Jealousy was not a feeling Hermione felt a lot...or at all seeing as she had the most wonderful guy she could ever had asked for...but today,that was part of what she was feeling. The other feeling was guilt.
Here she was feeling jealous when she should have been honoring Dumbledore. It was his funeral after all.
But she couldn't help it. Her boyfriend was busy staring at a gorgeous lady who was seated up front with the others from the ministry of magic, right beside Fudge.
The lady was absolutely beautiful with long luscious hair and dazzling Blue eyes that were visible from where she was seated. As a senior,she was waaay back ,the Juniors taking the front.
Percy wasn't seated with the other professors. He was on the lowest roof,his feet dangling and his eyes trained on the woman.
As per McGonagall's order,she was to sit with the rest of the house,and she did not like it one bit, practically because Lavender was next to her.
Hermione decided to ignore everything that was happening around her and focus on what the Fates had told her.
There is a reason we don't overcharge batteries.
That simple statement had been plaguing her mind for the last three weeks but she had been pushing it away. Percy had turned his lessons to torture. His lessons had become thorough, extensive and generally painful. But no one complained.
After what happened to Dumbledore,no one could afford to complain. The rage and grief in clouding the air pushed them to near their limits. They craved revenge for their fallen professor.
For three weeks there has been no time to grieve. As soon as Percy was done with them for the day, McGonagall and the other professors attacked them with heavy lessons involving strong potions and massive curses.
Today was the day they lay Albus Dumbledore to rest. Today was the day they finally grieved.
But not her.
She was busy being jealous and guilty.
Time passed slowly for her, which she put to good use. Her brain was a mass of swirling Chaos as she tried to figure out what the three old ladies were trying to hint at.
Figuring she would spend all day and night there,she decided to refer to her dream. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift off
There she was, falling as usual. The sky above her was burning with falling sulphur. Waaaaay below her, trolls, ogres and Giants with flaming lead balls were rampaging across, blowing up walls, slamming their clubs and massive hands on witches.
It was total massacre. Her eyes ran around the rapidly approaching ground, vehemently searching for Percy. She found him,and it did not look good.
He was standing in the middle of the lake, monsters that seemed part dog part seal and part human swirling around him with sharp glinting metals.
He stood proudly, bleeding from almost a million wounds, Trident in his hand,a feral grin on his face as he lay waste to any monster that came near him.
But it didn't matter how good he was with the Trident. He was greatly outnumbered. Hogwarts was falling even faster than she was.
Her eyes flew open as a loud gasp escaped her making everyone near look at her. She took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart.
"Sleeping at a funeral Granger?"lavender asked.
"I wasn't sleeping"she huffed.
"Your eyes have been closed for the last one hour"Lavender said. Hermione actually managed to spare her a glance this time"I swear it's the truth. You've been out for almost one hour. See,the Ministers are having a look at Dumbledore now"
It was true, Fudge and his two companions were standing beside Dumbledore's body. Hermione looked back at Percy. He was leaning forward now, almost as if he was waiting for something to happen.
Fudge began talking about how he and Dumbledore were good friends to which Hermione zoned out of before she could puke. Her eyes were on the woman,who for some reason was eyeing Dumbledore's wand really closely.
"...and to honor his memory forever,we as the ministry have decided to hold onto his wand,so that future generations of wizards could remember him"
That was when Percy decided to jump in... literally. He jumped from the roof and Into the funeral.
"The ministry's decision or hers?"he asked.
All eyes immediately flew to him,whispers of curses escaping people's mouths. What was he doing disturbing the ceremony like this?
Hermione's eyes found Pansy's who merely shrugged being just as clueless as she was.
"Excuse me boy,but who exactly-"
Fudge was cut short by the woman raising her hand,a smile finding it's way to her face.
"I didn't dare believe Draco,or Kelli and her friends,but now that I'm here...I still can't believe it"she said,as she picked up Dumbledore's wand"Percy Jackson"
"Hey Circe"
Cold settled in Hermione's heart. Even from here she felt Pansy stiffen.
"How's your child, Voldepot?"
"His name is Voldemort!" She shrieked" and funny you should ask about children, how's yours doing"
"Fine actually, growing strong each day. And should I just point out how fast it's developing, I mean, the fact that I'll see it soon,brings tears to my eyes"
"And you seriously believe, it will survive this war. Draco had a taste of of it's mother's power,he craves for more. You have no idea how much he's been pestering me to attack this damn school"
"Uh,yeah, both it and the mother will survive"
"Oh I beg to differ Percy"she said smiling"I'm afraid, Her situation and the boy Harry's situation are scaldingly alike. One cannot live while the other is still alive"
Hermione bit back a sob,her fists clenched so hard she almost drew blood from her palms.
"So,you want Dumbledore's wand"Percy said as he walked closer to the front.
"It's not his wand,he had to kill the previous owner in order to attain it. You know who the true owner of this wand is"
"I do,on a personal level actually. Saved him a few months ago, charming guy."
"True"Circe said"he is charming,sad he is a virgin Immortal. But,in any case this wand will be heading to my son now"she said as she threw it up. The wand twirled I the air for a few seconds before it vanished in a pop." And now Lord Voldemort has the elder wand of death"
"Which is a big mistake on your part"Percy said smiling"you're playing right into Dumbledore's plan."
"Plan,what plan?"
"You don't stress yourself with that. You won't be here to see it unfold" Percy said his hands bursting into flames.
Circe tool a step back before she sent out a blast of purple energy at Percy which struck him dead in the chest,but when the smoke cleared, Percy was still standing.
"Sorry C.c but that trick don't work no more,I've been taking my vitamins" Percy said. He thrust his hand forward sending a column of hot fire at her. Circe shrieked and summoned a shield out of air blocking the flames,but that was just a distraction.
A tiny golden ball came from the lake and bounced towards her, stopping at her feet. Before she or anyone could ask what was that,the ball exploded into a mass of tight binding golden chains that wrapped themselves real good around her.
"Perfect timing Tyson" Percy said beaming.
"Big brother!"
Everyone was by now heavily confused to see about fifty six foot tall men burst from the lake with clubs and mace's.
All of them had one eye.
Their leader bounded forward tackling Percy in an enormous hug,both of them laughing loudly as they squeezed each other to near death.
"What is this, release me you filthy half blood!" Circe shrieked.
"She feisty" the leader said.
"That's right Ty,she is feisty,but that's expected"Percy said.
"Professor,what is the meaning of this?"Professor Sprout asked.
"This woman you see here,is Voldemort's mother,in case you haven't been following the conversation we just had"Percy said.
Gasps of shock flew all around the open field.
"And she has just walked right into Dumbledore's trap"Percy said crouching in front of her" dearest Circe,how sad it is for an immortal such as yourself to be fooled like this"
"You think you have won Jackson"Circe shrieked"if I do not return today, Voldemort will attack tomorrow. Yo do not know how many monsters I have on my side. And with the open gateway to hell,you don't stand a chance.
"Actually,I do know how many monsters you have,and frankly I was quite disappointed when I learned of their numbers,but it is a descent amount of monsters,so they will prove somewhat of a challenge, especially those laistrygoneans, but nothing we can't handle. And as you can see, I called my brother to help. As for the hell gateway, Malivore is it?"
"How did you-"
"Know about it? I was in Mystic Falls just the other day and I can hereby assure you that that situation has been well taken care of. My sister,Hazel Levesque,she took care of it,so don't stress yourself"
Circe's eyes twitched before Percy flicked his hand and the woman disappeared in a swirl of mist.
"Hagrid,how about you make sure Fudge and his companion are well suited in the dungeon s"McGonagall said.
"Right away professor"Hagrid said before hauling the two Ministers to the castle.
"Now what professor?" McGonagall asked.
"Now we finally lay Dumbledore to rest"Percy said eyeing Dumbledore's body" before we send Harry and Pansy to destroy the last two horcruxes"
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"I'm not doing this"Harry said as he and Pansy stood in Dumbledore's office,in front of the professors and the order.
"Percy why would you suggest such a thing? You're sending him to his death"Pansy said.
"Exactly"Percy replied"this was part of Dumbledore's plan."
"To kill Harry?"Nymphadora Tonks asked.
"Yep"Percy said. Roars of outrage ran out from everyone who wasn't Percy"hey I think it's a crappy plan but it's the only way. If Harry doesn't die, Voldemort won't"
"Why?"Harry asked.
"You know why Harry."Percy sighed"the reason your scar burns up whenever Voldemort is near,the reason you can talk with snakes,the reason you get dreams about him"
"I'm the seventh horcrux"
The office grew quiet with disbelief.
"Yes"Percy answered"and like all of the others,you must be terminated"
It was quiet for what felt like years before Harry found his tongue"why go through all that training if I was to die even before the war?"
"Because, Dumbledore is one crafty wizard"Percy said opening the drawer and fishing out something and placing it in his hand.
"The snitch"Harry wisely pointed out.
"No"Percy said"the resurrection stone"
The snitch unfolded it's glinting metals and a tetrahedral stone floated out. Harry opened his palm and the stone rested on his soft skin. He didn't feel any different ,just his skin turned a little colder.
"With that in your hand,you will come back to life. That crafty bastard"Lupin said.
"And what will I be doing?" Pansy said.
"Well no one knows a snake better than a snake, you're going to kill Nagini"Percy said as he pulled out a witch's hat from Dumbledore's cabinet. He thrust his hand in and pulled out a beautiful silver sword"slice it's head with this"
"Gryffindor's sword professor... being handed to a Slytherin?"McGonagall asked.
"Exactly"Percy said before retracting the sword and throwing the hat to Pansy who cought it with a massive grin on her face.
"But, only a Gryffindor can pull it out"Harry said.
"I'm not a Gryffindor and I pulled it out"Percy said"and besides, Pansy is the best person for the job,she is fast, accurate, strong and powerful."
Pansy was nodding and grinning like crazy.
"So the plan is go,get killed and destroy Voldemort's last horcruxes then what?"
"Then you come back"
"How,how do we even get there in the first place? We don't even know where they're assembled"
"Oh they're on the ridge on the other side of the lake"Percy pointed out.
"How do you know that?"Molly Weasley asked.
"Well, we have a spy in their midst"
"A spy,wh- Snape"Harry said.
"Yep"
"But he killed Dumbledore"
"Which was all part of the plan"
"Okay you're gonna have to explain this whole plan professor"Lupin said.
"I'll do that when they get back"Percy.
"Wait we're leaving now?" Harry asked.
"Of course,you heard what Circe said. They're attacking tomorrow. Heloise will give you a ride back, hopefully before we have the boundary spell up"
"Heloise,I thought you said she was dead"Pansy said.
"She was blessed by my mom,and her sacred animal is the Phoenix,so obviously she resurrected"Percy said"now,off you go"
Before Harry could open his mouth,a foggy cloud swirled around him and both he and Pansy disappeared,their facial expressions contrasting deeply.
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Aaaaand done. I know I know, crappy chapter,but tomorrow's will be longer and better people. Anyways, always an honor please read and let me know what you think.
Until next time
Xhronus101
Out!!!