"You sure are wishing to have taken Divination now.", said Pansy a a few days after the incident during breakfast. It would be the first day for them to have the lesson and everyone was excited.
"Not really. Never liked the creatures.", scarred Draco, nose buried in the papers. The centaur had been the talk of the last days even though nobody saw him again after the notice of his new status. Percy himself dreaded the moment he would notice who he was. Centaurs are intelligent creatures, even the party ponies, and they were greek.
"But he is gorgeous, not Percy gorgeous, but normal standard gorgeous." Said Pansy popping a fruit in her mouth, Percy just shook his head at her comment. She made them often, reminding him every time that he wasn't normal.
"He still lives in a forrest, dirty creature.", spat back Draco. After breakfast he and Percy made their way to Arithmancy class while the others made their way to classroom eleven were the lessons wound now be taken.
It appeared Percy didn't had to attend the lesson to know exactly and in every detail what happened. Pansy had been -erm- kind enough to tell him and Draco all about it. It seemed the other centaurs had not been kind to the new teacher for helping Dumbledore out and kicked him out. She also told him about what he had seen in the sky.
"And then he said in his deep voice 'Mars, bringer of battle, shines brightly above us, suggesting that the fight must break out again soon.' It was so creepy, but at the same time..." Percy faded out her voice and concentrated on what she had said. That centaur read the future out of the stars, the same stars Percy thought he knew all about. The same stars he would go to when the time was right. It appeared there may be still something to learn for him.
The next weeks Umbridge seemed to watch him even more carefully now that he had stood up against her once more. She even gotten as far as disrupting his studies in the library. But Percy had two things two look forward to. One, the next day he could finally get rid of the leaf in his mouth and two, the DA meetings.
That day was the last meeting before easter and they were doing Patronuses. Percy went through the rows and corrected students here and there, he himself didn't try the charm. It required a strong happy memory and Percy knew all of those who came into question were shadowed by her death. Harry had tried to get him to at least give it a try but he refused. If he ever would meet a Dementor he would have his sword to defend himself.
While he walked through the room a few silvery creatures flew over his head or jumped beside him. He had to move out of the way several times so Hermione's otter or Ginny's horse wouldn't crash into him and dissolve. The creatures were beautiful, spun off silver strings of magic and Percy had to tear his eyes from them more than once.
The idyll broke when the door opened. Dobby, the house elf who had brought him and Lady Artemis food while Thalia was in the hospital wing, came in and headed straight for Harry. He was still wearing his eight hats and Percy smiled at the sight, but then he saw his face expression. He was worried, panicked even.
"Hi, Dobby!", said Harry looking down at the elf. "What are you — what's wrong?" Percy moved closer and he could see the terror in Dobby's eyes and he was shaking. The members of the D.A. had fallen silent now. Everybody in the room was watching the house elf. The few Patronuses people had managed to conjure faded away into silver mist, leaving the room looking much darker than before.
"Harry Potter, sir ...", squeaked the elf, trembling from head to foot. Percy had stepped to Harry's side. "Percy Jackson, sir ... Dobby has come to warn you ... but the house-elves have been warned not to tell ..." He ran headfirst at the wall, but merely bounced off the stone, cushioned by his eight hats. Still Percy grabbed him before he could do it again. He had crouched to be eyes to eye with the creature.
"Dobby, you don't have to punish yourself, you can tell us." Percy laid the slightest bit ofd power into his voice but the result was immediate. The elf calmed down, swallowed and stood up straighter.
"Professor Umbridge is coming."
Movement followed, students started pilling for the exit but Percy stopped them. "Wait. We do it like we always do, in pairs. Group together. Fred, Gorge you go first and tell us how near she already is. Fast!" The twins nodded and were already out the door. All the others coordinated themselves and got into the normal pairs. Percy got to the door and let them out one by one. When the twins came back everyone was already out. Harry had scooped up Dobby and set him down in front of the door, giving him some orders before he disappeared. The door behind them vanished and only cold, stone wall was left behind. Percy meanwhile told the Gryffindors to run and they did. Then he turned to Harry.
"There is a bathroom down the corridor. Go!" And Harry started running. Percy watched after him and saw him fall to the floor. And then he heard a well known voice.
"Trip Jinx, Potter!" It was Draco Malfoy and Percy swore he would kill the idiot. "Hey, Professor — PROFESSOR! I've got one!" Percy set off after Harry and pulled him up from the floor. And just a millisecond before Umbridge turned the corner he made him vanish in hi arms. His body disappearing into thin air.
Umbridge came bustling around the far corner, breathless but wearing a delighted smile. "It's him!", she said jubilantly at the sight of Percy. "Excellent, Draco, excellent, oh, very good — fifty points to Slytherin! I'll take him from here.." She came to take hold of Percy who still had the invisible Harry in his arms. The Gryffindor was smart enough to walk away very slowly, careful to not make any noise.
Draco had called out of the niche beneath an ugly dragon-shaped vase and was about to say something when Percy's death glare made him search cover. Umbridge didn't see his awful attempt to shield himself using his arms and kept smiling widely at Percy.
"You hop along and see if you can round up anymore of them, Draco.", she said without looking at him. Her eyes were still fixed at him. "Tell the others to look in the library — anybody out of breath — check the bathrooms, Miss Parkinson can do the girls' ones — off you go — and you", she added in her softest, most dangerous voice, as Malfoy hurried away. "You can come with me to the headmaster's office, Jackson."
"You can let me go. I come with you willingly.", said Percy, ripped his arm from her grip and set out into the right direction. They were at the stone gargoyle within minutes. Percy had spend the time thinking about how many may have been caught. He hoped at least Harry would be wise enough to stay hidden and that Draco knew better than to say anything.
"Fizzing Whizbee," sang Umbridge, and the stone gargoyle jumped aside, the wall behind split open, and they ascended the moving stone staircase. They reached the polished door with the griffin knocker, but Umbridge did not bother to knock, she strode straight inside trying to grip Percy's arm again as she had so often during their walk here. Again he moved just out of her reach.
The office was full of people. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his expression serene, the tips of his long fingers together. Professor McGonagall stood rigidly beside him, her face extremely tense. A man Percy recognised from pictures in the papers, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, was rocking backward and forward on his toes beside the fire, apparently immensely pleased with the situation. Kingsley Shacklebolt, again the only fashionable wizard in the round, and a tough-looking wizard Percy did not know with very short, wiry hair were positioned on either side of the door like guards. And then there was this boy, not older than Percy with red hair and so many freckles he had to be a Weasley hovering excitedly beside the wall, a quill and a heavy scroll of parchment in his hands, apparently poised to take notes.
The portraits of old headmasters and mistresses were not shamming sleep tonight. All of them were watching what was happening below, alert and serious. They knew Percy from his many visits and started whispering to their neighbours as soon as he entered.
"Well.", said the Minister of Magic looking at Percy or more like looking up at Percy. "Well, well, well..." Percy himself gave him a short, polite nod. This seemed to surprise the man and his smile flickered for a moment.
"This is Percy Jackson, the one I told you about.", said Umbridge with a proudness in her voice Percy didn't thought was possible. How charming, they talked about me. "The Malfoy boy cornered him."
"Did he, did he?" said Fudge appreciatively. "I must remember to tell Lucius."
"I am sure he will bring us Potter, too, soon.", added Umbridge happily.
The minister nodded appreciating. "Well, Jackson ... I expect you know why you are here?"
"Actually..." Percy wasn't going to make it that easy for the man. He wanted him gone? He would have to find a good reason for it. "No. I don't know why I am here."
"I beg your pardon?" said Fudge.
"No," said Percy, firmly. He had to suppress a smile from creeping up.
"You don't know why you are here?"
"No, I don't.", said Percy again.
Fudge looked incredulously from Harry to Professor Umbridge. "So you have no idea," said Fudge in a voice positively sagging with sarcasm, "why Professor Umbridge has brought you to this office? You are not aware that you have broken any school rules?"
"School rules?" Asked Percy with a small laugh. "Minister, I was walking along a corridor when Draco put a Trip Jinx on me and yelled for Professor Umbridge who tried to yank me to this office on my arm." Percy knew very well how to put the scene for the blood to leave the toads face. "As long as walking down a corridor isn't against the school's rules I did not break them. If you ask me, Draco Malfoy broke the rules by practicing magic on the corridors without supervision."
It was safe to say the Minister hadn't prepared for what would happen if you tried to win against Percy Jackson. His face was white and his eyes roamed the room nervously. "So-" The man cleared his throat nervously. "So it's news to you, is it", said Fudge. "that an illegal student organisation has been discovered within this school?"
Percy stayed perfectly calm. "Are we talking about a study group or National Socialists here?" If it was even possible the man's face grew even whiter, but then he seemed to find his fight spirit again.
"Of course we are not talking about National Socialists." The Minister grew angrier.
"I think, Minister,", said Umbridge silkily from beside him. "we might make better progress if I fetch our informant."
"Yes, yes, do.", said Fudge, nodding, and he glanced maliciously at Dumbledore as Umbridge left the room.
"There's nothing like a good witness, is there, Dumbledore?" "Nothing at all, Cornelius," said Dumbledore gravely, inclining his head. They waited for a while silently, but Percy knew he had to win by confusing the Minister and so he spoke up again.
"Could I sit down? It is quite late and I have studied very hard lately." He had asked Dumbledore who nodded and so Percy sat down in a comfortable arm chair which made it look like he was the one in control and had everyone on their feet. Percy now had perfect sight on everyone and saw the smallest smile on Kingsley Shacklebolt's lips. Then the door opened again and Umbridge came back with the Ravenclaw Marietta beside her, who was hiding her face in her hands.
"Don't be scared, dear, don't be frightened.", said Professor Umbridge softly, patting her on the back. "it's quite all right, now. You have done the right thing. The minister is very pleased with you. He'll be telling your mother what a good girl you've been. Marietta's mother, Minister", she added, looking up at Fudge, "is Madam Edgecombe from the Department of Magical Transportation. Floo Network office — she's been helping us police the Hogwarts fires, you know."
"Jolly good, jolly good!" said Fudge heartily. "Like mother, like daughter, eh? Well, come on, now, dear, look up, don't be shy, let's hear what you've got to — galloping gargoyles!"
As Marietta raised her head, Fudge leapt backward in shock, nearly landing himself in the fire. He cursed and stamped on the hem of his cloak, which had started to smoke, and Marietta gave a wail and pulled the neck of her robes right up to her eyes, but not before the whole room had seen that her face was horribly disfigured by a series of close-set purple pustules that had spread across her nose and cheeks to form the word "SNEAK."
Percy had to hold back a smile. So Hermione's charm had worked. They had figured it out together. The paper everyone wrote their name down, had worked as an insurance. Should someone tell their secrets, they would be marked. And Marietta was definitely marked.