His eyes were closed. I watched intently as the young man sitting in front of me attempted to draw out the magic within him. I sat in the corner of his Leaky Cauldron room, waiting for Perseus to unlock his potential as a wizard.
I thought back on the story he told me; his life story. Being as old as I am, I have seen quite a lot, however, this child in front of me had experienced worse tortures than I could most likely imagine.
His eyes had darkened when he told me about his time in - what he called: Tartarus. A hell among hells. Those vibrant sea-green eyes had sunk into a dark black.
Those were the eyes of a warrior. Eyes of someone who had died and been resurrected.
I sighed as I kept watch over Perseus' almost unconscious body.
Learning that he was a demigod didn't come as much of a surprise as one would think. Even from a slight taste of his power when I met him - when he turned on me with his flower blade, I could feel a fraction of the power that was dormant.
Power that surpassed even my own. Even Harry's. And I could only have felt a fraction. Whether he was the one keeping it hidden or not was not to my knowledge.
However, I do know that this sea-green eyed... demigod was possibly my only hope in dealing with Voldemort.
Upon coming to that conclusion I had decided to begin teaching Perseus the ways of magic.
"But, I can guarantee you, that it felt like an eternity," Perseus whispered. I could almost feel the pain in his voice, I could almost feel how far he had fallen from who he used to be. This pain was not for someone so young.
I looked deep into his eyes to attempt to learn more from this man. No. . . boy. He is but a boy living a man's destiny... with godlike power.
I smiled, "Perseus, I think it is time for you to begin your training as a wizard. With your power, I feel that we should begin as soon as possible in order for it not to become taken advantage of.
He nodded, I could almost see the flashbacks still going throughout his mind. I walked over to him slowly as I gently laid my hand upon his shoulder.
I reached my hand into my pocket as I slowly drew out my wand and held it closely to young Perseus' temple on his head. "Expecto Patronum," I whispered as a strand of white light began to take form.
I watched satisfied as the look of pain on his face began to fade into one of a small smile. It didn't take long for the demigod to open his eyes.
No longer were they black, returned to their normal, almost glowing, sea-green. I moved my wand back into the pocket of my robe.
Perseus looked at me and chuckled, "Thanks Albus, sorry about that. Just thinking about some stuff."
I nodded, "Don't worry Perseus, I have seen such a look among other individuals," Harry Potter's face appeared in my mind.
I shook the thought out of my head, "Anyways Perseus, I think we should begin your training immediately."
I noticed a small grin appear on his face, his eyes lit up as he was returned back to a normal, young demigod.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get to it old man, I'm ready to become the strongest abracadabra you've ever seen!" Perseus laughed.
I closed my eyes as I tried to feel how Perseus was doing. I clenched my jaw as I wasn't able to see anything. Normally, one would be able to see the spark of another's power.
I could do this with any average student at Hogwarts, I could visualize their strength... their power. But for some reason, I wasn't able to with Perseus.
This came as a strange occurrence for me, failure was not something I was familiar with. Despite this, I waited patiently for Perseus to finish.
I suppose that I couldn't very much compare my new pupil in front of me to any other student at Hogwarts.
I knew Perseus was strong, and even if I couldn't see it, I could feel it. Even now as I sat in the corner of his flat, I could feel the power that radiated off him like heat did the sun.
I had felt a fraction when he simply pulled his blade on me, I had felt his power rid him of the sickness that accompanied being forcefully apparated, I had felt the power... no. A fraction.
A fraction of the power of a demigod.
Power that could take down Hogwarts... And it was a fraction of his power. Of his potential.
Now sitting here, his power was almost suffocating. I coughed into my hand as I drew my wand, "Protego," I whispered. Painfully, I could feel my magic draining faster than usual.
I sighed in relief as Perseus' overbearing aura was masked by my charm. My eyes were drawn to the hand I coughed into. An almost frightened yet satisfied smile warped my face. Blood. There was blood in my hand.
I chuckled. I looked up as my invisible charm became almost visible to my eyes as I saw Perseus' power seemingly pushing against the shielding spell. I shook my head.
To drive my body into such a state that my innards bled, was a feat in itself. But to do so without trying, just by letting one's power flow. That was something I couldn't comprehend.
I eyed the sleeping power. This child was the key. The key to peace. For my world. And now his world.
I sat back as I watched a blue-green, almost vapor-like mist, consume the room outside of my charm. I smiled.
"Ridiculous. You are ridiculous, Perseus," I whispered, "However, I must thank you, for bringing this old man hope again."
"Thank you, Perseus."
...
I sat at my desk, my hands wrapped around a letter that had been lying scattered among my other parchments. Accompanied by the letter was a recent news article that had yet to be published.
As I opened the envelope, my eyes glanced at the article's title. I sighed as I read it aloud softly, "Escape from Azkaban." I glanced at the picture beneath the bolded text. I looked emotionlessly at the headshot of Sirius Black.
I anticipated calling for Harry Potter to come to my office, however. . . as I removed the letter in my hand from its envelope prison, I changed my mind.
I pushed my crescent-like glasses up into a comfortable position as I scanned through the letter quickly and efficiently.
The fine print that stuck to the pages seemed to jump off as I read them. My brain racked the information that was given to me, however, as I looked to find who had sent this piece, I found that it was left anonymous.
The history I knew collided with the information I was provided from this unknown source. I sighed, my eyes glancing at Sirius' headshot once again.
"He is a tricky fellow," I grumbled to myself. From what I know, Sirius Black is a convict whom is targeting one of my students. Harry Potter, in fact.
However, this letter absolutely contradicts the history that I know. I juggled my options, either believe what I think I know, or trust a parchment delivered to myself anonymously.
I coughed, my body still significantly worn down after engaging with Perseus the day before. I exhaled, "I cannot possibly let Harry Potter fail to fulfill his destiny because of my own failure."
My hand moved the letter into the Sirius Black article, acting as a bookmark almost. "As a professor, I have my duties to protect my underlings. To keep them safe. I will do what I must," I murmured.
I nodded to myself. I will keep him safe. However, such a feat is impossible when I have my own duties to attend to. Aside from that, I also have the responsibility of training Perseus.
My eyebrows furrowed. I grabbed a loose-leaf paper that laid among the pile of white. My hand floated toward the white feathered quill, dipping the tip softly into ink.
My hand almost moved on its own. Dancing across the paper as my ideas came to life in front of me. Different ideas, differing situations, different people, different possibilities.
The ink on the paper dried quickly, as my eyes scanned the list of thoughts. My plan to guard Harry Potter.
My plan to use dementors to protect my academy while Sirius is at large. Whether or not he is guilty... I could not be sure. However, I would not take chances on my students' lives.
My plan to train Perseus in less than a year's time. How I would find ways to make the time-traveling demigod into a fully educated wizard.
My plan to persuade Perseus into protecting the students, and the academy that I believe he will love.
My plan to protect Harry.
My plan to protect Hogwarts.
My plan to defeat Voldemort...
"Perseus... Lend this selfish wizard your hand to create a world of peace. For me. For yourself. For Harry. For everyone.
Even for Thomas."