Heroes at Hogwarts

sixty-six | crazy proposals and shadows travelling

percy

Zeus had never looked at Percy with such astonishment and disbelief, and that was saying something. 

"You do understand what you are proposing, Jackson?" The king of the gods asked. 

Percy nodded, head held high and hand gripping Annabeth's. "Yes." 

"And what...in the world...made you consider this?" Hera muttered. "This is insane, Perseus, even for you." 

Annabeth's hand gripped his tighter. 

"We've already agreed to collaboration with the wizards and better relationships with our kids," Zeus stated, "I think that's enough of a change your generation...you two in particular, have made."

Percy snorted. None of the gods but Hermes caught it, and he winked at him. Percy smiled back. "I understand your hesitation, Zeus, but hear me out." 

"I'll hear none of it!" Hera stood. "This is an outrage! It's war against the gods without calling it such! It's exactly that stunt you-" she pointed at Luke, who stood across the room- "pulled!" 

"It's nothing of the sort!" Annabeth shouted back. "And you don't have to hear any of it! This is for Zeus only! Only he can make this decision!" 

The lord of the skies sat a little straighter. To his right Athena set a hand on his shoulder and whispered into his ear. Her face was kind and understanding- not an expression Percy was used to on his girlfriend's mother. 

Annabeth's hand crawled up Percy's arm to grip his elbow. Right behind him, Harry shuffled on his feet. It was the poor boy's first time in the palace of the gods, and of course, everyone was arguing. Percy assured Harry it was what they did best. 

"Tell us your story," Zeus said finally. Athena straightened and looked to Percy. 

Annabeth released his arm and allowed him to step forward. Harry looked confused, as he should be. Percy felt terrible for leaving him out of everything that had happened, but he knew it was best. 

"It all started as soon as we got back," Percy said. His voice echoed. "I started having these dreams and visions. I'm sure you're all aware of what happened the last time I was in...Tartarus?" 

Poseidon coughed. Percy sent his father a look. The god shut up. 

"Yes," Artemis confirmed, "but what does that have to do with what you're proposing? Percy, if anything, you should be more against this than any of us." 

"No." Percy shook his head. "You see, these dreams made me realize something; you guys have a lot more enemies than you do allies. And not all of them are bad people." 

The room quieted completely. Annabeth and Harry scooted closer to each other. Further behind him, Percy could sense the crowd of gathered demigods squeezing forward, hoping to hear better. Thanks to his new sense of surroundings, he could almost hear everyone holding their breath. He smiled. "It's time you made more allies. I say give them a chance."

"He swallowed us whole, Percy," Poseidon muttered. 

"I don't care. Kronos isn't a bad guy. And they're a lot better at raising kids than you are." He winked at his father. "My mother knew that. She  knew exactly who you were when you met on the beach. Look, you think these people monsters, so naturally, their children would be too, right? My mother was an ambassador. She was a daughter of Tartarus. When he met me the first time, there wasn't a chance to latch onto my being. When I was trapped down there with Harry and Luke, he had all the time he wanted."

"So he's your grandfather..." Athena mused. 

"The dreams showed me what we hadn't seen before- possession. It happened with Kronos. It happened with Gaea...they weren't responsible for what happened. Neither was Luke. Nothing they did reflects who they are." 

Percy explained the Soulman- a spirit lodged deep in the pit, so deep that nothing could ever return from it. Tartarus had been sending him visions of the truth- Kronos being possessed by this spirit, Gaea not being able to turn away, even Luke's golden eyes before Kronos invaded his body. 

Soulman had taken control of all of these beings. The demigods...the children of the Titans, like Percy's own mother, had trapped him in a jar; Pandora's jar. Somehow, it had ended up back in Tartarus. 

Soulman's most recent project had been Voldemort's dead body. It was true, Voldemort had dies the first time, back when he'd broken into Harry's home. Back when he tried to kill baby Harry. Soulman had latched onto a fear, a fear of him coming back, a fear that every wizard had. It was how he got into the people of Hecate. 

"They weren't wrong," Percy finished, "The Titans weren't wrong, they were just influenced."

The room was so silent that everything seemed so loud. The gods stared at him. 

"Athena?" Zeus asked, eyes still boring into Percy's. 

"He's right," she said.

Percy released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Annabeth's hand grabbed his again. 

"We'll look into this further," Zeus promised. "Until then, Percy Jackson, you are held to the highest standard of demigods. I am tempted to offer you godhood again-" Zeus smiled jokingly- "but I figure you would turn me down again?" 

Annabeth let loose a small giggle behind him. Percy smiled as a mutter ran through the crowd. Most of the demigods present right now had no idea Percy had ever been offered godhood- Luke's surprised huff was what made Percy crack a chuckle. "No, my lord, I would not accept." 

Zeus nodded, and Ares pounded chair. "'Atta boy!" 

Percy almost choked at the war god's compliment. 

"I daresay, Perseus, you and your friends have somewhere to be?" Hermes checked the watch on his wrist. 

"I can get you there quickly," Hades offered, "if you don't mind shadow-travel." 

Nico snorted. Percy remembered the last time he shadow-traveled; he'd almost puked his guts out. Next to Nico, Frank held his stomach. 

Percy shrugged. "I'm down." 

Without warning, everything turned black, Annabeth's and Harry's hands in his own.