Chapter 29

It was a few days after meeting Sirius Black that Percy found himself inside the Forest sitting at his work table pouring over the Marauder's map with Fleur looking over his shoulder.

"Thiz iz fantaztical!" the veela exclaimed, "I can't even imagine w'at it can do with t'e layerz of c'armz and runez it pozzez!"

Percy nodded, "yeah, I can't even begin to think of ways to replicate this thing...hm, no wait, I think I can," he groaned looking at the map. Apparently whoever made this also had Percy's sonar idea in mind. Only they were much more sneaky about it.

Over the week Percy looked around the castle and found runes etched into the walls. They were so minute and tiny one could almost be forgiven for looking over them. They acted like sensors recording everyone passing around them and sending the data to the map which worked as a receiver.

"Have you figured out how to back peddle off their runes?" Fleur asked in french as the words were a little too advanced for her in english.

Percy nodded, "yeah...I think so," his french was getting better...kind of. Percy took out his wand and a large parchment the size of his table, "want to do the honours my love?"

Fleur smirked, "just admit you're bad at charms won't you," she took out her wand and waved it over the parchment casting preservation charms at would prevent it from being burned or destroyed. She also added a charm that would automatically allow the parchment to fold itself several times without becoming thicker than a single layer of parchment.

"And now to make them stick," Percy said as he drew runes into the sides of the parchment that made the charms permanent. He then took out his wand and crossed his fingers, "please work," he pointed at the parchment and flicked his wand, [copy map rune charm!]

It was greek spell Percy was working on for some time in order to link his map into the rune system the Marauders had set up. There was a flash of light and suddenly the white parchment was covered with black line, displaying Hogwarts and all the people inside, similar to the Marauders map.

"You did it!" Fleur cheered as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, "you're a genius!"

Percy chuckled, "hardly, I just basically ripped off their hard work," he waved his wand casting another security charm making voice activated. He turned to her and smiled, "so, what do you want the password to be?"

Fleur smiled as she hummed, "'ow about...Black Beauty?"

Percy rolled his eyes, "I knew you were a horse freak."

"Perzy!" Fleur chuckled, "w'en will you learn? Every woman is a horse freak."

Percy smiled, he tapped his wand on the parchment and whispered, "activation password: Black Beauty. De-activation password: Yellow dove."

Fleur rolled her eyes, "really original."

Percy smirked, "I know," he flicked his wand causing both maps to fold themselves and tuck away into his drawer. He smiled, he had been practicing his charms from the basics, he had gotten better, a lot better.

Just then there was a screech. Fleur walked up to the window and opened it allowing a raven to come flying in landing on Percy's desk. It looked at Percy and scoffed, the demigod's eyebrow twitched, how can a raven have that much attitude?

The raven resented his leg, cawing at Percy to take the letter attached around it. Percy sighed, "alright alright," he removed the letter and the moment he did the raven disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving a very confused demigod, "that was….surprising."

"W'o iz it from?" Fleur asked as she shut the window.

Percy looked at his name on the envelop written in a very familiar handwriting, "it's from Hecate," he said with a smile as he quickly opened it;

Nephew,

Wow, so Black is innocent huh? Isn't that a surprise. Well I get you want to help people, I can't really blame you, but honestly Percy, you need to think. This man hasn't seen a woman in over twelve years and you want him to be in the same house as sexy old me? Ha! It's like you want a cousin!

At the point Percy couldn't resist letting out a loud and tired grown. Hecate would never change. He continued reading;

Anyway, sure, why not. Send Black our house address and tell him to take his time coming here and to only appear as a dog.

As I said before I don't really use the house now, so he'll have the place for himself. I'll leave him some food and cash for emergencies but he isn't to leave the house while not in dog form. Oh, and tell him I might drop in from time to time to see how he's doing.

Now that that's out of the way, tell me how have you been? Has your map project finally taking off? When will the Felix be ready? Have you and the veela done it yet? Make sure you give me lot of little grand-nephew's to play with!

With love and kindness

Hecate Blackfyre

P.S. Give Harry's tight little bum a pinch for me will you?

As Percy and Fleur read the part about their love life, the two teens found themselves blushing red. Percy looked at his girlfriend who seemed unable to say a thing.

The demigod cleared his throat as he put away the letter, "s-she's always like that, you'll get used to it."

The veela nodded, "r-right….is she always this pushy?"

Percy groaned, "you have no idea," Fleur looked down and away in shame, Percy sighed and wrapped his hands around her shoulders, resting his chin on her shoulders, "hey, you know I don't expect you to do something you aren't ready to do right?"

Fleur grabbed Percy's forearm and held it tight, "yez...I know."

"So don't worry," Percy kissed her cheek, "that is never going to be an issue."

"Of course you would say that," Fler scoffed, "you've slept with five veela, I'm sure to you it's all the same."

"Hey don't' talk like that," Percy said forcing her to turn around and face, "what's wrong Fleur?"

"Why does something have to be wrong?" she asked shrugging his arms off her shoulders, "can't I have an opinion?"

"It's not that it's…." Percy looked at her, fear taking root in his heart, fear that she was coming to regret this relationship, "please Fleur...whatever it is, I want to help you. Tell me what's wrong and I'll try to fix it."

"I...I don't know where this relationship is going."

This shocked the demigod up more than a thunderbolt from Zeus, "please don't break up with me!"

Fleur blinked, "what? Percy! I'm not going to break up with you!"

Percy blinked, "but you said that you don't know where this relationship is going!"

Fleur sighed as she rolled her eyes, "no you fool, it'z just...t'e year iz almost over...I'm in my final year and you're...you are ztill in your zixt'."

Percy blinked, "and?"

"I...I don't want to zleep wit' zomeone I am never going to zee again," she said quickly, looking away in shame.

"Fleur, we can make it work."

"But 'ow?!" Fleur asked, "I want to be with you Percy, but I don't know how! Tell me how, give me a plan! What are we going to do? What are you going to do? What is your goal?"

Percy blinked, "I...I guess I don't really have one. I just...I just want to live till I'm thirty I guess."

Fleur narrowed her eyes, "t'at'z not a goal."

"It is if you're the son of a nature spirit like me," Percy explained, "usually, people like me don't live till we're sixteen, let around twenty. So I guess I never...never got a chance to imagine what a future would be like for me."

Fleur's eyes softened, she cupped his cheek and kissed him gently, "my love, I understand, I understand your pain, but if we're serious about this, then we need to have a plan. I can wait for you, I can wait a year for you, not a problem. But...I need to know there's a future in this relationship."

Percy sighed, "alright...what do you think I should do?"

Fleur smiled, "my father is an important figure in the french ministry, I'm sure he can easily get you a job in Beauxbatons if I asked him."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "no."

"What? W'y?!"

"Because, I can't speak french to save my life!"

"Percy, you're being overly dramatic. I've been teaching you for the past monthand the little you know is good."

"I sound like a monkey kissing a donkey's behind."

Fleur snorted as she chuckled, "well, at leazt you can zay t'at."

Percy grumbled, "plus...I don't really think I'm cut out to be a teacher."

Fleur sighed, "fine...but Perzy, you 'ave to t'ink of zomet'ing, I need to know we can actually exiztz."

Percy didn't want to admit it then, but hearing her words made his heart ache. Wasn't this enough? Wasn't he enough? What more did she want? His goal in life was to live past the age of sixteen, which he technically did. But now...a job? He didn't know what he could say.

And every time since then, Fleur never failed to bring the topic up. Every time he invented a new potion, Fleur would tell him he could be an excellent potions professor. Every time he flew in the sky, she would say how much a chaser would make. Percy was really starting to get irritated.

He loved her to bits, he knew that. But she just didn't understand, this life he had was a blessing from time itself, for the first time he was free from the damn world of the Olympians and everything else from the divine world. And he just wanted to enjoy it.

She didn't understand that but...he knew if push came to shove, he would do anything she asks. Sad, but true.

19th of March:

It was on the 19th that something of significance happened. For the sixth years, specifically for those that have turned seventeen or was going to soon enough, Apparition class had begun. And Percy for one was very, very excited.

"Come on! We're going to be late!" he cried out as he practically dragged his entire year batch with him into the Great Hall.

"I don't get why you're so excited," Gordan said rolling his eyes, "it's just apparition."

"Yeah! And if I learn this I can finally teleport!" Percy cried out, "do you know how long I've been waiting to learn this?! Since I was 12!" 'Stupid gods always teleporting away making me walk! Now I'll finally get even with those fuckers!'

"Honestly Percy, you're acting like this is going to change the world or something," Heather said rolling her eyes.

"Hey! It could!" Percy argued as they entered the Great Hall which had all the tables and benches removed clearing out a large open space for them to work with, "this is so exciting!"

"Alright everyone, gather around!" said an old looking wizard with oddly coloured robes, which isn't all that different from everyone else in the wizarding world, thin eyelashes and looked so light weight he looked as if a strong wind could blow him away.

The students quickly gathered around him, they were soon quickly joined by a batch of Beauxbaton students and Durmstrang students. Percy guessed they would all be taking these classes together, to promote unity and the such.

Percy looked but couldn't find Fleur anywhere with the other school students, guess that meant she already knew this. Percy smiled, he was so going to ask her to give him tips and cheat the shit out of this class!

"Hello all, my name is Wilkie Twycross, I'll be your instructor today, now," he took out a wand and waved it summoning several hula hoops all around the room, "please stand before a hoop and we may begin."

The class was interesting, though if a little...literal. There wasn't any rules or spells or wand motions. You just...did it. And you're expected to teleport. Sure there were the three 'D's', but they were basically just guide lines. In the end it was raw magic and grit that made it all work.

And guess who had all that in spades?

Percy looked at the hula hoop before him with focused eyes. He followed the steps perfectly and slowly spun around on the spot. He didn't expect anything to happen, but just then-

Crack!

He stopped spinning and found himself right in the middle of the hoop.

Twycross was helping Fred out when he stopped and immediately ran to Percy's side. He looked down and then up at the demigod with an open mouth, "y-you did it! And on your first try!"

Percy blinked, "I did….damn...that was anticlimactic."

The demigod was depressed for the rest of the week. He still had to attend the classes, them were the rules, so he spent most of that time just going through the motions of teleportation, learning different ways he could teleport.

He refused to call it apparition, no matter what the snotty nosed wizards call it Percy would call it by what it really was. Teleportation.

He quickly managed to make the action feel like second nature to him. He could even do an advanced version where he ran and teleported, the added momentum should make it harder but Percy's determination bulldozed through any hurdles he had in his way.

Though he did once foolishly try to separate when the school wards were up causing him to just get really really dizzy. And after one long lecture with McGonagall, who explained just why he was stupid, he promised himself never to do it again.

That coming Sunday though Percy did get a surprise from Harry who approached him with a big smile on his face. He quickly ushered Percy into an abandoned classroom, and after making sure no one was around, he spoke out with a chipper tone.

"Sirius just wrote to me! He's safe in your place! Hecate was there to pick him up, he says he's fine and eating properly again!" Harry said as he jumped onto Percy and hugged him, surprising the demigod as the boy had never really been the hugging type.

"I-I'm glad," Percy said patting Harry's back before quickly breaking the hug, "anything else?"

Harry blushed, "o-oh, ah, Sirius might have tried to seduce Hecate."

Percy chuckled and raised an eyebrow, "and?"

"She feed him laxatives and threatened to neuter him."

Percy smirked, "that's my girl...anyway, you know this means we can finally tell people right?"

Harry blinked, "tell people what?"

Percy rolled his eyes, "have you already forgotten? Tell people that Sirius is innocent!"

Harry's eyes went wide, "oh! Oh yes! How could I forget?!"

Percy sighed, "bloody Gryffindor. Come on! It's dinner time, I'm sure the Great Hall would be packed! The perfect time to make a speech!"

Harry gulped and nodded nervously. Percy and the boy-who-lived walked into the Great hall and waited by the doors. It was filled with students from Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, they were all here and chatting with each other.

"Remember, the goal is to tell people he's innocent," Percy said as he took out his wand, "don't tell them you're in contact with him and tell them everything that happened in the third year, don't leave anything out."

Harry sighed, "right."

"Nervous?"

"Yes."

"Oh please, you out flew a dragon, how can talking to people make you scared?" Percy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah….what should I say?" Harry asked.

Percy shrugged, "just be blunt I guess," he casted the sonorus charm on Harry's throat, "good luck."

Harry nodded as he stepped forward and cleared his throat. The vibrations caused everyone to perk up and look at his direction, though a few still ignored him. Harry took a deep breath and in his loudest voice yelled at the top of his lungs, "SIRIUS BLACK IS INNOCENT!"

The room went quiet. Nobody spoke or said a thing. They looked at Harry. Over at the teacher's table Dumbledore's eyebrow went up into his hairline while McGonagall's eye went wide in surprise. Snape had a sneer on his face that didn't seem to come off while the rest just looked shocked.

Hermione groaned as she slammed her head on the table murmuring under her breath, 'idiot!' Ron just looked proud.

The room was pin drop silence. And then, it exploded into noise as people started asking what Harry meant. The last Potter sighed and walked into the room, ready to answer all the questions they had for him, Percy smirked, 'sucker.'

April first:

"Wake up George!" Fred cried out.

"Don't want too," mumbled the other twin as he grabbed his pillow and covered himself with it.

"Wake up!"

"No."

Splash!

George came up immediately and looked at his twin, "why did you do that?!"

"Look!" Fred yelled pointing down. George did and gasped.

The twins were floating in the middle of the Black Lake in their bed. It was morning already and they found Percy by the coast smiling at them and waving.

"This guy's a god," George muttered as suddenly his bed lurked forward, floating toward the coast while Percy waited for them.

When they finally reached the coast the twins jumped out and walked to Percy. "How did you do that?!" Fred asked, "we had set up wards all around our beds!"

Percy nodded, "yeah, they were pretty good, but kind of basic. For a master of runes like me it's nothing. Who taught you those anyway?"

"Bill," George supplied before looking around, "so why the sudden prank?"

Percy shrugged, "I don't know, just felt like it. Come on," he said motioning them to follow him as he levitated the beds behind them.

Fred grumbled as he pulled his night robe around his frame and walked along the stoney path way into the castle with pink bunny slippers...wait, "did you turn my slippers into pink bunnies?"

Percy nodded, "yup!"

They quickly reached the castle gates, the school quite this time of day. "I still don't' get it," Fred grumbled, "why did you prank us? We didn't do anything to you! Plus you do realise we are now obligated to prank you back yes?"

Percy stopped before the doors to the Great Hall and looked back, "what makes you think the pranks over?" he then pushed the doors open and walked away.

"SURPRISE!" a loud cheer rang out. The twins looked in awe as their friends, girlfriends and even Percy's girlfriend stood before them with a cake on the table and a banner over them with the words, 'Happy Birthday!' reading out in bold Gryffindor red.

Percy threw his arms around the twins and smirked, "happy birthday morons!"

George's smile went wide, "best-"

Fred grinned, "-Prank-"

"Ever!" they said together as they jumped into the small party.

Angelina and Alicia put birthday hats on their boyfriends, giving them each a kiss. The twins were loud and full of life as they digged into their cake.

The party was Harry's idea, he said since the twins spent all year making them all laugh, they deserved a little something to cheer them up! Percy was wholly on board as the twins were quite possibly his best friends.

They got to planning, it was Percy's job to get the twins out of the castle, and that he did splendidly. The others then precured a small part of the Great Hall to host the party, it had to be really early though before everyone was awake, hence no one disturbed them during the small private party.

The twins and Lee Jordan quickly began to talk in hushed tones while Harry and Ron sat next to them listening in. Percy and Fleur sat away from the rest, Percy's arm on her shoulder as she leaned on his.

"How come you never celebrated my birthday like this?" Fleur asked in french.

"We were barely friends at that time," Percy replied, his french spoken with hesitation, but with proper grammar, which was an improvement.

Fleur smiled, "so that means I can expect something grand this year?"

Percy chuckled, "sure. Where do you want to go? Atlantis?"

Fleur blinked, "Atlantis is real?!"

Percy nodded, "yes, it's real."

"Have you been there?!" Fleur asked with awe.

"Yes, my dad actually rules the city...you know, since he's the spirit of the Atlantic ocean?" Percy said quickly, he hated lying, but he couldn't tell her the truth...yet.

"Amazing," Fleur said, her eyes practically glowing, "I've always wanted to visit the city! My mother kept telling me it was just a fairy tale but….oh my god I can't believe it's real!"

Percy chuckled, "yes, it's real," he kissed her forehead before whispering, "and do you want to know a secret?" She nodded immediately, "technically speaking, I'm the prince of Atlantis."

"What?!" Fleur screamed so loudly Percy thought his ear drums would explode.

Everyone quickly looked over, worried over her sudden outburst. Percy rolled his eyes waving their worries away and getting Fleur to calm down.

"Sorry," Fleur apologized, "but are you serious?! You're a prince?!"

Percy shrugged, "technically, yeah. Any son of my dad's is a prince of Atlantis, I have only ever been to the city once, but yeah, I'm the prince of Atlantis. Please, no Little Mermaid jokes. Trust me, I heard them all."

Fleur's eyes went wide, "Percy! This is huge! Why didn't you tell me this before?!"

Percy shrugged, "hey, I didn't really think it would matter."

"Well it does! It matter a lot!" Fleur then suddenly stopped, "wait...if we get married, would I become a princess?!"

Percy blinked, "well….I guess so, technically speaking you would be a princess."

"EP!" Fleur squeaked like a little girl on a sugar rush, grabbing Percy's hand and squeezing hard, "this is so amazing! What else haven't you told me?! Are mermaids real?"

Percy blinked, "ah, yeah, they're right outside in the Lake, duh."

"No! I mean are really mermaids real? Like the pretty ones?!" Fleur asked in a huff.

Percy chuckled, "sorry, most of them just kind of look like that. But ah...don't tell them I said that yes?"

The party quickly came to close as people soon began to pour into the hall for breakfast. Most gave the party members odd looks wondering what they were doing up so early, but they didn't care enough to ask.

Percy and Fleur sat for breakfast that day, the veela asking Percy questions about Atlantis, and the poor demigod did his best to explain over and over again that he had only ever been there once and she should really eat something before she faints.

The morning paper came a little late that day, but when it did arrive Percy found good news on the cover.

Could Sirius Black be innocent?!

Harry was bombarded by people once more, they hadn't really let up with the questions about Black. But the results of those questions was in Percy's hands, and judging by the smile on Harry's face while he answered people's questions, he was very happy to do it all again.

Classes for Percy had begun to get….boring to say the least.

He had gone ahead and taken up seventh year books from the library for Runes, Potions, DADA, Arithmancy and Transfiguration. Honestly the only class he still had trouble with was Charms, much to Flitwick's frustration.

For Runes Percy had gotten permission to make his own rune chains and submit them for extra credit. Out of the 24 chapters from the seventh year potions Percy had completed over half, at this rate Babbling figured he would be done with even NEWT level runes by the time this year was done.

Worried, Babbling had actually gone to Dumbledore for help. The old man had suggested that if Percy felt confident he could simply take the NEWT exams this year for Runes and pass out. It was a challenging idea, but both Percy and Babbling looked forward to it.

Potions continued to be stupidly easy for Percy. Snape had taken his talents into account and had made Percy do extra every class just to make sure he wasn't wasting his time. It was kind of sweet, in Snape's own twisted way.

He had already become proficient in making seventh year portions, and with the Felix Felicis he's been brewing all year round he was sure to be able to get extra credit if not allowing him take the NEWT for this class as well, allowing him to pass out early.

Arithmancy was fine, Percy had begun seventh year portions, like one would expect. While he wasn't really excited to pass out of this class, it did become something more and more likely to happen with each class.

Percy wasn't a math genius, no, nothing of the sort. But he was really good with applying math in spells allowing him to make new spells on the fly. This was most definitely a NEWT level skill and Vector was most certainly interested in having him pass out early, much to Percy's dismay.

Transfiguration was basically a class he attended for fun. It really wasn't all that interesting to him or a challenge. After he discovered that he had been doing magic wrong for all this time, Percy corrected himself. And the results showed.

He became a natural overnight, allowing his imagination and will power to dictate the transfiguration spells. He was very good and while he still had a lot to learn theory wise, his animagus form was sure to bag him an O in the NEWTS.

So of course, McGonagall was insistent he try and pass out this year. If Percy didn't know better he would say it was almost like every professor wanted him out of the school for some reason...neah, must be his imagination.

Charms was basically his achilles heel...hehe, funny.

But all joking aside, Flitwick was really concerned for Percy as the boy made very little progress theory wise, while his practical work was still leagues above the rest. While he could technically pass without needing Charms, Flitwick was adamant Percy at least obtains an EE. So Percy found himself hating the class more than life itself.

And then came DADA which was….odd?

Percy had no problem with the theory here. He was born to fight monsters, he could memorise these books in his sleep. And thanks to his skills with creating spells on the fly his practical section was perfect as well.

But, there was one small thing holding him back. And that was Moody. Percy had actually approached him with the idea of passing out early and the man and shot him down immediately.

"You aren't ready for what's out there Yanky," the man spat out that slur like it was the 'M' word, "you're confidence will be the death of you yet."

Percy had honestly no clue what he did to piss the man off, but he really didn't want to find out. So unfortunately without a teacher's permission Percy couldn't pass out. Which meant DADA was the only class he would be taking that he wasn't trying to clear.

That didn't mean he didn't try and learn something extra from the seventh year side. Yeah no, nothing was going to stop Percy from reading everything he can get his hands on. He may not be a bibliophile, but he did love magic!

And that was why for the past few weeks Percy always found himself so busy. He was either working on one of his side projects, studying, making out with Fleur, when they weren't fighting about their future together, or going out at night in his pegasus form to fly around for a bit. Since everyone now knew, it seemed pointless not to have a little fun with it.

April 22:

"75%."

"50%."

"75%!"

"50%!"

Percy groaned, "you want me to invest all my money and the money I might win as future champion into this business and provided my self designed products as gag toys. That's more than what you put up!"

"Hey! We're splitting our 50%-" George exclaimed

"50-50! We each are only going to get 25%!" Fred finished.

"We can't afford to split 25%!"

"It's inhumane!"

Percy groaned throwing his hands up in defeat, "alright! That's it! I'm done with you two!"

"Fine!"

"Go somewhere else then to get a shop!"

"See if we care!"

Percy grumbled as the twins continued to glare at him. They kept eye contact for over a minute before Percy spoke, "I want all the profits from my item sales."

"We can't differentiate item sales like that," Fred argued.

"Then 50% of our profits must be set aside as funds for research," was Percy's rebutted.

"Can we use it?" George asked.

"Of course, but if I find you wasting it I have the right to revoke privileges."

"Reasonable," the twins said as one.

"Deal," Percy extended his hand.

"Deal!" the twins cried out shaking Percy's hand each.

"What's this about?" Gordan asked as he watched Fred and George get up and leave to their table.

"We were talking about the joke shop they wanted to set up," Percy informed him with a smirk.

"Joke z'op?" Fleur asked with a raised eyebrow.

Percy nodded, "Fred and George want to set up a joke shop that can rival Zonko's. As such they want me as a partner to make rune based devices. If I can lure students with my quick quill inventions and such, then they can snatch them into buying their stuff."

Fleur raised an eyebrow, "you are t'e youngezt animaguz in a century, and t'e only magical animaguz in recorded 'iztory. You fought a dragon and 'ave control over almozt all formz of water. And your goal in life….iz to create a joke z'op?"

Percy grinned, "yup! I can't imagine a better thing to do that to spread cheer and laughter!"

Fleur groaned, "you could become a curse breaker, they make a lot of money."

Percy shrugged, "what do I need money for?"

"A house? Maybe enough to buy nice things."

Percy rolled his eyes as he switched to english, "Fleur, if I want money I can just sell one of my feathers. I read somewhere in the paper that people have been tricked into buying pegasus feathers for over a thousand galleons thinking it was mine."

Fleur huffed, "you're starting to sound like someone who will just sit around in the house and be lazy."

Percy shrugged, "yeah well, life's been pretty tough, I'll be happy if I can just live the rest of it in a quiet house with a kid or two."

"Yes but-" Fleur stopped, she took a deep breath and let it out, "you can't just do not'ing Perzy."

Percy looked at her, "why do you want me to always do something? You know I don't do well with authority figures. A 9 to 5 job is that last thing on my mind."

"So you juzt wizh to be w'at? A joke maker?" Fleur huffed.

Percy shrugged, "if they do well I'll have more than enough cash to support a family Fleur. I don't understand why you don't get that."

"All I'm zaying iz t'at you can be zo muc' more t'an juzt a joke z'op owner!"

"Fleur I'm happy to just be that, I don't want money, I want to be happy! Why don't you get that?!"

"And why don't you understand that I can't be with someone who wastes away their talents!"

"Fleur-"

"-No Percy! You are one of the greatest wizards I have ever met, I will freely admit that you are many times my better. But I cannot just sit by and watch you waste your life like this!"

"Doing things that make me happy isn't a waste of time! If it was then are you saying you're a waste of my time?!"

Fleur's eyes went wide. Percy knew what he said was the wrong thing to say. She got up and left, tears beginning to swell up in her eyes.

Percy sighed and got up, following after her, he knew exactly where she was going. He waited for a minute before following her, finding her in the roots of the oak tree before the Black Lake. Their tree.

Percy floated down, "Fleur, I'm sorry I yelled at you I...I just don't know what I'm going to do in life and...the fact is I don't want you to go...but I'm not going to do something I hate for the rest of my life. I had people dictate how I should live all my life, I don't want that to be my future."

Fleur looked up, tear soaked face. She looked at Percy with fury, "I'm not trying to control you Percy, I want to spend the rest of my life with you! Can't you understand that?!"

Percy sighed, "I know, but I can't live my life being forced to do something I don't like."

Fleur glared, "iz being wit' me zomet'ing you don't like?"

"No! It's not! But I….I have been kicked out of 8 schools in my life Fleur. When I was 12 my mom was kidnapped by my uncle because he thought I stole from him. From the day on my life has been one large quest after another and now….I just don't want to end up with a job I come to hate."

Fleur looked away, "if you can't promise me a proper future together Percy...I can't see ourselves together."

"Fleur be reasonable! I'm not saying I'm never going to get a job! I'm just saying I don't know what I'm going to do right now!" Percy landed before he and knelt down, "but….if it really matters so much to you...I'll take that job in Beauxbatons."

Fleur's eyes went wide, "y-you would do t'at for me?"

Percy shrugged, "sure. It already looks like I might pass out early, all I need to do now to be qualified as a potions master is make a completely original potion, which I do in my sleep. So...you know...it's possible the next year we could be together…."

Fleur was in utter shock. She leaped into Percy's arms, "thank you! Thank you!" she leaned forward and kissed him.

The demigod felt a weight lift from his heart as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up to her feet.

She broke the kiss slowly, and pressed her head against his, "I know you don't want to do this. I know you don't think it's for you...but thank you Percy. I...I needed to know there an actual future there between us, that it isn't just a fling that we'll forget about after this year is over. I...I love Percy, and I want to be with you."

Percy chuckled, "you know Fleur, for a smart girl, you're pretty stupid," he kissed her nose, "you're not getting rid of my that easily Tweety bird."

"I know...my zea prince," she smiled as the slightest hint of her accent was washed away.

Percy's eyes widened, "is that my nickname?"

"Yes….what do you think?"

Percy grinned, "it's super corny."

"Well, iz t'at bad?"

"No," he kissed her again.

They sat there underneath their special tree as the soon to be spring air rushed passed them. Fleur was tucked against Percy as she spoke up, "I'll write to my father tonight, he'll help you get the job."

"No," Percy cut in, "if I'm doing this it's not going to be because of your father's recommendation. I refuse to owe anyone a favour. I'll do it myself or not at all."

Fleur raised an eyebrow, "you're pride will be t'e deat' of you Perzy."

Percy smiled, "it's not pride. Most my life I've had other people dictate how I should live, I don't plan on going back to that. So no, no recommendations. I'll apply to Beauxbatons after this year is done….shit, I just realised I'm actually going to have to put in some efforts now."

Fleur chuckled loudly, her voice like the morning nightingale, "yes well, I'll be with you along the way, I'll make sure you have plenty of...motivation to keep you going."

Percy smiled, maybe getting a job wasn't the worst thing ever.