The Other Potter

Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Pretty Little Liars

Percy Jackson woke up drenched with water on Christmas' morning.

Of course, it was the twins' fault.

He had to make a conscious effort so he could stay wet; and, believe me, it isn't easy to keep focus while there's a lot of presents waiting to be unwrapped.

He still wasn't used to receiving something, because he never got anything from the Durselys during his childhood, so every present he got filled him with extreme warmth.

As he was opening Ms.Weasleys's gift (which obviously was a much appreciated sweater), he thought about everything that happened during the first semester at Hogwarts.

Mostly, how Harry had started keeping secrets from him, that he eventually discovered.

I mean, not immediately telling him that he got in the quiddicht team was acceptable, even when he almost lost control of his broom during his first match.

That had almost given Percy a heart attack, but whatever. Harry said he was just "overreacting".

But almost getting detention for being stupid (after being challenged to a duel when he barely knew any spells) and ending in the third floor wasn't okay. At all.

Which hurt even more, because not only was Harry keeping secrets from him, but he was also not relying on Percy when he had troubles anymore.

After all this time, Percy has gotten used to being there for Harry, whenever he needed him. The fact that his brother wasn't going to him even in dire times showed him that he didn't trust Percy enough.

Why was Harry doing that all of a sudden?

It was okay to keep secrets, and to not want his big brother involved in every aspect of his life, but still. His whole purpose was to make sure Harry was safe, but he didn't have a chance to do so if he didn't know what was happening in his life.

And the worst of it was that Percy couldn't really complain to him having secrets and not sharing them, even when they could be life-threatening. Because Percy was the biggest liar of them all.

He never told him about Vernon's abuse, nor the fact that he wasn't truly his full-blooded brother, or that he was keeping a completely different world (the Greek one) from Harry; so it wasn't as if he could say anything at all. He couldn't confront his brother. It would be unfair.

That was the most frustrating thing in the whole ordeal.

So, as much as it pained him, he decided to trust that his brother was keeping secrets from him for a reason, and that Harry was finally maturing and 'leaving the nest'.

That was, at least, until Harry finally asked for his help. And boy, was the younger Potter in trouble.

***

"What is the matter, mini Percy?" Asked Feorge, after seeing Harry approach the group of Third years. It was a few days after Christmas.

Harry and Percy Potter weren't that similar, in reality. Maybe they could pass off as cousins, seeing as they had some similar features, but not many would recognize them as brothers without them admitting it.

Despite this, the moment Lee Jordan discovered that Percy Jackson was the older brother of "Boy-Who-Lived", he started using that nickname to talk about Harry. Partly to be discreet about it, but mostly just to tease.

And it kind of stuck within their group to call Harry "mini Percy".

"Oh... I just wanted to talk with Percy for a moment. Is that okay?" Harry said seriously, looking at his older brother.

It was about dam time.

Without saying anything more, Percy got up and dragged Harry to a more private area. After a few minutes of the younger one in silence, he grew irritated.

"Did you get in trouble again? Because you need to stop doing that" Percy said.

"Look who's saying. You get in far more trouble than me!" Harry argued back, frowning.

"But I don't get caught, and that's the point!" Percy responded. It was true, after all the twins were the best prankers he knew (at least in the wizarding world, because the Gods knew that no one could be better than Hermes or his kids); and, as such, it was really hard to get caught when they were getting in trouble together.

They were such bad influences... Sigh, it couldn't be helped.

"Anyways, I just wanted to ask if you knew about someone" Harry said, interrupting his thoughts "I-I have history homework and coudn't find him in regular books, so if you knew a thing or two about him it may help me to figure out in which books to look"

The lie was smooth, but Percy knew his brother.

Harry would ask Hermione first. If even she didn't know, then he would ask Percy to recite whatever it was he needed to complete the homework.

Harry Potter wouldn't ask him to just "give a thing or two" of information. Even less if that was to find a book. No, he would ask him to recite the whole thing, because that was much easier.

So, after those words left Harry, Percy knew there was something fishy going on. And it wasn't the fact that Harry had eaten seafood for lunch.

"Well... Who is it?" Asked Percy after some thinking.

"Someone called Nicolas Flamel, or something like that"

Oh yes. Something was definetely going on. Professor Binns wouldn't just give first years an assignment like that. He wasn't the type of person (or ghost) to give them something so interesting.

After all, even Percy had to research about gobling wars and such useless things.

So, when he recalled what he knew about Nicolas Flamel, he instantly perceived that his brother was searching for trouble.

"What are you plotting? You are looking for trouble, aren't you?" Saying it with some seriousness in his voice, Percy narrowed his eyes at his little brother, who instead widened his.

"What? I told you already! I was only asking for the history homework!" Harry said quickly. Much too quickly, vanishing every chance to cover that he was lying.

"Yeah? Well, I don't believe you. Professor Binns wouldn't give such a homework, and there must be a reason why you are suddenly interested in alchemy" Percy said, rather harshly. Then, calming a little he continued "Is it to fight Malfoy again? Because if he's giving you trouble, you just have to say it and I'll give him a piece of my mind".

At that, Harry's humor lifted up a bit. Even if he was caught in his lie, Percy had given him some information (the guy was an alchemist or related to it!) and offered to deal with Malfoy, which warmed his heart a lot, because he had someone who had his back at all times.

Which made his resolution even stronger. Harry Potter would deal with this situation alone. He couldn't keep being a burden to his brother, after everything he had done for him.

No. He wouldn't involve Percy in this.

Even if that meant lying to his most beloved person.

Heeeey!

Finally an update. Yey!

I've got some news: the next chapter will be the end of this year at Hogwarts (finally)! Because I seriously got a lot of writer's block during this one. Hopefully that doesn't keep happening.

Well, that's it. Happy 2020!