Percy PoV
"Perseus, may I speak to you privately?" I turned and saw Albus' grave expression and I nodded to his words before I even registered the action. Turning back to Ron and Draco, I stood up and shot Draco a look. 'Play nice,' it said. He rolled his eyes and I smiled at Ron, shooting him the same look. They didn't fight like they use to, but when I wasn't around, things had the tendency to get a little heated. Pushing my chair in, I turned to Albus and walked with him out of the library, bringing my books and bag along with me. No matter how much I trusted Ron and Draco, I wouldn't just leave the books Hecate gave me lying around.
"Has something happened? Is it Harry?" Albus shook his head, his wispy, long beard swaying with the motion.
"No, though afterwards I would like you to update me on our Mr. Potter. We'll discuss the matter as soon as we reach my office chamber." I nodded and walked beside him in silence, wondering what he would need to discuss if it wasn't Harry. Soon, we stopped in front of a familiar stone gargoyle to which Albus spoke, 'Forbidden Centaurs.' Rolling away to reveal a stone, spiral staircase, we climbed up the passageway to Albus' office, the door shutting behind us. Gesturing to the cloth chair in front of his desk, Albus sat in his own chair and folded his hands on top of his desk.
"Now, this matter is rather fickle, but could prove to be worrisome if the outcome should not favor us. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, would like to have a interrogation of sorts— of which we would be the ones interrogated, though mostly you— and has scheduled a meeting for the Wednesday next. Cornelius has found your... introduction to Hogwarts and your induction to the Hogwarts student body rather suspicious and would like to further look into the situation. This is nothing, but Cornelius has a ridiculous notion in his head that I am trying to overthrow him as Minister. Undoubtedly and obviously there is a connection between us— not the one he is looking for, but he is not above finding things that do not exist. As you know, your presence here is crucial, so it is imperative that he should find nothing—neither what is there nor what isn't. Anyways, I thought it necessary to warn you, and I know you understand the severity of this situation so I need not stress it. Any questions, Perseus?" I blew out air through my mouth, bringing up a hand to drag it through my hair.
"Yeah, well, why now? Why not when I first got here or a few months after? The school year is ending in less than two weeks, isn't it kinda late to be doing something like this?" Albus shrugged.
"Who knows what goes on in Cornelius' head? Perhaps he wanted to see how you would fare, how powerful you are. Though, any measure of power he could have taken is nowhere near what you are really capable of." He smiled knowingly and his eyes seemed to twinkle behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Yeah..." My eyes cast about the room, landing on the Phoenix that had been nearly impossible to ignore while I was listening to Albus speak. The bird hadn't been there all of the previous times I had been in Albus' office and I wondered it he had just gotten the bird.
"Ah, Fawkes. Very majestic and beautiful, isn't he?" I nodded, eyes transfixed on the bird.
"Can I?" Albus smiled and nodded,
"If he lets you." I reached out slowly and the bird blinked at me, leaning it's neck forwards—no his neck forward. My fingers softly caressed Fawkes' feathers and he made this odd sound, cocking his head. Then, slow tears started to fall from his eyes and for a few seconds, the bird cried. Suddenly, the Phoenix burst into flames and I jerked backwards, watching as the beautiful bird turned into a pile of ashes. From those ashes poked a tiny, bald head.
"Isn't it something. The first time Harry met Fawkes was on his dying day and the same thing has happened for you." Albus' voice startled me and my eyes shot to him, my hand jerking to my pocket.
"Why did he cry?" Albus' face turned grim.
"That's a conversation for another time. That reminds me, Perseus, there's somewhere I need to take you after the meeting with Cornelius."
. . .
"Are you ready?" I nodded, grabbing hold of Albus' offered arm as the dim interior of the Leaky Cauldron disappeared. We appeared in a bustling white marble building. Wizards and witches carrying briefcases and weird devices and contraptions surrounded us by the plenty. Tugging my arm, Albus led me to an elevator rapidly filling with people and we swooped in just with enough room. The doors shut with a ding and I tried to keep my thoughts cleared in this crowded, confined elevator with barely enough room to breath. I bunched my hands into fists by my side, exhaling harshly through my nostrils. This is nothing. Albus glances at me inquisitively and I sent him a tight smile. When we finally cleared out, I unclenched my fingers to reveal red, indented crescent moons in the palms of my hands.
"Perseus—"
"I'm fine. Let's go to the meeting." Albus stared at me for a few seconds longer but eventually nodded and swiftly strode to a golden door to the left of us. Knocking twice, he entered before a response was heard and I was met with the sight of a skinny, mustached man and two dark-robed wizards that looked like guards. The mustached man rose and smiled in a poorly disguised forced way.
"Ah, Albus, you came. And this young gentleman is Perseus, I presume?" I extended my hand politely.
"You would be correct, Minister Fudge." He shook my hand hurriedly.
"Please, just Minister. Why don't you too sit down." He gestured at the two awaiting seats. Sitting down smoothly, we settled into our seats. "Now, down to business. I'd like to discuss the circumstances that led to Perseus' admission to the Hogwarts student body."
"Ah yes, Perseus here is from America, more specifically the United States. Earlier, I had received word that a boy with no prior knowledge of the world of Witchcraft and Wizardry would be attending Hogwarts. I didn't know his attending meant crashing through the ceiling of the Great Hall." Cornelius seemed to wait for something and was strangely pleased by Albus' answer. The Minister turned to me.
"Perseus, how are you enjoying the fine world of Wizardry?" I shrugged.
"I would give you a very elaborate answer, but, I think a lot of things are just going over my head." Which was true. Though I played Quidditch myself, I still wonder who's idea it was to fly around on brooms. Cornelius laughed and his mustached bobbed and jerked and I tried not to laugh. Yet, I noticed, that though he was laughing, his fingers twiddled nervously and his eyes bounced from me to Albus, and back again. Constantly. He was nervous, skittish... apprehensive.
"Ah, well, you'll get used to it." I already had. From then on, he asked Albus and I a series of questions to which the answers seemed to always please him. He laughed some more, almost choked on his tea, and that mustache of his kept bobbing and jerking. "Well, that's all. Thank you for joining me." Cornelius stood and walked us to the door.
"Ah, if you don't mind, Minister, I'd like to show Perseus around the Ministry. Maybe one day he should seek a career here." Cornelius paused and his finger twiddling resumed before he gave a hesitant smile.
"Why, yes of course! Just, don't be too long, I'm sure he has some very important studies he is missing currently." They exchanged brief pleasantries before Albus was guiding me by the elbow to an unknown location.
"Where are we going?"
"The Department of Mysteries, there is something very important I need to show you."
. . .
Still shook from what I had seen and heard in the Department of Mysteries, the coiling in my gut that began the moment we stepped through the grand Hogwarts doors did not set me at ease. It was similar to the tug I felt when controlling water, but—Harry. Taking off in a sprint and leaving a bewildered Albus behind, I raced through the corridors, swerving and dodging students because it was happening, now, now, now. My heart was racing, but not because of my pumping arms and legs, but because—What if I don't get there in time? There were almost chorusing 'Heys,' as I blew through the students. All I could think of were all of the things that could happen if I didn't get there in time. Draco would die and, 'Terrible things,' would happen. I didn't want to know to what extent that reached and images of Draco bleeding out on the wet bathroom floor flashed through my head. Finally, seeing the girls bathroom up ahead, a small feeling of relief crawled through me at the lack of a screaming ghost shouting about murder in the bathrooms. But even from here I could see multicolored flashes of lights. Spells. And I could hear the barely audible shouts.
Bursting into the bathroom, my feet sloshed in the water as I flung myself in front of Draco just in time to hear the fated words.
"Sectumsempra!" The spell hit me in the chest and white hot pain burst through me. And then I was cold and wet, and I vaguely realized that I was laying on the stone floor. Water was seeping through my clothes and I turned to watch the friendly liquid. The water was trying to heal me but more of my blood was mixing in and diluting it and though the spell had already been cast, more slashes and gashes kept appearing on my person. I faintly heard Moaning Myrtle's shouts of terror and the sound of hard thumps followed by splashes that spewed water on my face, but my hearing was going in and out and my eyes were closing. It was only when my head slumped to the side did I notice two pairs of wet knees and feel the frantic hands trying to staunch the bleeding.
"Percy, no! I'm so sorry—please don't die. Just stop bleeding!" It was Harry's voice and I forced my eyes open to see him sobbing above me. He was nearly incoherent and his hands shook where they pressed into my stomach, staining red as blood seeped out between the gaps of his fingers. He kept on saying he was sorry and crying and I could see Draco next to him, also crying. I wanted to tell Harry that it was okay, that it wasn't his fault, but I was losing consciousness and I couldn't find the energy to move my lips. I wanted to tell him that everything was going to be alri—
. . .
Harry PoV
Snape was yelling at me, furious, spit flying, red face, brows furrowed yelling, but all I could do was stare at my shaking, blood soaked hands. Percy's blood. It coated my hands red, though it seemed to have a golden tint to it—I passed it off as a trick of the light. My face was red and splotchy from my dried tears but my eyes were blurry with fresh ones just waiting to fall. I almost killed Percy. There were so many slashes, so much blood, so much water mixing in, turning the stone floor a gruesome red. His body was warm beneath my hands, but only because they had pressed against open wounds, trying to slow the bleeding. I glanced at Malfoy's hands, also covered in Percy's blood. Malfoy, who would have gotten hit by that spell had Percy not intervened. Had Percy not selflessly put Malfoy's life above his own. I was so stupid, so stupid, I could've killed one of them. I was just so angry and I wanted Malfoy to stop being such a git when I was only trying to help, but I'd almost killed him instead, and Percy too.
"Potter!" Snape's livid voice snapped me out of my reverie, but,
"I didn't mean to! I swear, I didn't, I-I didn't know what that spell was and... and now..." Tears pricked my eyes and I choked back a sob. I hurriedly wiped at my eyes, smearing Percy's blood on my face, the iron smell more distinct now. Malfoy leaped out of his chair and slammed through the door, his running footfalls echoing down the corridor. Now, it was just me, Ron, and Snape.
"Potter, where is the book?" But I was already standing the second he said my name barely paying attention.
"Harry!" Ron hissed at me, and I paused briefly.
"I have to go see him, tell him I sorry, I hav—" Ron tugged on my elbow, grasping my arm tightly, angry.
"No, Harry, you're not going anywhere." He spoke the words through gritted teeth, his grip tightening.
"But, I have to apologize! I need to go see Percy—"
"Harry, stop! Just, stop!" I wrenched my arm from his grip, rubbing the sore area that was sure to bruise. I glared at him, confused and frustrated.
"Ron, I need to—"
"Harry, you almost killed him! You almost ended his life! Can't you just leave him alone? You've been bothering the poor bloke ever since he became closer friends with Malfoy, and now that you've almost taken his life you still won't leave him alone! Don't you realize how toxic you are to him?"
«»
Draco PoV
My blood pumped through my veins so loud I thought, surely, someone will hear me. But no one came as I made my way to the seventh floor. I tried not to think about the blood that coated my hands or who it belonged to. Tried not to think of how much I was betraying him by following through with this. I tried not to think of Percy at all as I stood on the seventh floor, in front of the painting of Barnabas the Barmy and wished for The Room of Hidden Things, heading straight for the Vanishing Cabinet.
§§§
OHMYGOODNESS!
I have been waiting forever to write this chapter!
It's finally happened, Sectumsempra has finally happened.
Percy is in the Hospital Wing, Harry is toxic, and Draco is going to the Vanishing Cabinet.
So... what do you think of this chapter?