Percy looked up at the window in the Hufflepuff common room.

The skies outside were dark grey. Same as they had been since Christmas.

Sighing, the eleven year old looked back down and smiled as he reread Harry's most recent letter.

Dear Percy,
        Thank you so much for the gifts! How did you get them? I've never heard of chocolate frogs before. Did you know they actually jump?! I hope you liked my gift. I have to admit that I didn't get it myself. I had to send Binky over to diagon alley with some money. The weather has been weird since Christmas, hasn't it? It even got through Aunty Minnie's wards. How's it been at school? Anyway, I'm sure you've got loads of stuff to get back to. Write soon!
             Love Harry

Everyone would be returning from their holidays the next day.

He had received several letters from his friends. Though Annabeth stopped a few days after Christmas. Luke said that something happened in America and the Ravenclaw girl was really worked up about it but had reassured Percy that everyone was okay.

Fred and George were enjoying a nice family Christmas (not quite the words they used) at home with their oldest brother, Bill, coming home from Egypt where he'd started working for Gringotts. They had very much appreciated their gift, though Percy and Cedric's upcoming two weeks of detention with Snape said that the dour professor did not.

Thunder rolled across the sky in the distance. Even the water of the Black Lake lapped against the shore.

With a small frown out the window, Percy turned to the task of responding to Harry.

<><><>

Luke sat next to Thalia's tree as the sun rose the day he was to return to Hogwarts with the other demigods in the Wizarding community.

"Things are getting out of hand Thals. I know that this is what we always talked about, sticking it to our fathers, but I don't think this will end well. There's this kid at school. He's Annie's age. I hate myself for even considering the fact that he might be one of us but something tells me he is."

There was a pause where the son of Hermes imagined he could here the girl's response.

"Sounds like someone's got a bit of a crush."

In another life, if things were different, he would laugh in a jokingly indignant way and shove her playfully. But things weren't different. Thalia was gone. The only thing left of his best friend was a tree on a hill.

The small self-deprecating smile that had spread across his face at the thought of her reaction quickly died and he clenched his jaw in anger and determination.

"They did this to you. It's too late now to change course but I swear that even if I fall, I will use my last dying breath to avenge you."

He rested his hand over where her hand had been before her fingers started growing into roots and in his minds eye saw her electric blue eyes once more, ignoring how they flickered to sea green.

Looking out at Camp Halfblood as the sun hit the top of the cabins, Apollo's already shining brightly in the light of the god's chariot.

"The days of the gods treating their children like pawns are over."

<><><>

When Percy and Cedric went to the Great hall for lunch that day, it was just in time to see the other students return.

The twins ran at the pair, cheering loudly, and barreled into them.

"Brilliant!" Fred exclaimed

"Absolutely Brilliant!" George agreed.

Their brother Percy walked by with his nose scrunched up and pointed skyward which sent shivers down the Potter boy's back as it reminded him of Petunia Dursley.

Annabeth came over next and seemed a bit withdrawn.

"Hey guys, everyone have a fun break?"

"Yeah. I mean Ced and I have two weeks of detention with Snape starting Monday." Percy said nonchalantly.

That got a short laugh from the girl.

"How on earth did you manage that during the holidays?"

"Well Fred and George aren't exactly the easiest people to buy for." Cedric said with a small smile.

"What have the twins done now?" Luke asked with a playful grin as he walked over with Beckendorf, Malcolm, and Selina (who was shooting not so subtle looks at Beckendorf).

"Why do you just assume-"

"That we did something?"

Luke just raised an eyebrow in response.

"Ced and I pranked Snape." Percy told the older kids.

"It really was a thing of beauty." Fred said, miming the action of wiping a tear away.

"A true masterpiece." George agreed.

Luke chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, as proud as I am, I'll have to wish you luck with the detention. He may be my head of house but I still don't want to risk his wrath."

Percy sighed but nodded in understanding. He wouldn't either, if it wasn't already too late.

<><><>

Percy and Cedric walked towards the stairs to the dungeons but were intercepted by Mrs. Dodds who was coming from the dungeons.

"Come with me Honey." She said to Percy.

"But I'm supposed to be serving detention with professor Snape."

As though called by the mention of his name, the bat-like teacher appeared in the doorway.

"Mrs. Dodds has volunteered to oversee your detention Mr. Potter. Mr. Diggory, follow me."

Cedric cast an apologetic glance back at Percy but still turned to follow the man.

As he watched them leave, he figured he lost time or something because when he turned around, Mrs. Dodds had gotten to the top of the first flight of steps.

"Come along Honey." She said in her sickly sweet voice that he hated so much and started up the next flight of stairs.

He tried to catch up to her, he really did, but she was a quick old lady. He was always at least ten feet behind her until he finally caught up as she went into an empty classroom.

"Mrs. Dodds? Why aren't we in your classroom? Don't I have to write lines?" Usually he'd rather jump off the astronomy tower before even thinking of suggesting that but something about this entire situation made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"You've been really bad honey."

"I know, I shouldn't have pulled that prank on professor Snape. It was harmless though."

He glanced back at the door but when he turned back to where Mrs. Dodds was only to find that she wasn't there.

Percy jumped as a creature screeched from the rafters. It looked almost like the defence teacher but more demonic, with great big leather wings. He wouldn't be so sure that it was his teacher if it weren't for the fact that it screeched at him again with a kind of warped version of Mrs. Dodds' voice.

"Give it back honey! We know you took it!"

"What?! I didn't take anything! I have no idea what you're talking about!"

She swooped down at him and he instinctually dropped to the floor.

"Die honey!"

She came at him again and- where did she get a flaming whip?!

He rolled to the side and felt something seemingly burning in his pocket and pulled out the bronze pen from his father's vault.

Percy cried out as the whip wrapped around his arm and used his thumb to flick off the pen cap. He watched in astonishment as the pen expanded until it was a full bronze sword that glowed faintly in the dark classroom.

"What the h- OW!"

He was jerked forward as the evil defense teacher pulled the whip.

As soon as he got close enough, he swung the sword wildly at her. She got one swipe of her talons in before the blade hit her and she burst into a cloud of golden dust, whip and all.

Annabeth, who had seen Percy going the wrong way and followed, frowned. A kindly one had been teaching at Hogwarts and none of the demigods noticed. Not to mention that she attacked Percy. The blonde girl knew that he'd been at school all Christmas break. Zeus believed that Poseidon was responsible...

With a sigh, she snapped her fingers, erasing Mrs. Dodds from everyone's memories.