Chapter 26

The week went by quickly, the days Pery spent pranking people while the nights he and Fleur snuck out to meet in his hidden room. Fleur spent a lot of time there with Percy, though surprisingly not all of it was spent making out.

Fleur took to using the room as her own, Percy even gave her a small corner in the side, conjuring up a screen between them for her privacy.

Fleur had figured out the clue a few days after Christmas and was hard at work solving the clue. She asked Percy if he had something prepared, and he always just replied with 'it's a secret.'

Percy also gave Harry a clue on how to solve the golden egg. It was fair after all since he did warn him about the dragons. Percy even offered to brew Harry a potion to help with the cold waters, something which Harry was really grateful for.

There was one thing that surprised Percy though, the letters he received from the veela cheerleaders and Hecate. The former one was quite simple, about how their sorry he got slandered in the paper like that, and about how Fleur is a lucky girl to have him.

Amanda even included a little note in the end that read, 'if you two don't work out, I'm never letting you out of my sight, got that?'. Percy was both concerned and a little happy.

Chanel had stopped writing to him, Percy still sent her private letters from time to time but she didn't reply back with her own message, always speaking in the common letter the cheerleaders sent. Percy felt bad their relationship turned out the way it did, but he honestly didn't know what he could do.

The second letter however, the one from Hecate, well that was a whole another story.

[To Percy Jackson,

Son of the sea

I write to you know not as your loving and caring aunt but as the goddess you know me to be. I have attached a copy of several nasty curses one can cast on people. They are greek of origin and no wizard can do a damn thing about them. There are three of, pick one and teach that bottom feeding bitch not to fuck around with you. And if you don't, I will, and I won't be as soft as I know you will.

Signed,

Hecate,

Goddess of magic.

P.S. I heard about your new girlfriend….told you so. Not attracted to veelas my ass.]

And like she promised, attached were three rituals to cast a long lasting curse, not the kind you shoot out of a wand, but the kind you use to cast a plague on someone's family.

One would make Rita into a hag, covering her with blisters and open sores. Another that would flip her digestive tracks around, making her eat and defecate for opposite ends. And the last that would make her irresistible to birds, causing them to assault her in any way possible.

Percy hated the woman, but he didn't want to make her life miserable. So he obviously chose the third option.

He got the ritual ready, he would only have to meet her face to face to finish the curse with an incantation cast in ancient greek, which would probably only be during the second task.

Percy wrote back to Hecate thanking, and informing her he had made his choice, so she didn't have to go crazy. To say that Hecate was a little disappointed was an understatement, she really wanted to switch Rita's innards around.

Soon the time flew by and school had reopened. Percy didn't like the fact that classes had once again started, but hey, what was a demigod to do? It wasn't like he could plant stink bombs in all the classes forcing them to delay the opening?…..wait a minute.

Boom!

And just like that classes were delayed for another day. And since Percy had borrowed Harry's cloak for the little bit of mischief no one could prove it was for him. But if you simply looked at the shit eating on his face you would have known who to thank.

"I still can't believe you did that," Juan whispered as they all sat down for lunch.

"I can honestly say I have no idea what you are talking about," Percy smiled as he bite into his sandwich.

"W'at 'ave I gotten myzelf into?" Fleur groaned as she rubbed her temples, "did you 'ave to put it in every clazzroom? The caztle zmellz like poop!"

Percy shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of courze you don't," Fleur grumbled, "you're lucky you know, anyone elze and you wouldn't have a girlfriend anymore."

Percy paused as he turned towards her slowly. Fleur's jaw half open as she realised what she said. She had said it first, this was the first time one of them admitted the other was their boyfriend/girlfriend. And Percy was grinning like a cheshire cat.

"So...I am your boyfriend huh?" Percy wiggled his eyebrows.

"Z'ut up," Fleur grumbled as she blushed lightly.

"What come on, you're the one who said it," Percy grinned, "honey."

"Ztop," she grumbled.

"Why? You're my girlfriend aren't you? I mean, that is why I gave you all those love bites."

Fleur looked down and found her neck once again exposed revealing several hikes along her neck. She growled as he put her collar button on once more, "I 'ate you."

"No you don't," Percy sighed as he went back to his meal.

"How come Fleur's always the one who's covered in hickeys?" Hugo asked.

"Yes, what's the matter Fleur, don't like showing your true feelings?" Camille teased. Fleur grumbled something under her breath. "What's that?" Camille sked.

"I zaid I can't give 'im one," Fleur growled, "his zkin'z too t'ick. It'z like giving a rock wall a bruize."

Percy sighed, "such is my curse," 'literally in this case.'

"That's so sad," Juan cried, "one person who can't stop expressing his love and the other who can't express hers. Such a tragic couple."

Fleur glared at Juan shutting him up while the rest of them laughed. Kelly jumped out to Percy's pocket and yawned, she looked around and grumbled, "bored!"

Percy sighed, "sorry Kelly, what do you want to do?"

The veela thought for a moment before grinning, "Kitty!"

Percy chuckled, he reached into his pocket and took out the paralyzed miniature Horntail and put it on the table, unfreezing it. The dragon snarled around the table, many students looked at it curiously. It snorted fire at everyone before turning to Kelly and freezing.

Kelly smiled evilly, "Kitty," the dragon gulped and ran away as fast as it could with Kelly chasing after it.

"I have such weird friends," Cedric grumbled.

Just then the morning papers came and people began to read them. They started to whisper once more and Percy, fearing another article about them, looked over Juan's shoulder to read his copy.

The headline was written by Skitter, but not about them.

It was an actually expose piece, one that covered Hagrid, the groundskeeper, and Madam Maxim. And it claimed that they were both descended from giants.

It was a scathing article, apparently Percy and Fleur weren't the only couple Rita had been snooping on. She wrote about how Hagrid was most likely the case, given his height, and then went on to insult madam Maxim, calling her unfit to lead her school due to her unique…'heritage'.

Percy looked up at the high table and saw the french headmistress looking horrified. She looked hurt and afraid, tears pooled up in the corner of her eyes and Percy could see Dumbledore whispering quietly as he patted her arm.

Percy was rethinking the curse, maybe he should switch the bitch's entrails. But for now, there were more immediately concerns.

Percy got up, the people around him were immediately concerned. He got up on the table and casted a sonorus charm, "ah hem," the entire hall turned to him, "alright people, you know the drill. No name calling and no pointing, throw all the copies out the window before I make you."

The people blinked as they stared at him. Percy sighed, 'figures,' he lowered his voice to a growl, put on his best scary face and roared, "NOW!"

A few students flinches and they immediately went to the window and threw the paper out and down into the lake below. However a few of the older students stared back definitely, they had no intention of doing that. It wasn't' anyone's surprise to know that most of said students were Slytherin.

Percy rolled his eyes, "alright then, you asked for it, accio newspaper," Percy pushed as much magic as he could into the wand, causing it to heat up from the exertion. This overpowered the spell and immediately all the copies of the papers flew out of their owner's hands. A few tried to hold on tight, but they ultimately failed.

Percy gathered the papers and threw them out an open window, he wiped his hands clean and nodded, "there, no more garbage smelling up the morning," he walked back to his seat and sat down.

The rest of the hall looked at him in surprise before slowly settling down as well. Percy turned to the teacher's table and saw Madam Maxim smiling softly in joy. She looked at him and smiled, Percy just nodded in return before returning to his meal.

Unfortunately the damage was done. According to Harry Hagrid didn't show up for care of magical creatures. He was replaced by some guy named Grubbly-Plank and the whole school was basically reeling from the news that he was a half-giant.

Malfoy even went so far as to insult Harry in the middle of the school for being friends with Hagrid, but Harry stayed clamn and looked Draco right in the eye and whispered, "oh hello Percy, Fleur, fancy seeing you here."

The Slytherin flinched so hard he almost tripped and fell as he tried to run away, without even looking back to see if the couple was actually standing behind him. Needless to say Harry had fun with the ferret with that little line from time to time.

The first week of classes went by quickly for Percy, who was sorely tempted to try and get another day of holiday, but after a stern talking too from Fleur, Percy was forced to dismiss the idea.

The classes weren't boring, thank the gods for that. Potions was still Percy's favorite subject, and while the little incident with Draco seemed to push Snape's patients with him, he kept doing good work for the man, earning the scowling professors begrudging respect.

Runes continued to be basically a free period for Percy, instead of classes he would work on side projects under the watchful eyes of his professor.

The rest were fine, transfiguration was the same like usual while charms...well, it wasn't going anywhere fast.

It was on the Friday of that week that Percy was leaving his charms class when Flitwick called for him, "Mr. Jackson, could you hold on for a few minutes? I wish to speak with you."

Percy told his friends he would see them at dinner and quickly followed the half goblin into his private office, connected by a large wooden door in the front of the charms class.

Percy looked around, the place looked professional, books everywhere with several charmed objects whizzing about, flying over head or in the case of one pineapple, tap dancing.

Percy looked around as Flitwick removed his over coat, "please Mr. Jackson, sit," he motioned to a sofa in the back.

Percy sat down, "this is a very nice place sir," Percy looked around.

"Thank you Mr. Jackson, now, would you like some tea?" the smaller man asked.

"No sir, I'm fine with just water."

"Very well," Flitwick nodded as he went to a cabinet and opened it, revealing a charmed tea set that was alive, jumping out and flying towards the coffee table before Percy. They began preparing tea for one while Flitwick himself poured Percy a glass of water.

"Thank you," Percy smiled as he sipped the drink. The charms professor summoned a comfortable looking chair that was very low, presumably for a man of his stature. He sat down and sipped his now prepared drink, smiling.

"I'm sure you're wondering why you are here Mr. Jackson," the man said placing his cup on the table.

"Well, yeah, kind off."

"Well, you see, you are here because I am worried about your studies," the man replied.

"I'm sorry? What do you mean? Sure I may not be the topper in class, but I'm sure-"

"-You are mistaken Mr. Jackson, I didn't call you here to criticise you for being a bad student, I asked you here to tell you you can very well be the best student, if only for you lack of...skill in my subject an Minerva's."

Percy blinked, "ah….well, don't take it personally sir, charms never was...well, my thing. I'm more of a runes and potions guy."

"Yes, I see, but if you don't mind me asking Mr. Jackson, why is that? Why does charms vex you so?" the man asked sipping his hot cup of tea.

Percy sipped his own drink and thought for a while, trying to understand why it was so. Finally he replied, "I...I honestly don't know. I say the words, I do the waving, but it just doesn't...well, work. At least have the time it fails. I don't know why."

"Really? That's all you do? The words and motions?" Flitwick asked worried.

"Yes, why? Is something wrong?"

"Very wrong Mr. Jackson. If I may ask, who was your charms teacher?"

"I was home schooled, he was just a guy my aunt found in America," Percy said carefully, not broaching the subject.

"Your aunt? The squib?"

"Yes," Percy hissed.

Flitwick seemed to notice Percy's tone and quickly nodded, "I see, well then he must have not been a very good teacher," Flitwick sighed.

"Why is that?" Percy asked with a raised amused eyebrow, 'really? The Goddess of magic isn't a good teacher of magic? Riiiiight.'

"Becuase charms is a very intent based magic system, not like potions, runes and arithmancy, you see, in those subjects your methods would work true. Potions have already a desired effect per ingredient, you just have to add them. Runes and arithmancy is similar, so is herbology, history and so on. But charms, and by extension transfiguration, are very magical branches and require intent."

Percy blinked, he began to think and realised the man was right. He never really thought of what he wanted to do, but just to do it. That's how Hecate taught him and….something was weird. If what he says was true then did Hecate teach him incorrectly? How? She's the goddess of magic! How could she make a mistake?

Percy and Flitwick spoke for a little while longer, Percy confessing the few charms he could work and asking Flitwick's reasoning for why they worked.

It seems all this time Percy's sheer will of expecting a result of the spell was the only reason any of his charms of spells worked. It was like trying to hammer in a screw nail. Give enough force and you could hammer anything in.

That night Percy had dinner with his friends in silence. His unusual behaviour had Fleur worried, but after assuring her he was fine, she decided to let it go. Percy wished everyone a good night and went to the Forest that night, his mind filled with ideas and questions.

'Did Hecate really make a mistake?' Percy asked himself for the hundredth time that night. He tried over and over again to think of a justifiable answer for the question, but he couldn't. It didn't make any sense.

She was the goddess of magic, it was like Poseidon one day not being able to tell the difference between saltwater and seawater. And more than that, she was intelligent and always in control, she didn't make mistakes, not one in all the time he knew her.

Percy drew his wand and looked at it. The bronze sheen of the wooden weapon was like a beacon, a pull to try out his magic anew, with a brand new perspective on it's capabilities.

Percy went to his work bench and took out a piece of paper. He held it up, pointing his wand at it. 'Okay, something simple...origami, let's make this into...a horse.'

Percy focused, intent taking the forefront of his mind as he imagined the paper folding in on itself to form a horse. Percy thought the spell and waved his wand and suddenly the paper flipped up and turned into the thing dominating Percy mind, a pegasus.

Percy held it in his hand and sighed, 'damn, I was going for a horse.' It was a mistake, but one that was welcomed. Percy tried again, this time it turned into a real horse.

Percy smiled, 'time to see what I can really do.'

He whispered an animation spell, intent flowing with the magic, and suddenly the horse let out a neigh, jumping out of his hand and running around his table. Percy understood, the voice was produced by the magic he poure into the horse. The legs moved in a way Percy expected it to, like a real horse.

'I wonder,' Percy turned to his table littered with parchment, with a grin he grabbed them all. He made a human first, and then animated him to chase down and ride the horse. He made a dog, a bird that could actually fly and finally a cat to sit in one corner and sleep….what? It was accurate wasn't it?

Percy grinned as he watched his creations run around his work table. The man rode the horse around while the dog chased them both, barking playfully. The bird circled them all, chirping away while the cat...well, you know.

Percy analyzed the bird, he magic responded to his intent, he saw a flying bird so it animated the bird to fly. That made Percy wonder, just how far could he animate?

Curious, Percy took another piece of paper and focused, transforming it into a paper dragon. It resembled the miniature dragon Kelly played with from time to time, which was exactly Percy's intention.

He then animated the dragon, remembering the battle he had with the real deal to fill in the details. And suddenly, it let out a small but fierce roar and took off into the air. Percy watched it zip around the room before turning to his desk.

It came down stooping and opened it's jaws, letting out a stream of flames that burned the man, horse and dog. The bird chirped in fear and tried to run away, only for the dragon to swoop down into the bird's back and latch it's jaws on it's neck, treating it off, swallowing it whole.

Only the cat survived.

Percy watched curiously, he didn't realise his animation spell was so...powerful. This didn't make any sense. He knew the limits of the spell, he did. It just made something move, physically move. Flying was pushing it, sound was a curious byproduct, but fire? Now that was fucking impossible.

Percy finted the dragon and cat, turning them back into paper while dousing the flames running across his desk. He sighed looking at the fire, he used a reparo spell and reversed the damage before sitting down and sighing.

This wasn't normal, even for him. Could it be a result of his heritage? Was being a demigod the reason why his powers were so...bizarre? What could he do? What was his limits?

If he animated a statue of Poseidon would it become a god? No, that's impossible, the animation spell got it's power from his magic, obviously it couldn't be stronger than him.

So if he made a Percy Jackson figure and animated that, would it be able to become a pegasus on it's own? There were so many questions. It didn't make sense.

Percy looked at the walls around him, there were painted glass windows behind him, but before him there was nothing but stone. He always thought it was such a boring sight to look at while working...maybe he should do something about that?

Grinning Percy took his wand and jumped out of his chair. He walked to the wall and waved his wand, imagining a mural of Poseidon etched into the stone. Slowly the image of his father appeared on the wall, Percy stepped back and grinned, 'yeah, this would work.'

He then worked on the wall some more, his mother, the master bolt from his first adventure, Cerberus, his brother Tyson, Grover, a landscape view of camp, Thalia, Luke and finally….Annabeth.

When it came to her, Percy's memory was fresh, he remembered her laugh, her smile, the way she would call him a moron. The way...the way she spoke.

Percy waved his wand over the stone, slowly etching Annabeth's form into the stone wall. Percy stepped back and admired his work. Her smile was perfect, her hair, perfect, her skin….was it turning pink?

Percy gasped as he watched the etching of Annabeth slowly turn into a statue as the wall caved in behind her. Her hair started to become blonde like he remembered, her skin the exact shade he knew, her eyes greying to her shade.

Percy watched as suddenly, the statue blinked, he felt his magic pouring out of him. He dropped to the ground holding his heart as he gasped. His eyes went wide as he panted. He heard stone crack, he heard it move. He felt his magic pour into Annabeth's statue, turning her...real.

"Percy!" Hecate's voice suddenly cried out.

Percy turned up and saw the goddess of magic suddenly appear before him. She looked at him and then the statue. Frowning she snapped her fingers, suddenly the drain on Percy's magic stopped. Percy gasped for air, falling to his side.

"Oh Zeus Percy, what did you do?" Hecate asked as her rolled on his back and looked up at her. She looked guilty and sad, but mostly afraid.

"W-what happened?" Percy panted out.

"You….you tried to do something impossible," the goddess sighed.

"What?" Percy asked, his mind still not clear, his eyesight covered with black spots.

Hecate sighed. She snapped her fingers summoning a bottle of some kind, she knelled down and put Percy's head on her lap, pressing the drink against his lips, "here, drink, you'll feel better."

Percy nodded as he did just that, drinking the potion in quick gulps, sighing in relief the moment the bottle was over. He closed her eyes, regaining his body's strength before speaking, "what happened?"

"You tried to change reality," came Hecate's simple reply.

Percy's eyes opened as he met hers, "really?"

The goddess shrugged, "yup."

"Explain, please," Percy grumbled.

Hecate smiled, "you figured out how to use intent to make magic didn't you?"

Percy blinked, "yeah...how did you know?"

"Because I never taught you do so, and only something like that would result in...well, this," she looked over Annabeth's etching, now it looked more like a statue than a real life person, whatever happened it had stopped, returning her to just an ordinary statute.

"Did you teach me incorrectly on purpose?" Percy asked.

Hecate looked at him and slowly nodded, "yes...I did."

"Why?"

"Because you weren't ready to know what you could do...you weren't a wizard back then, you were just a demigod with magic."

"I need a little more than that Hecate," Percy asked. He should be angry he supposed, but he wasn't. He couldn't be angry at this woman he considered family, no, he trusted her too much for that. She had a reason, Percy needed to know it.

"Well, I suppose you are ready to know," HEcate sighed, she looked at Annabeth's statue, "when you were making that thing, what were you thinking?"

"I….I was thinking about Annabeth," Percy admitted.

Hecate smiled, "thinking about another girl when your super hot veella girlfriend could walk in at any moment? For shame Percy Jackson, for shame."

Percy rolled his eyes, "it's not like that."

Hecate chuckled, "sure sure, whatever you say," she smiled at Percy, "but you were thinking of her weren't you? And you wanted the statue to look like her."

Percy nodded, "yes."

"But you probably didn't just stop there. You must have remembered more about her, memories of how she acted, how she talked, and when you did Percy….that changed the spell. You weren't just trying to make it look like her….you were trying to make it her."

Percy blinked, "but all I did was a basic transfiguration spell!"

"Yes, but the intent wasn't just for a simple image was it?"

Percy thought, "yes but….is that all it takes? Imagining them to create life?"

"No, of course not Percy, creating life out of a statute is something impossible. Only a god could do such a thing….and you..."

"Are half god," Percy realised, "my divine side, that's why you didn't teach me the right way to use magic?"

Hecate nodded, "I told you once about how divine magic worked didn't I Percy?"

Percy nodded, "yeah, you did. You said divine magic came from the world around us, nature itself while mortal magic came from within."

Hecate nodded, she helped Percy up to his feet as stood back, "exactly. Mortals push their magic outwards to change the world, like a child grasping at sand on the beach. But we? We are the beach," Hecate threw her hands apart and the room began to move.

The walls began to rotate, each row of stones moved either clockwise or anticlockwise, alternating between each other. Hecate snapped her fingers and the skylight suddenly split in half revealing the night sky above.

"We control nature that is around us, so when we push our will over it, you can expect the world itself to bend over backwards to serve you."

Percy watched in awe as slowly the tower stopped spinning, returning to normal. Hecate sighed, "I didn't teach you the right way because….because it was too dangerous. If you didn't understand what you were getting into then...you might do something that can't be undone."

Percy blinked, "I don't really think…..okay, yeah, maybe."

Hecate smiled, "you aren't mad?"

"No...but how? Tell me, what would happen if I tried an invisibility charm? What could possibly go wrong?"

"You could end up erasing yourself from existence."

Percy scoffed, "really?"

"Yes. If your intention if to be invisible, your magic might take it a step forward and make you truly non-existent. If you overpowered a sleeping charm, you could theoretically force anyone asleep. Your will is a weapon, use it incorrectly and it could mean splitting the world apart like an egg."

Percy looked around, he walked up to Annabeth's statue and cupped her stone check, "and her? Could I really...make another Annabeth?"

Hecate nodded, "if you were stronger? Then yes, you could. That's why you are so dangerous Percy, as a demigod you can mix mortal and divine magic, creating a force to be reckoned with. I didn't want you to have this burden just yet when I taught you...I expected you to one day figure it out, that's why I kept tabs on you, just in case something like this happened. I never expected you to figure it out this soon."

Percy sighed, "I had help. A Hogwarts professor suggested I do something like this."

Hecate huffed, "stupid mortals, thinking they can teach my student better than me. Morons."

Percy chuckled, he waved his wand over Annabeth's statue and forced it back into the wall making it nothing more than a simple etching, Hecate was right, Fleur would be pissed if she saw a statue of Percy's first love in his personal study.

"What now?" Percy asked, "can you like...seal the power away?"

Hecate smiled, "it's not something to seal away Percy. It's...it's a part of you. Ignorance was your only defence, but now...I suggest you learn to deal with it."

Percy groaned, "this is such a pain in the ass."

Hecate chuckled, "well think of it this way. At least now you know you don't actually suck at charms, you could probably be a master of the subject if you so wish."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "oh yeah? Why? So that instead of animating a dancing pineapple I'll instead make it a walking talking and living fruit?"

Hecate smiled, "you'll have to learn control."

Percy grumbled, "I don't know if you noticed lady, but I ain't about control."

"Which is why you need to learn it."

"I hate this."

Hecate smiled, "I know," she snapped her fingers summoning a table and two chairs. She sat down and smiled, "not then, since I'm here already, why don't you tell me personally how you have been?"

Percy smiled as he sat down, "oh yeah, I've been wondering about that. How did you apear here when you did? Hogwart's wards are supposed to be impossible to teleport into."

Hecate chuckled, "oh Percy, after all this time, you still don't get it do you? I'm the goddess of magic, magic obeys me, not the other way around. Now, enough about me, tell me, is it true what they say about an angry transformed vella's tongue? Is it really forked like a birds?"

Percy blushed, 'she'll never change,' and if he was being honest, he was happy that was the case.

The month of January went quickly for Percy. The weekends he spent with Fleur either outside in the school grounds or in his study, working on a solution for the second task. Percy already had one, so instead he spent the time on his personal projects instead.

The classes were plain and a little boring, but nothing Percy couldn't handle. He did however begin to slowly improve in his Charms and Transfiguration, much to the surprise of his professors. Flitwick was happy Percy took his advice, though the demigod never mentioned how the half-goblin was now currently on Hecate's shit list.

The first Hogsmeade weekend Percy and Fleur decided to spend making out in the Forest, though they later came to regret that. Harry and his friends had a run in with Rita in the village, Percy really wanted to give that bitch a piece of his mind, sadly this will have to wait. Maybe next time.

There was some good news however, Hagrid, the half giant Percy meet briefly, apparently got back to work. The article Skitter wrote about him and Maxime still loomed over his head, but the man seemed to be able to handle himself.

Hogwarts' life was slowing down now for Percy, it was all normal and kind of boring. Classes, making out with a super hot french girl, which was fun, and then he had his own projects. Things really were normal, and Percy didn't really think he minded that.

Soon January became February and Percy began wondering what he should do for Valentine's day. He never did anything, and this was the first year he would actually have something to look forward too.

So plan he did. He learnt a lot about Fleur over the month, things he honestly loved about her. He favorite book was Pride and Prejudice, her mother called her 'little sparrow', which she hated and she loved chocolate. So obviously Percy had his work cut out for him.

Valentine's day:

Fleur smiled as she leaned back on Percy's chest as they sat underneath their tree by the lake side. The leaves were glowing bright making it seem like the sun was still up in the sky.

"It's amazing Perzy," Fleur whispered.

"Thanks, I try," Percy smiled as he used his fondue fork to take up a slice of apple and dip it into a pot of chocolate fondu he had made.

"I ztill can't believe you got t'is made," Fleur said excitedly as she dipped a piece of brownie into the chocolate and ate it with sweet relish on her face, "'ow did you know I love fondu?!"

"I asked Camille," Percy grinned, "it was easy to make, just had to make Fred and George go and get some nice chocolate for me from Hogsmeade, and then owl order some good chocolate after I tasted the crap they brought me."

"Well I'm glad you know t'e difference, it'z zomet'ing very important I look for in a man," Fleur smiled as she sipped her glass of wine, "and t'e wine?"

"Well, that required me bribing my aunt," Percy chuckled.

"T'at muzt 'ave been 'ard," Fleur whispered.

"You have no idea," Percy rolled his eyes, he had to trade his cloak to Hecate for a week for the wine. But then again wine stolen straight from the wine God's cellar would be so worth it.

"It'z really good," Fleur said as her face quickly blushed red, "w'at wine vintage iz t'iz?"

"I don't know," Percy pointed at the labelless bottle, "my aunt got it from a friend of hers who doesn't really like selling his works, he's kind of….selfish like that."

"Well t'at'z too bad, your aunt'z friend iz a master at t'e craft," Fleur nodded as she sipped her drink, "it tazte zo warm."

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it," Percy smiled as he held her closer, planting a kiss on her head. He looked down and noticed a blue bettle bug on Fleur's ear, Percy carefully picked it up and flicked it away, where do these things come from anyway?

"T'iz haz been the bezt Valentine'z day I have ever 'ad Perzy, t'ank you," Fleur whispered as she looked up and kissed Percy on the lips. The demigod hummed into her mouth as he tasted the chocolate and wine on her breath, she tasted so good.

"Have you celebrated thi before?" Percy asked, "I mean, with a boyfriend or something?"

"Once," Fleur nodded, "two yearz ago I was wit' t'iz boy named Franciz, 'e waz zweet, well, zweet enoug' for a man drooling 'alf t'e time. 'E took me to Pariz, it was a nice gezture, but in t'e end 'e ended up ruining it by trying to get me to zleep wit' 'im," Fleur ended with a huff.

Percy chuckled, "well thank the gods I didn't have any plans on sleeping with you huh?"

"Excuze me?" Fleur snapped sounding offended, "and w'y is t'at? Am I not pretty enoug' for you Perzy Jazkson?"

"No, you are," Percy quickly replied, "it's just, that….there's no right answer for this is there?"

Fleur's glare stayed for a moment before it dropped, replaced by a hearty laugh, "non! T'ere iz not!"

Percy rolled his eyes, "crazy bird."

"Your crazy bird," she smiled.

Percy smiled, "well, if you say so," he held her tight as a cold wind blew across them. Fleur pulled up the thick fur blanket they used to warm themselves up with as sighed with content. They ate in silence, enjoying each other's company while they looked up at the stars which were surprisingly bright out tonight.

"Alright, that's enough," Percy threw off his blanket and got on his feet.

"W'at are you doing Perzy?" Fleur asked as he helped her too her feet.

"Well this night's not over, not yet anyway," Percy casted several charms on the good to keep it warm, "I do have something planned. It's not as romantic as a night in Paris, but I think I can put up a good fight."

"O' Perzy, it'z not t'e big gestures I like, it's t'e perzon," Fleur said as she leaned forward and wrapped her hands around his neck, "and thiz time we zpent iz wort' a 'undred tripz to Pariz."

"Thanks," Percy smiled, he then suddenly removed Fleur's arms from around is neck and stepped away, "but, I'm still going to do this."

"Well w'at is 't'iz'?" Fleur asked as she followed him towards the lake shore.

"Well," Percy looked around, there was nobody there, he smiled, "Fleur, I told you about...what I am right?"

Fleur nodded, "yez...w'at iz t'iz about Perzy?"

"Well," Percy smiled, he leaned towards the side and fell back, suddenly shifting into a whirl of black fur, and in an instant, where the proud demigod was, a majestic black horse stood in is pace.

"P-Perzy," Fleur gasped, "you're an animaguz?" the horse nodded his head. Slowly the vella approached, cautiously as she petted his nussel. It felt warm under his palm, like the Percy's own face.

She ran her hand down his skin, it was smooth, not too rough. She looked at his eyes and she knew that it was Percy she was touching, no horse could ever have such bright sea green eyes.

"You're amazing," she whispered, Percy chuckled, before suddenly his sides exploded. Fleur jumped backwards and gasped, her eyes landed on his wings on his sides. "On fuck me," she whispered in french.

Percy flapped his wings hard, a gust of wind catching Fleur's hair and blowing it away. The veela didn't move, she didn't blink. She looked at him in awe.

"You are pegazuz," she whispered. Percy nodded, she approached him once again, this time her hand reaching out for his wings. She glided her fingers through his feathers, there were so soft.

Percy scoffed, and folded his wings. Fleur feared she had done something wrong before realising he was motioning for her to climb on.

Without a second though she did so, climbing on his back, running her hands through his mane of hair.

"Hold on!" Percy neighed, not that Fleure could understand him. He began to trot forward, slowly at first. Fleur immediately understood and wrapped her hands around his neck, holding him tight.

Percy ran along the lake side, slowly moving faster than any normal horse could ever hope to achieve. His hooves splashed against the water, droplets kissed Fleur's face, but the veela didn't care, she smiled.

And suddenly, Percy's wings came out and he pushed them down as hard as he could. The upward lift caused him to suddenly rise up into the air, Fleur's stomach lurched at the sudden upheaval, she held on tight as Percy took to the clouds, soaring higher and higher.

Fleur looked down, they were soon flying over the Forbidden Forest and away from the castle. Fleur's own carriage looked like a small match box from up here.

"This is amazing!" Fleur cried out.

"You haven't seen nothing yet!" Percy replied as he slowly moved up into the clouds, the cool air causing goosebumps along Fleur's sides. She held Percy tight, his warmth protecting her.

And then suddenly they broke through the clouds, reaching the clear upper sky. Fleur smiled she knew she would remember this moment for the rest of her life.