Chapter 26
"You're lying, Annabeth. All you do is lie!"
Annabeth sank to her knees and shook her head, unable to stop the tears falling from her eyes. "I'm not! I swear I'm not! The spiders are real!"
Her stepmother stood next to Frederick Chase while they looked down on her with hateful sneers. "We hate you. All you do is lie and put our family in danger. You scare your brothers. Everything is your fault!"
Annabeth buried her face in her hands and wept.
Someone shoved her from behind, and she went sprawling into the dirt. Annabeth lifted herself up on shaky arms and blanched when she saw Thalia and Luke standing side by side. She was seven years old all over again, but instead of her best friends protecting her, keeping her safe until they reached Camp Half-Blood, they spat just inches from her.
"You're just slowing us down. We'll get caught by the monsters if we keep you with us." Thalia shook her head with narrowed eyes.
Luke's grin was stretched too wide and his expression too manic to belong to him. "We never wanted you, Annabeth. You're a loser, and you can't protect yourself. If we leave you here, then the monsters will come after you and not us."
"No!" Annabeth cried, scrambling to her feet. "Don't leave me! Please!"
The shadows that had been creeping along the edges of her vision pounced, and Annabeth was blinded. Panic set in and her breathing came in short, harsh pants. "Percy! Why would you leave me!"
They said they would always be together. Percy had promised that he wouldn't leave her by herself, but he lied. She was alone in Tartarus, blind and defenseless. She was going to die and her boyfriend, the one person who had become another part of her soul, had left her alone.
Annabeth crumpled to the rocky terrain, scraping her knees as she curled in on herself.
And then she cried.
XX
Blackjack touched down on the deserted streets of London just as the lengthening sun dropped below the horizon. Guido and the four Thestrals weren't far behind, and soon the group of demigods, wizards, and witches were back on solid ground. Some were more grateful for this fact than others.
"Never...again..." Ron said weakly as he released his death grip on Will and slid ungracefully off the horse.
When the others dismounted shakily, but stayed on their own two feet, Hermione had yet to surrender her grip on Percy's waist. He coughed, "Er...Hermione, I think you can let go now."
"Mmurmm!" She mumbled with a fierce shake of her head, her face still buried into Percy's shoulder blades. Harry gently grabbed her arm and tugged, indicating that he would help her down. She held on tight to both boys until she found her footing and immediately latched herself around Harry's neck. "I...hate...flying! Never, never again!"
Percy dismounted Blackjack and laughed at his pegasus' whinnies. "I know, right? She's just like Thalia! Go ahead and take the others for a ride, but stay close enough where you can hear Reyna's whistle, alright?" The winged horse gave a signal and pushed off into the twilight sky with his powerful wings, leading the small herd away.
A warm summer breeze flitted through the streets, ruffling Percy's hair slightly. He should have welcomed such an intrusion, but he was too on edge to respond with anything but a shiver. "Harry, once we get inside, do you think you can find the Department of Mysteries?" He asked.
Harry gave a determined nod and looked to the phone booth behind them. "This is the only way I know how to get in, but I'm not sure if we will all fit inside."
Nico rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "Just give me an estimate of how far below we are going."
Harry thought about it for a second before clasping a hand on Nico's shoulder. "Roughly twelve stories." The Son of Hades nodded and waited for everyone to be connected.
Reyna grimaced, "Are you sure you can handle the jump?"
Will nudged his boyfriend. "Nico's been killing his shadow-travel lately. His doctor approves." This earned Will a rare smile before the group disappeared into the night.
When Percy opened his eyes, he was standing on the cool obsidian tiles of the Ministry of Magic lobby along with Harry and the other demigods. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna were all lying across the floor trying to shake off nausea chills.
Leo's smile was infectious, and Percy was glad he had joined them, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who's not used to being flung through the shadows." They helped their friends up to their feet and looked expectantly towards Harry, who pointed to the left of the golden fountain thirty yards in front of them.
As they passed by, Percy questioned the concentrated look on Will's face. He just shook his head, "It's nothing, just looks different from my dream, that's all."
Percy thought it was strange that there wasn't a single soul around, and the block of ice that had settled in his stomach slowly melted as his feeling of foreboding increased. Shouldn't there at least be some kind of security?
They found themselves in front of a grand set of elevator doors, which reminded him a little of the gateway to Olympus. Harry pressed the down button, and when the doors opened seamlessly, everyone fit inside. "Press number nine!" He called out, and Leo obliged. A sudden jolt in movement forced them down, and a cool female voice announced, "Department of Mysteries."
"Wands out!" Percy hissed, his voice echoing across the slick black corridor walls in front of them. Harry's anxiety flared as he stared fixated on the plain black door ahead. He swallowed loudly and turned towards the group. "This...this is it. I guess I can't convince any of you to stay here?" The look on their faces gave him his answer.
Percy moved next to him as they stepped across the threshold, slightly unnerved by the way the door swung open on its own. Inside, they found a large, circular room that lived up to its 'mysterious' name. Everything in there was black including the floor and ceiling-identical, unmarked, handle-less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue, their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor so that it looked as though there was dark water underfoot. (OotP)
As they started following Harry towards the door directly opposite the entrance, a loud rumbling shook the room around them. The candles shifted to the left, and Hermione grabbed his arm. "The wall is rotating!" She whispered, frightened that the smallest sound might alert their presence to whoever was waiting for them.
When the movement shuddered to a stop, they all looked around. "I think it was trying to stop us from knowing which door we came in from." Said Ginny in a hushed voice. Percy looked around and confirmed that she was right, he had lost his bearings in the move.
Nico strode warily towards a door on their left. "This one..something strange is on the other side of the door. I can hear things. Voices, maybe." Harry narrowed his eyes and pushed the door open to reveal an amphitheater type of room. Stone benches circled the perimeter of a sunken center holding an ancient stone archway. Percy was amazed it was still standing, as the cracks and crumbling pieces gave the impression that it could break apart any minute. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly as though it had just been touched. (OotP)
Echoed footsteps sounded across the room as the group entered, making their way towards the strange archway. Only a few feet away, Nico put out a hand to stop Harry from getting any closer. "Don't. This is a veil." He warned, his tone suddenly serious.
"A veil?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed.
Nico urged the group to back away. "A veil, Potter. A barrier between here and my Father's domain. I have no idea how a group of wizards got their hands on it, but it's extremely deadly."
Ginny cocked her head in interest, "how so?"
"It's a one-way trip to the Judgement Pavilion. You take one step through, you die."
The group's eyes widened considerably, and everyone took a hurried step back. Harry chewed on the inside of his cheek. "So what are the voices?"
If possible, Hermione looked more nervous than before. "Voices? I don't hear anything. I also don't see any veil..."
Nico raised an eyebrow at her. "The voices are the souls that recognize you. It's similar to being able to see the Thestrals. When you watch someone die, it changes you."
"We should get out of here. Right now." Her voice was more urgent, and Percy couldn't help but agree.
He grabbed Harry and Ginny's shoulders and led them back up towards the door. "You heard the lady, everyone out." Nobody hesitated at the command, and soon they were back in the circular room.
Before it could start spinning again, Hermione pointed her wand towards the door they had just come out of. "Flagrate!" A fiery 'X' appeared on the door. Looking very pleased with herself, she turned around and asked, "Well, where to next?"
Harry moved slowly around the room, as if trying to remember the door from his dreams. Neville followed him, "Maybe we just choose one from random?" He asked, and tried one to his right. Unlike the one before, this door didn't budge. "It's locked..."
"This is it then, isn't it?" said Ron excitedly, joining Harry when he attempted to force the door open. "Bound to be!" (OotP)
"Guys," Will said in an exasperated voice, "move out of the way." The two boys turned to look at him as he pointed his wand at the door. "Alohomora!"
Nothing happened. Will smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck. "Maybe it's not supposed to be that easy."
"Right, we're leaving that room." said Hermione decisively.
"But what if that's the one?" Ron asked, staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing. (OotP)
Percy's jaw tightened. "I don't know, Harry was able to get through all of the doors in his dream." (OotP)
The others muttered their agreement, and Hermione marked it was another fiery 'X.'
The wall spun around them again and halted abruptly. Once he got his bearings, Harry tried the next door directly in front of him.
"This is it!" (OotP) He whispered excitedly, turning around to motion the others through.
Percy blinked as he took in the beautiful, dancing, diamond-sparkling light. As his eyes became more accustomed to the brilliant glare, he saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small, grandfather and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy, relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of miniscule, marching footsteps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal bell jar that stood at the far end of the room. (OotP)
His stomach lurched at the sight of delight stretched across Harry's face. They were close. "This way!" He breathed, taking off towards the bell jar.
As they drew nearer, Percy was able to make out two tiny, jewl-bright eggs floating around a hummingbird. A single door stood in front of them now, and Harry's hands shook from anticipation. "It's through here."
The Son of Poseidon drew his wand, and the others followed suit while Reyna and Jason gripped their respective weapons. Even Leo had a wand of his own - a metallic rod that Percy had the sinking suspicion would revert back into Leo's Archimedes Sphere - and raised it high.
Percy gripped Harry's shoulder and pushed the young wizard behind him. Harry's protests were cut off by the look on the demigod's face. He stepped through the threshold and the melting ice in his stomach froze again.
They were there, they had found the place: high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold. (OotP)
They edged forward and Jason moved to his right, peering down the rows slowly. "Row ninety-seven." Harry whispered, and Percy and Jason led them past the silver figure '53.'
The Son of Jupiter nudged his friend. "We need to go to the right." Sure enough, the next row was labeled, '54.' As they moved down the alleys of shelves, Percy noticed yellowing labels that were stuck beneath each glass orb. He wondered what in the world was in them.
"Eighty-five...eighty-six..." Jason counted. Percy held an arm out for their group to stop when they finally reached 97. The two demigods raised their weapons and checked the alley beside it. There was nobody there.
He turned back towards Harry, who looked utterly perplexed. "He should be here..."
Percy narrowed his eyes and continued down the alley, searching for any evidence of Sirius. When they reached the end, his temper flared angrily, and he waited for the others to catch up. Jason looked around, "There's nobody here, Harry."
The young wizard was now frantically moving his lit wand about, "He might be..." Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the alley next door. "Or maybe..." He hurried to look down the one beyond that. (OotP)
"Harry." Percy called, and the boy twisted around.
"What?"
The Son of Poseidon locked their bright green eyes together. "Sirius isn't here."
Everyone fell silent and turned to look at the pair. A bead of sweat slowly began to drip from Harry's brow. "He..he has to be!"
Will cleared his throat and brought everyone's attention towards him. "Harry, have you seen this?" He asked, pointing to one of the dusty glass spheres. "It's got your name on it."
The group moved out of the way so that Percy and Harry could see what Will was referring to. "My name?" said Harry blankly.
S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D.
Dark Lord
And (?) Harry-Potter (OotP)
As his hand neared the glass sphere, Neville croaked, "I don't think you should touch it!"
This earned him an exasperated look from Harry. "But it's got my name on it." Percy watched as the boy closed his fingers around it and pulled it off the shelf. He stiffened, waiting for the trip wire, explosion, or attack to come. But nothing happened. Will drew closer, his features undecipherable.
"Percy, Harry. This is a prophecy." He confirmed, earning him strange looks from the group.
"A prophecy? Like the ones Rachel gives?" Percy asked, looking closer at the white mist swirling around the inside glass sphere.
Harry raised his eyes to meet the demigod's. "Who's Rachel?"
"Our Oracle at Camp-Half Blood." Will explained. "She is a mortal girl who hosts the spirit of Delphi. When a prophecy is revealed, a quest is given. That's how we came here...except.." He looked around at his friends. "It wasn't the spirit that gave the prophecy. Rachel said that it was something else."
"Uh..guys?" The group's attention was drawn to Nico, who was further down the row. "This one has our names on it." They hurried over to see that he was correct, a glass orb similar to Harry's had the following inscription:
R.E.D to C.H.B.
Percy Jackson
Annabeth Chase
Nico di Angelo
Will Solace
And Harry Potter
"Why do you guys all get prophecy snow globes? I want one!" Leo complained.
Reyna smacked him across the head with the butt of her weapon, "You have your death ball to play with, Valdez. Don't be greedy."
"Super-sized McShizzle sees your logic, and concedes that his own 'death ball' is exceptionally more fun than your little snow globe collection." He said with an impish grin, and the corners of Percy's lips twitched.
"Leo?" He said plainly.
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Right."
The Son of Hephaestus made a motion of zipping his lips together and throwing away the key before shooting him a wink. Percy turned his attention back to the sphere and reached up to grab it. No one protested this time as his fingers curled around it and brought it so it was level with Harry's. They were almost identical, except for the mist inside. While the one with Harry's name on it housed a cloud of white smoke, the demigods' sphere had a mixture of colors, including an ocean blue, a sharp grey, a bright yellow, and an obsidian black. They danced around each other, entrancing the onlookers.
Percy almost dropped the sphere in surprise when a drawling voice behind them said, "Thank you for retrieving that for me, Mr. Potter. Now give it here."
The group whirled around, wands up, only to find a dozen black shapes emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way left and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts. Lucius Malfoy stepped forward with a palm outstretched, "Give it here, Potter." (OotP)
Harry had the sense to clutch the prophecy close to his chest, "Where's Sirius?" He asked, voice surprisingly even.
The Death Eaters surrounding them laughed harshly. "Where's Sirius?" (OotP) A few of them mimicked, and Percy's jaw tightened. "Give me the prophecy, and I will tell you..." Malfoy grit his teeth, and his eyes passed along each of the group's faces. They widened in horror for a split second when they landed on Nico, but he quickly returned his attention to Potter.
Interesting.
"I want to know where Sirius is!"
"I want to know where Sirius is!" the woman to his left mimicked again. She and her fellow Death Eaters had closed in so that they were mere feet away from (OotP) Percy and the others, the light from their wands reflected in his eyes.
Malfoy's condescending smirk returned to his pale face. "Potter here has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I know Sirius is here," Harry panicked, his voice sounding constricted. "I know you've got him!" (OotP)
Percy didn't like the way the Death Eaters laughed, like they found this whole ordeal a great big joke. Malfoy confirmed his suspicions. "It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter. Now give me the prophecy, or we start using our wands." (OotP)
The Son of Poseidon surveyed the enemies surrounding them. Twelve adult wizards with their wands to his friends' chests. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, the Greeks and Romans had faced worse odds before, and he knew they could handle themselves in a fight. However, he wasn't keen on putting the Hogwarts students in the middle of a duel with a bunch of trained Death Eaters.
When the annoying woman shrieked, "Accio Proph-" (OotP) Will immediately brought up a powerful shield, keeping the glass sphere snug in Harry's hand.
Harry nodded his thanks to the Son of Apollo. The woman didn't seem too pleased at his actions, however. "Oh, they know how to play! Very well, then-" (OotP)
As Percy deflected the attack easily, Malfoy roared, "I TOLD YOU, NO BELLATRIX!" (OotP) The woman winced and Percy felt Neville stiffen behind him. "If you smash it-!" (OotP)
Nico growled, stepping forward so that he was in between Percy and Harry. "I would be very careful, if I were you, Lucius Malfoy." This earned him a bewildered look from young witches and wizards around him. Even Percy questioned how Nico knew who Malfoy was. "If you attack again, Harry will destroy the prophecy without a second thought." The Death Eaters around them cringed, and he continued. "Why don't you tell us why your boss wants it so bad?" (OotP)
Harry nodded, "Yeah, what kind of prophecy are we talking about anyway?" (OotP)
Malfoy seemed genuinely interested in Harry's words. "Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" (OotP)
Percy risked a glance at Harry's face, which was completely blank in confusion. "I-what?" (OotP)
The Death Eaters laughed maliciously again, and Percy's patience was running out. He nudged forward, signaling an advance to the other demigods.
"The prophecy is about you, Potter!" Lucius spat, "You and the Dark Lord! Haven't you ever wondered why he tried to kill you as a baby?" (OotP)
Harry tensed beside him. "Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me? And he's made me come and get it for him....? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"
"Get it himself?" shrieked Bellatrix on a cackle of mad laugher. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?" (OotP)
Any response by Harry was cut off by the explosions of four curses knocking out the closest Death Eaters. Barely two seconds later, six more hit their mark, and chaos ensued. The towering structures on either side of them swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor. (OotP)
Percy didn't have to tell his companions what to do next as the glass spheres began toppling towards them. They rushed out in opposite directions, narrowly escaping being crushed by the falling shelves. The Death Eaters split up to attack, and Percy's adrenaline roared in his ears. He couldn't help the dangerous smile that crept across his face as he threw powerful curses in his opponent's direction, enjoying the cracks and painful grunts that followed. Harry and Hermione fought by his side, throwing up well-placed shields and dueling expertly in their own right.
Ron, Ginny, and Neville backed up to Reyna and Leo, the latter of which was laughing like a madman, shooting balls of fire from one hand and strips of scarlet energy from his metallic wand. "Stupefy!" "Bombarda!" "Depulso!" The young witch and wizards shouted, their spells a great deal more powerful than they were used to with Reyna by their side. She refused to transform her weapon into a wand, preferring the feel of her enemy's bone cracking underneath the pressure of the spear.
Jason, Will, and Nico fought alongside Luna Lovegood, who was a surprisingly accurate dueler considering her dreamy demeanor. The Son of Jupiter knocked out a Death Eater quickly while Will and Luna used a powerful binding spell to trap the other two that had teamed up against Nico. Jason couldn't figure out why they had gone after the Son of Hades with fervor rather than attempt to take them on separately.
As the Death Eaters' number dwindled, Percy, Harry, and Hermione reached the door they entered through at the same time as Reyna, Leo, and Jason. He thrust the door open and rushed through it, the blood pounding within his veins. "Where are the others?" Percy asked angrily, spinning around to see Lucius Malfoy advancing on the door, screaming obscenities in Harry's direction.
Hermione shouted, "Colloportus!" and the door sealed itself with an odd squelching noise. (OotP)
She bent down to catch her breath. "They must have gone the wrong way!" (OotP)
Reyna growled, slamming the butt of her spear against the black marble. "They were right behind us. Where did they go!?"
Percy made an executive decision, "Right now, we need to get away from the door." He was met with bewildered looks from Reyna and Jason. "We've trained them well enough that they can take care of themselves until we find them. But we've got to go, now!"
Harry nodded and led the others past the shimmering bell jar towards the exit. When they were thirty feet away, they heard a rough voice call out, "Alohomora!" and the door behind them burst open to reveal five more Death Eaters advancing quickly, casting out curses.
The demigods, Harry, and Hermione dove out of the way, landing behind various desks and bookcases. Soon the cluttered room was filled with green and red jets of light as the two sides tried desperately to fend off the other. A white hot ball of anger wound itself up in Percy's chest as he heard one of the Death Eaters yell, "Avada-" He roared and flung a Blasting spell straight towards the attacker's heart, effectively cutting off the killing curse.
A series of grandfather clocks were thrown off balance by Hermione's stunning spell, and they began crashing heavily to the ground towards the Death Eaters. Thankful for the distraction, Percy called out, "NOW!" and they rushed towards the door and burst into the circular room. The walls began their predicted shift, and the group struggled to keep a clear head while watching the flickering blue flames spin around them.
When the room finally came to a halt, a crash behind one of the doors sounded, and Harry sprinted towards it. "RON? GINNY? LUNA?" (OotP)
Before he reached the handle a flurry of shadows whirled around them, planting themselves in front of every exit. All twelve Death Eaters that they had defeated were standing upright and looked maliciously healthy. "Wha-? How? We knocked them out!" Hermione cried, grabbing Harry's arm and pulling him towards their tight circle.
Percy's heart sunk, he knew exactly how they had been healed. "The shadows, Hermione." He didn't bother to look at the realization that dawned across her and Harry's face. Jason and Reyna grunted their own understanding, but before Leo could figure it out, Lucius Malfoy smirked and said, "The Dark Lord is more powerful than you could ever imagine. He is the one who healed us! There is no one stronger!"
The Son of Poseidon wanted to roll his eyes and tell the man that their master was just another puppet of a much greater enemy, but he didn't waste his breath. He pointed his wand at Malfoy and sent out a Leg-Locking curse but was surprised when an attack from his right collided with his shoulder. "Confringo!" "Depulso!" "Stupefy!" "Reducto!"
The spells were sent out with such power and fervor that the demigods, Harry, and Hermione barely had time to deflect them. Percy's shoulder burst with searing pain, and as he reached for it, one of the curses hit Hermione directly in the chest and she crumpled to the floor. Harry screamed and moved to catch her. Jason was hit and flung across the room, colliding with the black stone wall. Reyna intercepted a Petrificus Totalus meant for Percy and fell to the ground, frozen in place.
Leo and Percy stood back to back, desperately flinging curses towards the remaining Death Eaters. Next to Hermione, Harry joined the fray and helped the demigods take out at least six of their enemies before Leo was hit was a Cruciatus curse.
The fire in his hand died as his screams filled the room. For a split second, Percy couldn't think. He could only feel the agony and pain rip through one of his friends, and he saw red. He felt the pull in his stomach and matched Leo's strangled pleas with his own fury, finding a grip on the water he knew was pumping through the bloodstreams of the six remaining Death Eaters.
The Son of Hephaestus fell quiet and crumpled to the floor as the curse was broken. His enemies shrieked in confusion and then anguish as Percy tightened his grip. He wanted them to know what real torment felt like, wanted them to know that they can't attack his friends without facing the consequences. The blood rushing in his ears was deafening, so he almost didn't hear Harry screaming for him.
"Percy! PERCY! Stop! STOP!" His friend tackled him to the ground, and Percy was thrust out of the trance. He blinked and looked up at an extremely distressed Harry. "You...Annabeth said..." he shook his head as he gripped onto Percy's robes. "I had to stop you, I'm sorry!"
The Son of Poseidon pushed off from the cold ground and brought Harry up with him. "It's okay, Harry." He tried to ignore the wave of power he felt over his enemies yet again and moved to pick Jason up from the ground. "We need to get them somewhere else."
Before Harry could wrap his head around what just happened, Will, Nico, and Neville crashed through the door looking utterly disheveled. The Son of Apollo's golden hair was matted with blood, while Nico and the young wizard's robes were covered in rips and tears. Neville had blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
"Where have you been!?" Percy roared, grunting as he maneuvered his way into holding Jason up.
Will struggled to catch his breath. "More Death Eaters. They came out of nowhere!"
Harry brought an arm around Hermione and lifted her up as well. "We need to get them out of here!"
The three boys nodded their acknowledgement and moved to carry Leo and Reyna. Percy chose a door at random and found himself in the room with the stone archway. Harry gave a strangled cry behind him as they noticed a handful of new Death Eaters scattered across the stone benches, three of which had Ginny, Luna, and Ron trapped with wands at their throats.
Behind them, the twelve resurrected Death Eaters pushed their way into the room. The group was now surrounded, and Percy was cursing Erebus for healing their enemies so quickly. They were ushered towards the center, and moved to set their unconscious friends down gently on the stone benches. A flicker of relief passed through him as he saw Leo and Jason open their eyes, and Reyna twitch beneath her hidden restraints.
He was grateful to see Harry's prophecy was still unbroken in his hand. Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and motioned towards his three captives. "Potter, your race is run. Now hand me the prophecy like a good boy..."
"Let-let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" said Harry desperately.
A few of the Death Eaters laughed.
"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," (OotP) said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. He motioned towards the Death Eaters holding Ron, Ginny, and Luna. They all grinned maniacally and shouted "Crucio!" Percy and his friends shouted in desperate protests as the three captives screamed in agony, clutching their bodies to fight away the pain. Percy rushed forward until he was caught in the curse himself. Blinding anguish burned itself into his veins, and he couldn't help but think that he deserved this torture for using his dark abilities on mortals.
Behind him, Harry pleaded for them to stop. Malfoy waved his hand lazily, and the screaming stopped. Percy dropped to his knees; his body utterly spent at enduring the Cruciatus Curse. Harry stumbled towards Percy's attacker; his hand outstretched shakily...
"HARRY NO!" Jason called out behind him. Just then, the door burst open and members of the Order, including Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley and others, crashed into the room firing powerful spells at the Death Eaters. Chaos ensued, and Percy urged his body to roll out of the way. He joined the fray and destruction by aiming another Blasting Curse straight at Malfoy's head. Explosions sounded around him, and he hurriedly avoided debris from the now crumbled stone benches. Jason, Tonks, and Leo were able to save the Weasley siblings and Luna from their attackers and knocked them out yet again.
Percy took a step back to observe the madness, and finally noticed the movement of shadows pouring in from the entryway. He called out to the other demigods and brought Riptide to the fight. They got the message and rushed towards the sinking darkness and attacked relentlessly. Erebus was trying to revive his puppets, and the demigods were the only ones who could hold him off. The black mass retreated slightly at the onslaught, but the tendrils slashed out, trying to catch one of it's attackers off guard.
He had no idea how much time had passed, but he hoped that the Order and the young witches and wizards were handling their end of the fight. Sweat poured down Percy's face, and his muscles ached with exhaustion as he sliced into the shadows and heard a satisfying hiss. He chanced a glance at his friends, and saw Reyna attacking with her spear, Jason striking with his double-edged sword, and Nico invading with his Stygian Iron blade. Will shot his exploding arrows at the black mass and Leo bombarded it with white-hot fireballs. Percy cried out in victory when the shadows curled up in defeat and slunk hastily from the room. Before he could celebrate, his heart shattered as Harry's screams tore through the room.
"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!" (OotP)
Percy twisted around at the despair choking his friend's voice. He was standing in front of the veil, struggling against Lupin's hold. "There's nothing you can do, Harry-" (OotP)
"NO! SIRIUS!" (OotP) Harry's protests were deafening, and Percy didn't even feel himself sprint towards him. Nor did he notice Albus Dumbledore appearing in the doorframe.
Just as Harry escaped Lupin's grip and began charging towards the veil, Percy tackled him to the ground. They crashed onto the cold stone together, both shouting at the other.
"We have to save him! SIRIUS! SIRIUS!" (OotP)
"He's gone!" Percy tightened his hold around Harry against the ground, fighting every twist, every turn, and every push that the young wizard tried to maneuver out of his grasp. "There's nothing you can do, Harry. He's gone!" (OotP)
The drums of war continued to echo around them, but Percy had stopped paying attention to everything that wasn't Harry Potter. Every ounce of his focus was devoted to keeping one of his best friends from following his godfather to the grave.
XX