American Royalty III

Part 13: Lets break into the place crawling with death eaters, good idea

The dim light in Grimmauld Place's dining room flickered uneasily, casting long shadows over the weathered wood of the table where the group had gathered. The surface, scarred by years of use, was cluttered with an array of papers, maps, and a single vial of murky, bubbling liquid that seemed to hold everyone's attention. It wasn't much to look at—just another unassuming potion—but the Polyjuice Potion was the linchpin of their increasingly desperate plan.

"This is all we have," Hermione said, her voice steady but edged with worry as she placed the vial in the centre of the table. Her hand lingered over it for a moment before retreating, as though even touching it felt heavy with responsibility. "Five doses. That's it."

A heavy silence settled over the room, the kind that weighed down on everyone like a damp cloak. Jason, seated at the far end of the table, leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, his expression dark. The flickering light caught on the sharp lines of his face, deepening the frustration that radiated from him.

"You're telling me you're going to break into the Ministry of Magic with just five people?" His voice was sharp, incredulous, and carried a note of anger that made it cut through the tension like a knife. "That's madness. It's suicide."

Across the table, Harry met Jason's glare with calm determination. "We don't have a choice," he said, his tone resolute. "The Ministry is crawling with Death Eaters, and taking more people would just draw attention. Five is all we need—and all we can afford."

Jason scoffed under his breath, muttering something about recklessness. Before the tension could escalate further, Percy leaned forward, an amused smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're not wrong, Jason. It is madness. But hey, we specialize in that."

Piper, seated next to Percy, arched an eyebrow as she leaned back and crossed her arms. "Breaking into the Ministry? Not even in our top five worst ideas." She glanced at Percy with a teasing smile. "Remember when you decided to ride Blackjack over the lake and jump off mid-air during that camp raid? Right into a group of campers?"

Percy shrugged, unfazed. "Worked, didn't it?"

"Sure," Piper replied dryly. "If you ignore the part where you almost missed the water."

Jason's scowl deepened. "This isn't a joke, guys."

"Exactly," Percy shot back, gesturing emphatically. "That's why Annabeth will handle the thinking, and I'll handle the charm and heroics. Classic team dynamic."

"Charm?" Piper asked, tilting her head in mock surprise. "That's generous."

Connor, lounging against the wall, snickered. "But hey, I'll give him points for confidence. That's gotta count for something."

Annabeth, seated near Harry and Hermione, rolled her eyes, though a faint smile threatened to break through her usual seriousness. "Focus," she said sharply, tapping the map in front of her. "Harry, Hermione, and Ron know the Ministry inside out. That gives us an edge. Piper and I will go with them to cover more ground."

Jason sat up straighter, his stormy blue eyes narrowing. "And the rest of us? We just sit here and wait?"

Annabeth's gaze was calm but firm as she answered. "If something goes wrong, someone has to hold the line. Someone has to step in."

Piper reached over to touch Jason's arm, her voice gentler. "Let's be real, Jason. You're not exactly subtle. Blond hair, stormy eyes—'god in disguise' vibes. You'd stick out like a sore thumb. Same goes for Percy and Valerie."

"And that's saying something," Percy quipped, gesturing to himself. "I mean, I'm practically glowing with demigod energy over here."

Jason exhaled sharply, muttering, "You're insufferable."

"Thanks," Percy replied brightly. "I try."

"Focus, people," Hermione interrupted, her tone commanding. She turned to Jason, Percy, and Valerie, her gaze intense. "This isn't just about appearances. It's about presence. You radiate power, all three of you. Death Eaters will sense that before they even see you."

Ron nodded, his face unusually grim. "She's right, mate. Ministry's full of twitchy Death Eaters. You'd be a dead giveaway."

Jason dragged a hand through his hair, his frustration palpable. "I don't like this."

"None of us do," Valerie said quietly, her fingers gripping the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles whitened. "But it's the best shot we have."

Percy leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. "And if something goes wrong, we'll wing it. Improvising's kind of our thing."

Jason raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "Improvising? That's your plan?"

"Works every time," Percy said with a wink. "Well, most of the time."

Annabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Don't worry, Jason. I've got an actual plan. Percy's just here to look heroic."

"And occasionally save the day," Percy added smugly.

"Occasionally," Piper muttered, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. "When he's not getting himself cursed."

Despite the attempts at humor, the gravity of the mission hung over the group like a storm cloud. Harry stood, his green eyes blazing with resolve. "We leave at dawn. Be ready."

As the group began to disperse, Percy threw an arm around Jason's shoulders, his grin as irreverent as ever. "Cheer up, big guy. Holding down the fort is an important job. Think of it as supervising."

Jason glared at him but didn't respond. Connor, still leaning against the wall, chuckled. "Supervising. That's one way to spin it."

"See?" Percy said, patting Jason on the back. "Connor gets it."

Annabeth, already halfway to the stairs, shook her head. "I can't believe I'm trusting my life to you clowns."

Piper called after her with a laugh. "You wouldn't have it any other way."