The Hidden Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 9: Bitten Weasley

Previously:
"Stop laughing, you know this means you need to get them all presents?" I reminded her. "Including my step-mother?"

"You mean you do?" Penelope said smugly. "I already got them."

"Styx," I muttered as Penelope came up to me still laughing.

"Goodnight, Percy." After a kiss on the cheek, she was out the door.

My dream didn't make any sense until I saw Arthur Weasley sleeping in a chair, getting attacked by a snake. Until then it was chubby unicorns and a snake bleeding ink yelling his own name. Before I could make much more sense of it, like where he was, I was woken by both Penelope and Professor McGonagall.

"Whazzit?" I asked sluggishly.

Penelope was biting her lip and rubbing her hands together. Seeing her so worried was waking me up. Slowly.

"Percy, I-"

"Penny?" I rubbed my eyes and sighed. "Professor McGonagall? What are you doing here?"

"Mr Weasley, I'm afraid you need to come with us to the Headmaster's office," the stern teacher commanded. "Your father has been gravely injured."

It took a moment for me to realize she was referring to Arthur Weasley, not Poseidon. Then I jerked awake, sitting up straight in my bed. "Dad?" I asked worriedly, then realized Penny wasn't the only one here. "I mean, my father?"

McGonagall's lips twitched. "I know you cared about your family, Mr Weasley," she said. "Your facade does not fool me."

I stared in astonishment at the teacher I never had. Was I that obvious? "Percy," I said, still in shock. "I told you to call me 'Percy,' Professor."

Now she smiled fully. "Call me Minerva, then, Percy. Get up, don't bother changing, the Headmaster needs to see you now."

"Yes, ma'am," I leapt out of bed, grabbed a few things from the stand by my bed and followed McGonagall out of my room with Penelope on my arm.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"Apparently, Harry and a few of the students from your camp dreamt about your father getting bit by a rather large snake," Penelope informed me. Her words sent chills down my spine. "He was in the Department of Mysteries on Dumbledore's orders."

I almost stopped walking. If he was doing what I think he was doing, I am going to have some words with the old man.

We entered the Headmaster's office to see a gaggle of students and campers alike.

"Professor," I said as snobbishly as my tired self could do. "You did not mention that the students would still be out of bed."

"They are heading to a safe house, Mr Weasley," Dumbledore said on behalf of McGonagall.

I looked around to see Harry and Ron sitting in chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Hermione had gone home for the break. Nico was hiding in the shadows, probably hoping not to be noticed. Frank and Jason were both standing like body guards on either side of the door. Clarisse was standing by the two in seats and Piper was standing in the middle of the room, unsure what to do with herself.