Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries [Book 5]

78) Harry Yells Again - That Seems To Be A Recurring Theme

Harry stared at Hermione for a long moment, then looked at me. When I didn't move, he looked at Ron, as if he were going to share one of his amused/excited looks with him. However, Ron didn't seem to find the idea nearly as bad as Harry did, because he was deep in thought.

"That's an idea," Ron said finally, having thought it through.

"What's an idea?" Harry said.

"You," Ron said simply. "Teaching us to do it."

"But..." Harry started grinning, probably thinking we were messing with him. "But I'm not a teacher, I can't —"

"Harry, you're the best in the year at Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione said quickly.

"Me?" The grin widened. "No Im not, you've beaten me in every test—"

"Actually, I haven't," Hermione frowned. "You beat me in our third year — the only year we both sat the test and had a teacher who actually knew about the subject. But I'm not talking about test results, Harry. Look what you've done!"

"How d'you mean?"

"Seriously?" I blinked at Harry, vaguely wondering how he could yell his adventures at us during the beginning of the book, then completely forget when it was most convenient for him.

"You know what, I'm not sure I want someone this stupid teaching me," Ron looked at Hermione and me, smirking slightly. He turned to Harry. "Let's think." His face adopted a look that reminded me vaguely of Seamus trying very hard not to blow up his potion. "Uh... first year — you saved the Stone from You-Know-Who."

"But that was luck," Harry said, "that wasn't skill, and if it weren't for Percy —"

"Second year," Ron interjected, "you killed the basilisk and destroyed Riddle."

"Yeah, but if Fawkes hadn't turned up I —"

"Third year, you fought off about a hundred dementors at once —"

"You know that was a fluke, if the Time-Turner hadn't —"

"Last year, you fought of You-Know-Who again —"

"Listen to me!" Harry was starting to get heated, but the rest of us were quite amused. "Just listen to me, all right? It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck — I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I didn't plan any of it, I just did whatever I could think of, and I nearly always had help —" We were still smirking, and I guess that really pissed him off. "Don't sit there grinning like you know better than I do, I was there, wasn't I? I know what went on, all right? And I didn't get through any of that because I was brilliant at Defense Against the Dark Arts, I got through it all because — because help came at the right time, or because I guess right — but I just blundered through it all, I didn't have a clue what I was doing — STOP LAUGHING!"

I had been chuckling, but the laugh died in my throat. Harry had shot to his feet, sending the bowl of murtlap essence to the floor.

"Harry, we just —" I started.

"You don't know what it's like! You — none of you — you've never had to face him, have you?" I hadn't faced him, I guess. I'd fought Quirrell under Voldemort's orders, and that wasn't the same. I didn't have to see into his eyes as he taunted me. I had been too shaken to even pretend I wanted to fight Voldy at the graveyard. But I had faced Kronos, and I think that should have counted for something. "You think it's just memorizing a bunch of spells and throwing them at him, like you're in class or something? The whole time you know there's nothing between you and dying except your own — your own brain or guts or whatever — like you can think straight when you know you're about a second from being murdered, or tortured, or watching your friends die — they've never taught us that in their classes, what it's like to deal with things like that — and you three sit there acting like I'm a clever little boy to be standing here, alive, like Diggory was stupid, like he messed up — you just don't get it, that could just as easily have been me or — or Percy, it would have been if Voldemort hadn't needed us —"

"We weren't saying anything like that, mate," Ron was trying to sink into his seat. "We weren't having a go at Diggory, we didn't — you've got the wrong end of the —"

He looked helplessly at Hermione and me, and I put my head in my hands, entirely unsure of what to say.

"Harry," Hermione said softly, "don't you see? This... this is exactly why we need you.... We need to know what it's r-really like... facing him... facing V-Voldemort."

I turned away from my hands in shock. Never before had I heard Hermione say his name. Harry seemed just as shocked as I was, because he calmed down immediately. He slumped back into his chair breathing heavily, and had the heart to look guilty for yelling.

"Well... think about it," Hermione said timidly. "Please?" Harry just nodded.

I sat with Harry as Ron and Hermione tried to casually excuse themselves for bed.

"Reparo," Harry said absently, pointing his wand at the smashed bowl. The shattered pieces flew back together, but the murtlap essence didn't go back. I flicked my wand and it flew back into the bowl, Harry relievedly sticking his hand back into it.

"'M sorry, Percy. I know you've been through a lot too, I just..."

"Forget?" I finished for Harry amusedly. "That's all right. It's a lot easier to remember what you've been through than it is to remember someone else's troubles." I tilted my head, looking at the fire. "You know? I've looked the Titan of Time in the eye, fought him, heard him say he would end me, and I've faced the idiot racist who could use a tan, and I... I couldn't tell you which was worse. Kronos is bigger and badder, and wants to end the human race, but Voldy wants to kill off just some of the humans. That's so much worse." I shook my head, turning back to Harry. "You know, it wasn't just random luck that we got out of there that night. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. Thanks for saving me, dude. I hope to return the favor."

"I hope you never have to," Harry said tiredly, but he was smiling slightly. "Uh... why do you think I should teach?"

"Because you're a double whammy. You fought Voldemort, so you're experienced, and you can memorize a bunch of spells, which, believe it or not, is part of the whole staying alive thing."

Harry laughed through his nose, but he didn't really seem pleased.

"You... you're good at this. I think you could take on and beat some demigods, and we're trained to survive. That's extraordinary, Harry," I sighed, glancing down at my watch. "Well... I've better go. I've got det — CRAP! IVE GOT DETENTION WITH SNAPE! WAIT NO THAT WAS YESTERDAY! Shoot no, that was yesterday! Oh, he's gonna be so mad, oh man. I gotta go, maybe he's still awake... I'll wake him up if he's not. Peace out, Harry. Oh, and don't forget, Cedric went into the maze knowing he was going to die, so it wasn't really just random bad luck. Bye bye!"

I was really tired, and almost did not write this chapter, but here I am, being a good little author, and forgetting that Percy was supposed to have detention with Snape. Heh. I am an awesome author. I had a bad morning. I woke up and did not want to get up, so I didn't. Because that's a great idea. I had fifteen minutes to get ready, which isn't long enough for me to be comfortable with moving around however, but is long enough that I don't have to rush. It was like speed walking constantly. I wasn't even dressed before I realized I smelled and tasted copper. I had had a nose bleed in the night. Small enough that it wouldn't have woken me up, big enough that there was dried blood on my face. Heh. While I was going outside to feed the cats, I stepped in a hole. It hurt. My leg went haha NOPE and I twisted my ankle. It's fine though, but it did hurt until like an hour ago. The rest of the day was fine, other than the fact that my cousin won't answer the freaking questions for me freaking interview that's freaking due yesterday. Yay.

Anyway, I hope you guys have had a fantastic Tuesday, and I'll see you on Thursday CT. Love ya!