Percy Jackson at Hogwarts

Easier Said than Done

Percy PoV

Annabeth was looking at me, teary eyed and face caked in grime. Her blonde hair was filthy and she had blood adorning her temple, but she was still beautiful. Rushing to her, I felt a sob lodge itself into my throat, one I swallowed forcefully as I embraced her. She clung to me, arms around my neck like a vice, but after a few seconds I pulled back and moved to Jason.

"No," His lids were barely open, lips parted only slightly as his weak breaths escaped him. Jason's skin was pale and clammy, cold to the touch. A makeshift bandaid of ripped clothing was wrapped around his torso, red bleeding through. But, I didn't have time to dwell on his condition, didn't have time to go looking for Voldemort myself and kick his butt.

"Percy," his voice was a whisper and his arm reached out weakly, trembling with the effort. Clasping his hand, I hoisted him up and stood, carrying him; he was in no condition to walk.

"I'm here, Jason, I'm here." His head lolled and he clenched my shirt briefly where his arms hung limply. "Draco, help Annabeth, we need to get out of here, fast." Draco nodded, scrambling to help Annabeth up— who protested until her legs buckled underneath her when she stood. After a few moments, she was able to stand with Draco supporting her weight. Leading the way out of the now bar less cell, I slipped back around the corner, trying to adjust to Jason's added weight. Climbing back up the stairs, I clung unto the banister, trying not to fall backwards, stepping over the unconscious bodies of Death Eaters. Reaching the upstairs corridor, we walked back the way we'd entered and passed through the door.

Suddenly, an alarm started blaring through the walls and as we stepped back through the door with the V on it, the sound of rushing footsteps echoed in our direction. More are coming. We paused and I glanced around for an escaping, spotting another door at the end of the dark hallway. That would be where they're coming from. We had to leave, now.

"Draco," My eyes searched his and he shook his head.

"They've put up a ward, I can't apparate us back to Hogsmaed." I cursed in Ancient Greek, looking at the door again. Their way in, our way out. Knowing we'd be even more cornered if we stayed here, I strode forward until I reached the door. Wrenching it open, I ducked under the doorway as Jason lifted his head, his body wracked with seizing tremors as he coughed his lungs out on my shoulder. I could feel the neck of my shirt soak until a warm liquid seeped through. The smell of iron filled my nostrils and I frowned. How long has he been like this?

"Annabeth," she hummed in response, already looking at me. "How long has he been like this?" Her eyes slipped to Jason's face, hidden in my neck, his shallow breathing barely brushing the hairs on my nape.

"I don't know, my perception of time's been warped. His condition started about a week before we first saw him," she pointed at Draco and he grimaced.

"So, four, almost five months." He supplied before rocking them forwards as they walked through the door.

"What happened?" I persisted, noting the knot in Annabeth's brows. She shook her head and cleared her throat.

"He's been poisoned." My entire body tensed with the effort of not spinning around to face Annabeth, knowing it wouldn't bode well for Jason. We already had limited time, but now we needed to get Jason to camp as soon as possible. We needed to leave more than I needed to question Annabeth.

"We'll talk about this later." Pressed against the wall, I walked forwards until I reached a corner, peeking around it just in time to see a Death Eater rush by. Squinting into the dark, I watched and waited for another one, but after two minutes, no one passed. Nodding my head to Draco, I rounded the corner and jogged to the alcove ahead of us. Squeezing into the space, I creeped slowly through the tight area until it open up into a grand room.