Percy hated the dungeons. It reminded him of his time in the Labyrinth and he did not like it one bit. It was cold and damp in the "classroom". The room was dark, and the wall were stone, and it had a mildewy smell.

Percy nodded every so often as Ron and Hermione went on about unfair the professor was, and how the professor hated Harry. From the sounds of it, Percy guessed him and this Professor Snape weren't going to get along very well.

Walking into the room, Percy noticed that Gryffindors and Slytherins had Potions together; and with Percy's luck, Draco Malfoy was in the class too.

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

Percy looked between the two wizards. Why couldn't Harry and Draco just ignore each other? Draco caught sight of Percy.

"Percy, I'm surprised you were sorted into Gryffindor. After all, Gryffindors don't typically cry when they are being sorted. The only one to have done so was Longbottom over there," Percy followed Draco's point to Neville. "And if you ask me, the Sorting Hat made a terrible mistake."

Percy glared at Draco. Before he could argue in defense of Neville and himself, Professor Snape strode into the room.

Draco snickered as he went to sit down on the Slytherin side of the room.

Percy recognized Professor Snape from the Order meeting at the Weasley's. Was every teacher at Hogwarts in on those?

The second Percy sat down, Snape called him out. "You must be our new student, Perseus Jackson." Snape droned.

"It's just Percy." The demigod corrected. Snape's voice sounded so familiar.

Snape's smile creeped Percy out. "I see. Tell me Mr. Jackson, what brings you to Hogwarts during your seventh year? Surely, you'd like to spend your last year with your friends back home?"

Percy's smile became strained. He had to be careful not to slip up. "I wanted to explore other wizarding schools in the world. Dumbledore reached out to my headmaster, and they arranged it." Percy carefully explained. Vague, but detailed. Perfect.

"You were top of your class, Mr. Jackson?"

"Yes."

Snape nodded. "Then tell me, what is the most powerful truth potion, and what are the properties?"

Percy racked his brain for an answer. Between Hecate and Hermione, he had the answer. He just had to think. Snape took Percy's silence as proof that Percy was lying.

"It seems that Mr. Jackson-"

"Veritaserum." Percy interrupted. "The properties are similar to water. Clear and odorless, making it highly effective against unsuspecting individuals, who are untrained to resist it." Percy could see Hermione beaming at his answer at of the corner of his eye.

Snape stared down Percy, who held eye contact with the professor.

"That is correct." Snape affirmed. "Open your books and turn to page 332. We will be working on... Your homework is a paper..."

Percy stopped paying attention. He froze. Percy finally recognized that voice.

"He could be anywhere." A nasally voiced man replied.

"Then find him! I don't want excuses Severus. I want my grandson found and brought to me."

"M'lord?"

Of course! How did Percy not put it together? Severus, as in Severus Snape- his potions professor. Snape was working for Voldemort.

Percy hesitantly looked up from his book to see Snape staring straight at him. Percy looked back down. Snape knew who he was. As long as Percy makes sure Snape doesn't find out that he's a demigod, Percy can live.

He just had to be careful.

~~~

Percy kept a low profile the rest of potions class. The bell finally rung, causing him to leap out of his seat and all but run to the door. He waited outside the room for Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"Snape doesn't like you much." Ron observed.

"Yeah, thanks Ron. I had no idea."

Even Harry smiled a bit from Percy's comment.

"Snape doesn't like anyone but Slytherins, Percy. You can't take it personally." Hermione said.

"I could honestly care less if he hates me," said Percy. He fiddled with his pen. "Most people do," Percy added.

That comment caused the trio to look at him oddly, which Percy didn't like. Changing the topic, Percy asked what class they had last for today.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione answered.

"And we have a new professor this year. Dolores Umbridge." Ron said with distaste. "Did you see the way she talked at the welcome feast? I already don't like her."

"To be honest, I wasn't paying attention during the speeches." Percy admitted.

"Doesn't matter. She works for the Ministry." Harry stated.

"And that's a bad thing?" Percy questioned. Harry whipped his head around to glare at Percy.

"Yes, it's a bad thing. The Ministry refuses to acknowledge that Voldemort is back and is doing nothing to help stop him." Harry ranted.

"Oh. So I guess then Umbridge won't be a very good teacher then, huh."

"We don't know until we have class." Hermione said.

Turns out, they were right. Umbridge was a total nightmare. She refused to teach them hands on magic, only making them read and take notes.

Harry also received a detention for "lying about and spreading rumors about He- Who- Must- Not- Be- Named's false return."

Umbridge also signaled out Percy (who had to come up with even more lies) about his experience in wizardry back in America.

Bright side: the class was over; downside: he had to listen to Hermione rant about the class all throughout dinner and after they've made it to the Gryffindor common room.

"How are we supposed to defend ourselves against dark magic if the professor refuses to even acknowledge that it exists!"

"Hermione-"

"Shut it Harry. She gave you a detention for asking a valid question! We have to learn to defend ourselves. We need a proper teacher."

Ron nodded his head. "Agreed."

"Then it's settled. Harry, you can teach students Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"What?" Harry protested, "'Mione, I don't think I'm qualified."

"Oh come on, Harry. You're more qualified than half the teachers we've had in that class. If anyone knows how to fight V- Voldemort, it's you." Hermione argued.

"She's right." Ron agreed. "Mate you can teach other students how to fight against Death Eaters..."

Percy stopped fiddling with is pen. "Death Eaters?" Percy asked.

"Voldemort's followers." Harry said, barely paying attention to Percy.

"...And they'll listen to you." Ron finished.

"I don't know guys."

Percy decided to chip in. "For what it's worth, Harry, I think it could be a good idea." Harry grimaced when Percy spoke. "I mean, you'd have to do it in a safe way. Between Snape and Umbridge, we'd have to be really careful."

"We?" Harry questioned Percy.

"Yeah, we. I'm not letting you guys do this alone." Percy said.

Harry nodded, clearly unhappy that Percy was going to be involved.

"Great. We can set up a meeting at the Hog's Head and recruit people to join our class." Hermione began to start planning.

"Hog's Head? Hogwarts? You guys really do love pigs." Percy joked.

Ron laughed. "Don't forget Hogsmeade." Percy smiled and shook his head.

"Okay. We will plan to have our meeting this Saturday at the Hog's Head for anyone wanting to join our defense class." Hermione said.

"Sounds like a plan." Percy yawned and stood up. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired. 'Night." Percy headed up the stairs as the trio mumbled a chorus of "goodnights."

Percy prayed to the gods that tonight he'd get a full night's sleep.

~~~

Harry watched Percy walk up the stairs, and waited until he was fully gone from view. "We need to follow him."

Ron and Hermione stared back at Harry. "What?" They asked in unison.

"We need to follow Percy. See where he goes at night. Ron, remember that dream I had? The one I told you about?"

"No..." Ron hesitated when Harry gave him a dirty look. "Uh, wait yeah. It was the uh, the one about..."

"The one about him talking to Voldemort."

"Harry. You just made that up." Hermione accused.

"No! I didn't, honest 'Mione." Harry defended. The doubt was clear on her face.

"Fine. What happened in the dream?"

"There was this blonde girl, about Percy's age, I think her name was Anna Belle? Anna something I don't know. But either way she was there with Voldemort and they were talking about Percy." Harry explained.

"What did they say exactly? How do you know this Anna Belle is with Voldemort? He's probably just using her to get at Percy." Hermione countered.

Harry stood up and began to pace back and forth. "I- I can't remember it exactly but Voldemort said that he would see Percy soon." Harry swiveled his head to stare at Ron and Hermione on the couch. "Which clearly means, Percy is meeting with him."

"Or, it means that whoever this Anna person is, she's close with Percy." Ron said.

"And Voldemort is using her as leverage." Hermione finished.

Harry gaped at his friends. "Look. I know what I saw and I know what I heard." Hermione looked at Harry with uncertainty. "Let's just follow him and see where he goes."

"I'm up for an adventure."

Hermione stared at Ron. "No. No we can't spy on our friend."

"Hermione, I like Percy as much as the next guy, but Harry's got a point." Hermione glared. "There's a lot we don't know about the guy." Ron said.

Before Hermione could respond, Harry continued, "Like today at lunch. He was vague when you asked about that letter."

"Because it was personal."

"Or, because it had to do with Voldemort. I'm telling you he's hiding something."

Hesitantly, Ron added, "He was defensive when you started asking him about his heritage."

Harry looked triumphantly at Hermione. "See? Even Ron thinks he's hiding something." Ron stared at the ground.

"How do you even know that he's going somewhere tonight? He'll probably just sleep the whole time." Hermione asked.

"I have never known him to sleep a full night. When we stayed with my mum over the summer, he'd always get up in the middle of the night and go outside. Then he'd come back in the early morning." Ron mentioned.

"What? What did he do outside?"

"Probably meeting with Voldemort." Harry muttered.

Ron looked at Harry. "No. I think he went on a run or something."

Harry didn't look convinced.

"In the middle of the night? Even I've got to admit that's a bit odd." Hermione admitted.

"He's an odd dude."

"Who works for Voldemort."

"He does not work for Voldemort, Harry."

Harry threw his arms up in frustration, and sat down annoyed. For a few seconds the wizards and witch sat in silence, staring at the lit fireplace.

Hermione spoke first. "I'll admit, Percy doesn't seem entirely normal." Harry went to speak, but she cut him off. "For the rest of this week, we'll just keep an eye on him. See if he does anything suspicious or whatever. The meeting at the Hog's Head is in a few days, and until then, we give Percy the benefit of the doubt. Okay?"

Ron and Harry glanced at one another and slowly nodded their heads.

"And Harry?"

"What?"

"Don't ask Percy about that Anna girl."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"I think we should just keep that information to ourselves for now." Harry began to smile a bit. "Just," Hermione took a breath. "Just, until we know for certain we can all trust him."

Harry nodded. He would get his proof, he just had to wait it out.