Intertwined || Percabeth Hogwarts AU

Chapter 63

A flood of anger washed through Percy's entire being. His shoulders shook and he grit his teeth, his eyes shut tight.

"Percy..."

"You're going on an Auror mission?" Percy hissed, glaring at his father. "You've been out of Azkaban for what, like a week? Go home to mum! You don't have to do everything by yourself! Get Harry and the other Aurors to do something. Are they useless, or something?"

Poseidon stepped closer to his son and placed his hands on Percy's shoulders, squeezing tightly. Distress was clear on the younger man's face, but his father's touch sent pulses of warm reassurance. A silence passed over them, twin sea green eyes locked with swirling emotion.

"I want to be at home right now with you and Sally more than anything," Poseidon said softly. His solemn expression broke into one of unwavering resolve. "But this mission... this is something only I can do. Trust me, I'll be fine."

Percy took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose, his expression still troubled. "You keep asking me to trust you. But how can I do that when you keep leaving us? Do you have any idea what you being in Azkaban has done to mum?"

Poseidon looked pained. "That's not fair, son."

"Funny how that works, huh?" Percy returned sarcastically.

His father sighed. "I've told you I was on a mission before my imprisonment, and now I have to finish it."

"That's the thing," Percy pressed, swallowing another wave of anger. "You shouldn't have to do anything right now."

"I know. I'm sorry." Poseidon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "But it's not for the Ministry, you know? I could give a rat's arse about them."

Percy hummed but didn't say anything, staring off at the castle. The clouds were starting to become gray. And the air seemed cooler, chilly.

Poseidon nudged Percy's shoulder with his, trying for a smile. "Worried about your old man?"

"Something like that."

"I appreciate it, Percy. I really do," he said softly. "Do you remember my promise in Azkaban?"

Percy turned and looked at him. Of course, he remembered. That entire day had been looping through his mind constantly. "Yeah," he murmured.

"I don't intend to break it," Poseidon boasted, making Percy smirk a little.

"Good because there's nothing in this world, let alone a dark wizard, that can match up to mum when she's angry."

Poseidon threw his head back and cackled. "Don't I know it."

His laughter, however, stopped abruptly when Percy withdrew his wand, twirling it between his fingers. His face was pensive, lost in thought.

"Uh, son?" Poseidon prodded. "You're about a million years too early to duel me."

"Don't test me, old man. I'll kick your arse some other day," Percy laughed softly and pointed his wand at the castle. Specifically, Gryffindor tower. "Accio!"

Father and son stared out at the castle; Percy was starting to get impatient while Poseidon looked confused. Then, a pane of a window near the top of the tower shattered and something indiscernible was flying at them at breakneck speed.

Percy raised a hand to catch it, but continued to stare at the broken window, scratching his scalp with his wand. "Shit, I need to fix that before Chiron sees."

"Percy, what is that?" Poseidon asked, nodding at the cream colored cloth bag in his son's hand.

"Oh, this?" Percy smirked, reaching inside and pulling something out that made Poseidon's eyes widen. "Recognize it?"

"Is that... is that my wand?"

Percy held out the magical instrument to his father and watched as he nimbly got a feel for it again after so many years. He thought back to when he first got his wand almost seven years ago; this must've been something like what Ollivander felt whenever he sold a wand.

"Where did you get this?" Poseidon asked, getting a feel for it again. "This wand was supposed to have been snapped."

Percy crossed his arms and smiled. "Let's not worry about the details right now. I'll tell you some other time."

"Thank you, son," Poseidon said, pulling Percy in for another hug. Before he could respond, his dad spoke again. "Oh, hey, isn't that Annabeth over there?"

Percy followed his gaze and smiled seeing his gorgeous girlfriend still in her Quidditch uniform. Her honey blonde hair was out of its ponytail now, swept over her shoulders and flowing gently with the wind like spindled gold. She was waving at him and he raised a hand to wave back, beckoning her over.

But when he turned back to look at his dad, Poseidon was gone. Percy looked around and shook his head, scoffing with a disbelieving smile.

Typical.