perci feel different from when she did it. She couldn't quite describe it. In this one sad, heartbreaking moment, Perci was happy.
She couldn't hear anything except Fred's heart. She listened closely to it. It matched her own.