~Harry~

"Where's Percy?"

"For the bajillionth time Lily, go away!"

Does she ever give up? Ever since the hall incident, Lily was literally clinging to me and Ron. Anyway, we've been waiting outside the classroom door for ten minutes when Percy comes rushing up the stairs. He doubles over to catch his breath.

"Sorry *pant* guys. *pant* McGonagall held me *pant* back and *pant* I got lost."

Hazel walks up and gives Percy a bottle of water. He greedily gulps the water down and stands up straight, looking refreshed. Percy then walks up to the door and opens it. Ron calls out

"Oi Percy! The teacher ain't here yet!"

A small smile plays on Percy's lips.

"Actually, he is."

He walks into the classroom, leaving everyone dumbfounded. When no one moves, Percy pokes his head back out.

"Well, will I have to give anyone detention for not going to class?"

Slowly, everyone walks into class. The room is large with a high ceiling and all the desks and chairs are stacked up against the wall. Percy's standing at the front, looking nervous.

"Er, hey guys. I'm your new teacher."

Some kid in the back yells

"Yeah right! You're only a year older than us!"

Percy doesn't even seem fazed, in fact, his posture straightens and a small fire starts burning in his eyes. I back away nervously.

"I might be a year older than you, but I can guarantee that I have gone through just as much as all of you."

The class shuffled uncomfortably. The kid at the back didn't look satisfied.

"So have you had your friends slaughtered in front of your eyes? Have you seen the world around burn?"

The flickering fire in Percy's eyes turn into a blazing bonfire. Quicker than I could follow, everyone parted as Percy sped towards the kid, a three foot bronze sword in his hand. Percy slammed the kid against the wall while bringing the sword to his neck.

"I have seen that and more. I have fought for years with this sword, I have seen my friends and families die. I have brought down things much worse and much more powerful than a scrawny seventeen year old."

Percy's voice was a low whisper but everyone caught every word.

"Percy stop!"

It was a simple command, but it made me and everyone else freeze in their tracks. I tried to move but I couldn't even blink. Percy was gritting his teeth, trying to unfreeze his muscles.

"Piper, let. me. go."

Piper strode right up to Percy, seemingly unaffected, and took his sword out of his grip. She put the pen cap on the point of the sword and it collapsed into a pen. Piper stuffed the pen into Percy's pocket and moved him so that he was now facing away from the student.

"Percy, go to the front and start teaching. Everyone, relax."

Immediately, Percy walked to the front and everyone else unfroze. Percy glared at Piper and the student, who shrunk into his robes. When he looked away, he looked to the class with an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry class. Anyway, I've decided that this year you will have a new approach to Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Everyone looked a little weary at his announcement.

"This year you will be using magic and you will be learning how to fight."

This announcement met mixed results. The exchange students looked bored like yeah, whatever, some of the slytherins looked mildly interested and Dean was jumping up and down and shouting "YES YES YES!!" I never knew that Dean was so interested in learning to fight. I looked at the Gryffindors and saw a gleam of excitement in their eyes. The room filled with excited titters. Percy holds up his left hand and the entire room goes silent. With his right hand, he brings out his wand and waves it in front of him. A long table with and assortment of weapons appears out of nowhere. Percy turns around and waves his wand over the wall and an array of bows, quivers and spears materialises on the chalkboard. Percy turns around and looks at us with a gleam in his eyes. As he puts his wand away, I notice that it's different from a normal wand. Instead of being a long stick of brown, the wood was ablino white that shimmered with an opalescent blue. Wave designs were carved into the wand and right at the bottom was a large chunk of grey moonstone. Before I can wonder about his strange wand, I realise that Percy has started talking.

"So is that clear everyone?"

A chorus of yeses resonates through the room so I just nod my head.

"Ok, everyone pick a weapon and come see me."

I quickly got up and grabbed the nearest weapon. I ended up grabbing a sword that was way too long for me and way to light. I put that sword down and go for the daggers. I pick up a golden dagger. I stare at it for awhile, how did they get this?

"You know, daggers are only for the quickest and most skilled of fighters. They don't have the same reach as a sword but they can find the chinks in an enemy's armour."

I jump about a foot in the air and whirl around, dagger pointed at the person who talked. I lower my arm when I see who it is.

"Alexandra, you scared me."

Alexandra lets out a melodious laugh of joy. Her luscious brown hair jostling around with the momentum and her crystal blue eyes sparkling. Woah, where did the lovey dovey stuff come from? Anyway, Alexandra pulls out a bronze dagger and motions for me to join her. We find an empty space in the room and start training, Alexandra teaching me to use a dagger. I get so caught up in the training that I don't notice Percy coming up behind us.

"Well done Harry and Alexandra. Maybe you guys should consider using swords."

I whirl around and bring the dagger to Percy's throats only to see that there's no one there. Percy is now next to Alexandra and both of them trying to contain giggles. Alexandra stops giggling long enough to answer Percy.

"Already got mine teach."

Alexandra pulls out an ivory word and shows it to Percy. He stops laughing and goes rigid staring at the sword, his eyes going through a whirlwind of emotions. Anger. Longing. Pain. Sadness. Heartbreak. Terror. Alex stares at him, challenging him to do something. Eventually, Percy stops staring at the sword and looks directly into Alexandra's sapphire blue eyes.

"Beautiful sword Alexandra, where did you get it?"

His face was a blank slate but his eyes betrayed him. Anger and curiosity burned in his sea green eyes.

"Annabeth. Annabeth gave it to me."

Percy looked enraged, but he straightened up, leaned in and whispered something into her ear. When he pulled away, she nods and Percy walks away, checking on other people. I turn away from Percy and look at Alex directly in her eyes.

"What in the name of merlin's dirty underwear was that about?"

She waves her hand dismissively.

"Nothing, do you want to move to swords now?"

Pushing my curiosity down, I force a smile and nod.

Hi guys! Again, thank you so much for reading my story! Please comment and give me feedback. I will try to post chapters regularly but I make no promises. Also, HUFFLEPUFF FOR LIFE!!!!

Samantha 💜