Back to School

If there was one thing Percy didn't want to do it was go back to school. Even with Dumbledore assuring him he didn't actually need to attend classes the son of Poseidon didn't want to be stuck in the same place for too long.

It was an open invitation for monsters all around to find him. Apparently the school was heavily warded, but something in the back of Percy's mind told him it didn't mean much.

He wondered how he'd explain Matthew's presence. Or if he'd even bother too. He doubted his word meant much to them. Much less gossiping kids.

Finding the right station was strange, but Percy did way weirder than walk through a wall. And it made his son giggle so bonus points. He waited for the train the students coming up next to him. He had learned their names in his short time at Grinmauld place.

Harry sent an inquisitive look at Matthew. "Are you seriously bringing you're baby to Hogwarts?" Percy snorted again at the silly name.

"Of course, i'll die before leaving him with a stranger."

"How has Dumbledore agreed to this." Huffed the young wizard.

"I didn't give him the choice." Easily replied Percy.

He heard Harry Scoff, but he ignored him. The train arrived and without wasting time he marched in a booth. Taking the time to get some shut eye. Poor Matthew had been restless these past few days. Which meant very little sleep for Percy as well.

He heavily suspected the wizards had something to do with this.

After a few hours a thought lept to his mind.

Circe told Annabeth she had great potential in witchcraft. He reminded himself, he'd need to see if this school met his standards. Especially since he might have ADHD or dyslexia. Although in hindsight he doubted anyone would willingly teach his boy.

He'd need to talk to Dumbledore about this.

He ended up being joined by more people. The lack of inquiry's made it clear it was Harry and his gang, but they were soon greeted by a new voice.

"Hello Potter, or should I say loony Harry. Got anymore ridiculous stories for us today?"

Percy heard only two people laughing.

"Sod off Malfoy." Grumbled Ron, but Harry was in the mood for a scathing reply.

"Weird you ask Draco, with how eager you're father was to pathetically grovel back to Voldemort I thought you'd know it's real. Then again can't say I blame you for acting like it never happened. Must be hard to realize you're father's nothing more than a money bank for a monster."

"Must be hard to wake up everyday realizing your father lives with the maggots Potter." Spat back Draco.

Percy officially did not like that kid.

"If any of you raise your voice for even the slightest decibel and wake up my child I will drop kick you out of this speeding train." Casually spoke up Percy.

"Who do you think." Began Draco in pure outrage only to fully process what Percy had just said.

He then laughed mockingly "what's that had too much fun with a muggle? No self respecting witch even a mud blood would have so little class."

Percy cracked one eye open taking a good look at the teen with slicked back blonde nearly white hair.

"Why do I get the sudden suspicion that you're family tree is shaped like a wheel?"

Percy was throwing rocks from a glass house with a comment like that, but at least there wasn't anyone to call him out on it.

Either way it had the intended effect.

Draco's pale face turned a vibrant shade of red. Making Percy smirk.

"Who do you think you are." He quietly replied in a tone he must have thought sounded intimidating.

"Percy Jackson exchange student, it was a last minute decision."

"Well Percy Jackson my father will hear about this. He has good contacts with the ministry." Sneered the young wizard.

"What can't deal with you're problems on you're own without daddy dearest?" Mocked Percy with a laugh.

He heard him stomp away accompanied by his two friends.

Percy leaned back in his seat with a smile.

"I didn't need you're help." Harry replied.

"Never pretended you did." Was Percy's careless response.

"What happened to the mother?" Wondered Hermione her curiosity taking over.

"She passed." Percy responded tightly, making sure she'd know how thin the ice she was threading on was.

Hermione didn't press him any further for the rest of the trip.

"Are you really going to catch up on five years of study? It sounds like a monumental task."

"I said I'd be staying there, I have no interest in learning sorcery."

"How could you possibly pass such an occasion?!" Demanded Hermione "besides you'll need magic to defend yourself against your grandfather."

"That man is no family of mine and for your information. Power comes in many shapes and form, usually the kind you expect the least."

He could feel Hermione's confusion from where he was.

"I heard you beat over a dozen American wizards into an inch of their lives."

Percy heard who he assumed was Hermione slap his shoulder as if he was being nosier than her.

"They touched my kid." Percy shrugged like it was simple.

When the train stopped Percy rubbed his eyes, Matthew messily mirroring his action.

He stepped out of the train only attracting more and more odd looks.

Not only because of his infant son, but also the fact that he cordially refused to wear the robes he bought.

While a slightly loose outfit Percy was not fighting restricted in any sort of fashion. He cared little for tradition especially a people he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Percy looked up and was greeted by a massive medieval like castle. He caught many sounds as he marched towards it.

Teenagers conversing and laughing.

Creatures skittering about in the nearby woods even a few howls.

What caught his attention the most were the nearly rawboned bat winged horses nearly as black as night.

The poor demigod could only hope that his father didn't get frisky with Miss Dodds. That mental image was already scarring enough he didn't need an actual connection to that old skank.

He ran his hand across the leathery skin of the creature. While horse like he couldn't hear its thoughts, only sense it's emotions. It was calm, but curious as it sniffed his hair before going down to the infant in his arms.

The infant giggled trying to find what was tickling him.

His heart lighter Percy climbed into a carriage gently bouncing Matthew. No one climbed after him, which Percy was thankful for.

Matthew's curious grey eyes bounced everywhere so fast Percy feared he'd give himself a whiplash. Chuckling he held him closer, the child looking up with a wide toothy smile.

Percy could have stared all day, but the carriage stopped the moment short.

He walked out now at the foot of the castle he followed the crowd. His path ending up in a massive room of floating candles, the room was filled with children of various ages eating and loudly conversing.

Percy went to grab himself something to eat, but Matthew began whimpering from all the noise. Percy softly bounced him a bit before taking a few steps backwards. From a safe distance he listened to Dumbledore speak to the students.

His voice was kind and reassuring as he assured some of the nervous students that Aurors would now patrolling the grounds for a few weeks. Making sure that no one would try to recreate the sad fate of Cedric Diggory.

Percy heard that name thrown around a lot today. With a lot of sadness too.

"Em em." Cut off a high pitched nails on a chalkboard voice.

Percy couldn't stare at the short stout woman for very long, even the Aphrodite cabin wasn't such an eyesore of pinkish hell.

He tuned out her voice as well opting to tickle his son's chin.

A few minutes later an old woman with a witch hat approached him.

"Perseus Jackson I presume." She greeted with a small nod.

"That's me." Piped up Percy "that's Matthew." He added grabbing his son's pudgy hand to make him wave.

"Minerva Mcgonagall, you may address me as professor while in your stay here." Replied the witch in a no nonsense tone, but Percy wasn't convinced. The fond glint in her eyes when she glanced at Matthew spoke for itself

"Professor Dumbledore saw fit to give you your own quarters away from the other students. Sleepless nights should be less of an issue for everyone else. You will have private lessons with me tomorrow at ten in the morning.

Percy resisted the urge to roll his eyes, he truly had no interest, but he was a guest here. What would his mom say if he didn't even bother trying?

"Follow me." Slightly smiled the professor guiding Percy through the castle.

"I might need a map for this place." Huffed Percy running a hand through Matthew's hair.

"Don't worry too much, even first years end up understanding the layouts of the castle." Assured Professor Mcgonagall.

"What subject do you teach?" Wondered Percy.

"I am the transfiguration teacher. Despite your condition mister Jackson I expect the upmost focus in my class. For your own sake, I wouldn't want to see you accidentally turn your hand to stone."

"That almost happened to my whole body once." Chuckled Percy which earned him a strange look from the professor.

"I expect you to have read your introductory chapter by tomorrow."

Percy went to open his mouth, but she waved his unspoken worries away.

"Dumbledore saw fit to enchant your books. You should not have any worries reading them."

They stopped near the portrait of a fruit bowl. At the opposite of it the professor gestured to the room. "You'll find a crib as well as food graciously prepared by the house elves for your boy. This is quite unnothodox,  yet I must admire you're dedication to parenthood. Hopefully it won't distract you too much from your tests."

Percy laughed a little "watch out teacher, I'm testing to see if this place is good enough for him more than me." Percy replied patting Matthew's head.

"Well then, Hogwarts will not disappoint." Smiled Professor Mcgonagall walking away.

Percy entered the room the smooth stone almost hidden by a thin carpet. Two holes on each side acted as windows letting in a cool breeze.

A large library holding all of his school books throned next to a comfy looking chair settled in front of a fireplace.

On the opposite of that was a modest queen sized bed with a crib right next to it.

"Well kiddo I guess I'm officially back to school." Sighed Percy placing Matthew into his crib. Percy went to the library and pulled out a Begginer's guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch.

He opened the book expecting the usual letters swimming around.

Instead he was greeted by a distinguished British voice explaining the fundamentals of Transfiguration.

A magical audiobook. That was definitely a point for Hogwarts. If Matthew ended up dyslexic this would be a more than welcomed help.

He layed in bed listening intently to the instructions. Realizing quickly and with melancholy that Annabeth often talked about the molecular structure of objects and how interesting it was under a magical lense.

He sighed deeply not finding the strength to stare in Matthew's eyes as he started exitedly rocking back and forth.

He kept listening to the book quickly grasping the concept. He pulled out his wand inspecting the piece of wood.

He could sense a connection to it, but Percy while uninterested had deeper motives behind his reluctance to learning spells.

Wasn't he powerful enough as it is?

With barely a thought he could summon mega-tsunami sized waves. He was a walking talking natural disaster. As interesting as this sorcery deal was growing in power would only paint a bigger target on his back.

Locking back onto the words of the manual, Percy quickly realized something. All the spells were Latin.

"You're fluent in Latin." Percy thought to himself "why am I fluent in Latin again? I thought that crap only worked on Greek?" Percy frowned trying to make sense of the fact. His teachings in Latin were limited, but in the past few months he found himself fluent in yet another dead language.

Probably Hera that tempered more with his brain so he'd fit in more. Stupid Hera, meddling with everything like a nosy drunk aunt.

Pointing his wand at the ceiling Percy uttered the first Latin word that jumped to mind.

"Ignis"

A brief powerful torrent of fire shot out of the wand at the stone ceiling. Matthew looked up in wonder for a few seconds before Percy managed to cancel the spell.

He stared up wide eyed at the small glowing crater in the ceiling.

Matthew broke out into loud giggles again.

Percy managed a chuckle before a glowing piece of stone fell on his forehead.

He sighed and flicked it off the stone quickly cooling down. He listened to the book for a bit before falling asleep.

Naturally it didn't take long before Percy was back in Camp half-blood. He stared down eyes dead at Annabeth's motionless body. Trying as hard as he could to clamp his eyes shut. Yet he kept on staring as if to solidify his guilt within his mind further.

He gasped slightly panting as sweat flowed down his forehead.

Sighing Percy sat up, seeing Matthew peacefully sleep on his back. Gingerly Percy moved him making sure he wouldn't sleep too long on one side of his little head.

Suddenly his fireplace burst alive. Startling Percy's child awake.

Matthew began crying as a cold presence settled over the room. The flames rose up to eye level and formed two simple words, more of a demand.

Come outside

Percy narrowed his eyes at the message that quickly dissolved into thin air. Percy felt angry, no enraged.

He knew that presence all too well.

Strapping Matthew to his back Percy skillfully manœuvered around the prefects and head students patrolling the halls. The suits of armor were even easier to pass by. He'd need to talk to Dumbledore about genuine security. For the aurors we're lazy at best.

Percy used his emotions like a compass, the angrier he got the closer he was getting.

His feet brought him by the lake and next to the forbidden forest.

"You've gotten a bit smarter I'll give you that" Percy muttered to himself before marching inside the woods.

The son of Poseidon didn't understand the big deal it wasn't any less dangerous than a casual stroll through the woods back at camp.

Only this time there wasn't a love struck nature spirit eying him with every steps.

The familiar swift sound of a sword being sharpened met his ears. Percy slowly turned to a large boulder a man dressed like a biker driving a rectangular sharpening stone across a dark blade sporting a skull inside its guard.

"Ares." Percy greeted bored.

"Punk he greeted backyou sure you want your spawn to witness this?"

"If you're here for a rematch you can forget it." Huffed Percy.

"Scared?" Viciously smiled the god of war his pupils glowing brightly behind his dark shades.

"More like I have literally a million better things to do than humour a pathetic man child weighted down by a crippling superiority complex." Percy calmly replied, but some heat slipped past his words.

If Ares dared start a battle with his son even a mile in their vicinity it would be his last.

Ares strangely smiled wider, Percy half expected him to be possessed again, but he soon revealed what his smugness was about.

"You know, Keres fall under my domain. I'm buddy buddy with a few of them."

"Are they the mother of your children." Scoffed Percy deflecting the implications.

Ares regretfully wasn't so easily baited this time.

"You know I thought the news about you going through Tartarus was just bullshit, but imagine my surprise when a absolutely horrified Keres came to me with quite a troubling story between you and that ugly skank Akhlys."

"I have no idea what you're on about." Coldly cut off Percy.

"Punk, in case you haven't noticed. Misery isn't exactly actively swimming around in the mortal realm. It's why so many of them haven't given up on life yet. You did something to her, something your not supposed to be able to do. They started calling you the bane of misery down there you know."

"What do really want Ares."

"You already guessed." Smirked the god of War rising from the stone resting his now sharp blade on his shoulder.

"You know what I'm capable of." Calmly warned the bane of misery.

"That's what makes it exiting."

Ares took one threatening step towards Percy. His foot landing in heavy mist.

He scowled "this doesn't concern you!" He thundered looking around wildly.

"Oh but it does warmonger." Calmly argued a female voice.

She rose from the mist itself dressed in long dark robes and a hood gripping two lit torches.

"Perseus Jackson wether he likes it or not is part of my protegee's. If you attack him you will inquire my wrath."

"As if I'm afraid of a some common witch," snarled Ares.

Hecate didn't falter, the flames of her torches glowing so bright they turned violet.

"You won't be able to protect him forever." Claimed Ares before disappearing into a pillar of flames.

"What do you want."

Hecate turned to him with a benevolent smile her torches disappearing. Leaving place to the soft moonlight.

"My people are off limits to brutes Perseus Jackson. It might be a mile long root, but we are related like every magical children in that castle."

"Great, I needed a more nonsensical family tree huffed Percy sitting down on a stump."

Hecate kneeled in front of him trailing a pale finger down Matthew's cheek.

"Such a shame his mother never got to realize her try potential. I sense an ever greater one here." Hummed the goddess tickling his chin.

"Why so protective." Asked Percy still suspicious.

Hecate stoped bringing her hand back to her. She held her wrist to her chest. "I cannot be in the life of my children Perseus. All I can give them is the gift of magic. Some may take it for granted, some may think I am merely trying to make up for my absence. Some may even use it to be evil, but truth is that it's the only part of me they can truly carry within their hearts. The children of their children carry that spark. So do you, you may use it as you wish. Take it for granted ignore it. It is truly your choice no double sense no lies. You are part of my family Perseus I simply wish you to know that. I hope my other grandchildren won't disappoint you. Enough people have done that."

Percy stared at his kind of grand mother. Her emerald green eyes shining with a sad sense of pride. True longing Percy almost never saw in the eyes of the gods.

"So it's a fact, Matthew is a wizard."

Hecate nodded smiling brighter "a fine one he will be. A true one in a million these days."

"How so." Wondered Percy already knowing his kid was the best.

For some reason the goddess hesitated.

"Let's just say his mixed heritage is both favorable and a problem. Forgive me I cannot say more."

Percy didn't have time to be confused before the goddess leaned back disappearing in a trail of mist, throwing one last benevolent smile Percy's way.

Or was it Matthew's way?

He was too tired to theorize he trudged back to his room inside the castle still effortlessly dodging the vigilance of the wizards and witches present.

He thought back to what Hecate had said, about Matthew's heritage. Perhaps he needed to look further into his family tree.

Or perhaps he needed to learn more about hers.

"Sweet dreams only." He told his drowsy baby as he layed him back down in his crib.

Percy sat on his bed for a few moments. Sleep was now unbeknownst to him.

Instead he opted to sit down with a talking book on the coffee table next to the fireplace. His mind working hundred miles an hour.

He could think for as long as he wanted his mind wandering to the edge of the earth.

He couldn't escape the memories.