Percy Jackson-

"What is he doing here?"  Sirius growled.

"Lovely to see you, too, old chap." I grinned.

"Well?" Sirius demanded Harry, Ron, and Hermione, glaring at me all the while.

Harry flushed a little.  "Sirius, it's okay...he's not like...he's cool..."

"Harry-boy, stop it.  You're making me blush." I winked at Sirius, and I swear, he was practically foaming at the mouth.

"Harry, what the hell do you think you're doing?  He's Voldemort's"-Ron flinched-"grandson!  He can't be trusted!"

I shrugged.  "Look, Black, we don't choose our relatives.  Besides, he isn't the only evil grandpa I've had.  My father's father was a bastard.  Thank gods he's gone.  He was a murder, a killer...he was a tyrant.  A much worse one than Dr. Noseless.  My uncles and cousins on my father's side aren't exactly clean, either.  But I think Thalia, Nico, and I turned out somewhat all right.  Besides, if anyone could understand, it'd be you.  You are related to Bellatrix Lestrange, the Malfoys, and if I recall correctly, you're family beheads house-elves."

Sirius looked like he was swallowing something disgusting-perhaps he was trying to swallow his pride.

Maybe.  Probably not.  He visibly turned away from me, fixing his gaze unwavering on Harry and the rest of the trio.

"How's things?"

"Uh," Harry's eyes flitted to me for a moment, before resting back on his godfather.  "The Ministry's forced another degree, which means we're not allowed to have Quidditch teams-"

"-or secret Defense Against the Dark Arts groups?" said Sirius.

There was a short pause.

"How did you know about that?" Harry demanded.

"You want to choose your meeting places more carefully," said Sirius, grinning at Harry widely.  "The Hog's Head, I ask you..."

"Well, it was better than the Three Broomsticks!" said Hermione defensively.  "That's always packed with people-"

"-which means you'd have been harder to overhear," said Sirius.  "You've got a lot to learn, Hermione."

"Who overheard us?" Harry demanded.

"Mundungus, of course-"

"I knew it!  And the guy with the bandages!  He was probably the one that tipped off Umbrella-Toad Lady!  Still got it!"

Sirius glared at me, and otherwise pretended like he hadn't heard the interruption.

"He was the witch under the veil."

"What was he doing in Hog's Head?" Harry asked.

"Come on, Harry.  You told me the Order was following you before.  You honestly think they stopped just because you went to school in a magical castle school?" I looked at him incredibly.  Even I wasn't that naive.

"I'm still being followed?" Harry asked angrily.

"Yeah, you are.  And just as well, isn't it, if the first thing you're going to do on your weekend off is organize an illegal defense group."

He clearly wasn't angry-on the contrary, he was looking at Harry with pride.  Maybe if he didn't blindly hate my guts, I'd like him.  Well, I mean, I did sort of attack him-but that was only a scare.  If that was going to make him piss his pants, he didn't really deserve my respect.  My Nico Persona is my life.  Of course, I haven't really tried to scare people out of their wits with it since Grim-Weird Place.

Hmm.  I have to change that.

"Why was Dung hiding from us?" Ron asked, sounding disappointed.  "Wed've liked to've seen him."

"He was banned from Hog's Head twenty years ago," said Sirius.  "And that barman's got a long memory.  We lost Moody's spare Invisibility cloak when Sturgis was arrested, so Dung's been dressing up as a witch a lot lately... Anyway...First of all, Ron-I have a message from your mother."

"Oh yeah?" Ron sounded apprehensive.  Not that I blame him.  Ginny, and on occasion, the Weasley twins, have told me many stories of their family.  Especially the infamous Weasley Women Temper.  I think it's the red hair.  Rachel is scary when mad, too. But, then again.  She does spew green smoke and have a thing for blue hairbrushes.  That's enough to make Vooldepork (Vool-de-pork) shit himself.  Or maybe it's the fact that she lives in a cave and is around demigods-and Cabin Five all the time.  Well, demigods in Cabin Five.  Thankfully, though, I have finally learned to avoid the landmines.

"She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal Defense Against the Dark Arts group.  She says you'll be expelled for sure and you future will be ruined.  She says there will be plenty of time to learn how to defend yourself later and that you are too young to be worrying about that right now.  She also"-Sirius's eyes turned to the other two-"advises Harry and Hermione not to proceed with the group, though she accepts that she has no authority over either of them and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart."

"How'd you remember all that?"  I asked incredulously.  "Maybe it's the ADHD, but that's a lot to remember off the tip of your tongue.  I commend you, good sir."  Then I mockingly tipped my nonexistent  hat.

His nostrils flared, and I grinned innocently.  Harry, Hermione, and Ron exchanged looks of expiration and amusement.  If he thinks I'm bad, I'd hate-actually I'd love to see what'd happen if Thalia and Nico were here.  They'd get a kick out of everything he said.  Not that I don't, I just don't comment on everything.

"She would have written all this to you, but if the owl had been intercepted, you'd all have been in real trouble, and she can't say it for herself because she's on duty tonight." He said, as if I never spoke.  Rude.  If he doesn't stop, I swear to my father I will, I will break out into song.  A terror of the likes Sirius Black has never known.

"On duty doing what?" Ron asked quickly.

"Never you mind, just stuff for the Order.  So it's fallen to me to be the messenger and make sure you tell her I passed it all on, because I don't think she trusts me to."

"So you want me to say I'm not taking part in the defense group?" Harry muttered.

"Me?  Certainly not!  I think it's an excellent idea!"

"You do?"

"Of course I do!" said Sirius.  "D'you think your father and I would've lain down and and taken order from an old hag like Umbridge?"

"But- last term all you did was tell me to be careful and not take risks-"

"Last year all the evidence was that someone inside Hogwarts was trying to kill you, Harry!" I admit, that was pretty obvious.  "This year we know that someone outside Hogwarts who'd like to kill us all, so I think learning to defend yourselves properly is a very good idea!"

"And if we get expelled?" Hermione asked, a quizzical look on her face.

"Hermione, this whole thing was your idea!" Harry stared at her.

"I know it was...I just wondered what Sirius thought," she said, shrugging.

"Well, better expelled and able to defend yourselves than sitting safely in school without a clue."

"Hear, hear!" Ron and Harry said enthusiastically.

"So, how are you organizing this group?  Where are you meeting?"

"Well, that's a bit of a problem now-"

"Nonsense, Harry-boy.  Didn't I tell you not to worry.  I know the perfect place.  It's totally awesome.  No worries, Siri-I got the gang covered."

Sirius glared at him.

"Look, I know you don't trust me, and I don't really blame you.  I almost made you piss your pants.  That's gotta take a hit to your masculinity.  But, Ginny knows the place I've got in mind.  She's been there, quite a lot.  Great girl.  her boyfriend's a tool, though.  Anyway, if you don't trust me, which I know you don't, verify it with her."  I smiled cheekily at him.

"Listen, you pompous-"

He broke off.  His face was suddenly tense, alarmed.  He turned sideways, apparently looking into the solid brick wall of the fireplace.  

"Tell Tonks and Molly I say hi." I said, and Sirius vanished.

"Sirius?" Harry asked anxiously.  "Why did he-?"

Hermione gave a horrified gasp, and leaped to her feet.  

A hand appeared, grabbing in the fire.

"Doesn't she have any hobbies?" I asked.  "She needs to stop spying on people."

...

"The Room of what?" Harry asked, looking at the trio confused.

"If only Ginny wasn't off with her boyfriend.  She's better at explaining things," I sighed.  "The room adapts to whoever needs whatever, if that makes sense.  This nice house-elf, I think his name was Dobber, Dober, Donny...-"

"Dobby?"

"Yeah," I nodded.  "That's it."

"He called it the Come and Go Room.  Apparently it is especially good for wasted house-elves." Thalia shrugged.

"So-"

"You could have your DADA practices, lessons, whatever.  You could get away with pretty much anything, and if you play your cards right, you could get away with pretty much anything." Nico said.

"I know you have that really awesome map, but you'd be really surprised what your pops didn't find."  I grinned.

Harry's mouth opened comically.  

"We have our sources," Thalia waved off his unspoken questions.

"But-....how-?"

"Harry, my man, don't ask.  It's not like we're going to tell anyone.  But, anyway, the room is perfect.  We can show you later."

"Why not now?"

"Because we uhh..."

"We need to send letters.  Him, his girlfriend.  Me, my brother.  Death Breath, his sister."

"Yeah, um, right."

Actually we were going to the Forbidden Forest to hunt monsters.  Fighting each other is fun.  But it isn't as satisfying as watching a monster that would kill you, and others-teenagers, children-crumble into golden dust.  Taking away a danger to your friends and your family...it's a really good feeling.

"Uh, huh," Harry said.  He clearly didn't believe us, but for the most part, he liked us.  And I'd like to think that he trusted us at least a little.  He's long since stopped looking at me like a parent-murdering-scumbag, anyway.  That's a start.  

I liked Harry.  I mean, I messed with him a lot when I met him, but to be fair, he had that coming.  He's really not a bad guy.  He's a kid whose had a shitty childhood, and has a weight on his shoulders that normal people-as normal as wizards get, anyway-shouldn't have to be burdened with.  He's like the demigod of wizards, if that makes sense.  Even though I'm technically a demi-wizard...whatever.  That's not the point.  In all honesty, I don't know what point I was trying to make, but whatever.

...

At half-past seven Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I (Thalia and Nico were teaching/sparing with Ginny) left the Gryffindor common room.  Harry was clutching his map.  We were 'allowed' to be out at this hour, but they were still obviously nervous.  

When we got there, and grinned.  "Allow me."  I walked past the wall a few times.  

A place for them to practice...a place where no one will find them...somewhere for them to learn to fight...

I obviously already knew how to fight.  Duh.

The three of them gasped.  A highly polished door has appeared in the wall.  Ron was staring at it warily.  I mockingly bowed, and gestured for Harry to open the door.  He turned the brass handle, and led way into a spacious room with flickering torches.

They spent a few minutes marveling at the room, while I admired my handiwork.  It wasn't as cool as some of the other rooms I've had it turn into, but for the purpose for which it was created, it was more than appropriate.  In fact, it was wonderful.

"Harry, don't tell anyone I showed you guys this, okay?"

"Why not?" Harry looked confused, Ron suspicious, and Hermione skeptical.

"Look, besides my sarcasm and disrespect of authority, I don't want any more attention on me than there has to be.  I don't want anyone digging.  I mean, you remember how you guys used to treat me.  How everyone at Grimmauld place treated me.  I've been an outcast plenty of times.  But I don't want to be one my whole life."  Noting their guilty faces, I added, "I don't hold it against you guys.  If I was in your place, I probably would've acted the same way.  More snark, of course.  But more or less the same."

Harry nodded.  Hermione's face warmed.  Ron shifted uneasily and didn't look at me.

Then there was a gentle knock on the door.  Ginny, Neville, Lavenfur, Parvato, and Bean, and my wondrous cousins had arrived.  (Lavender, Parvati, and Dean, but you guys probably already knew that. :)).

"Whoa," Bean said, sounding impressed.  "What is this place?"

Ginny glared at me, looking exhausted.  "When the bloody hell am I going to behead a viper?" I got some weird looks.

I shrugged.  "How should I know?"  Thalia and Nico chuckled at the look on her face.

Harry started to explain, but more of the cavalry came, so he waited for everyone so he wouldn't have to continuously start over.

"Well," Harry started nervously.  "This is the place we've found for practices, and you've-er-obviously found it okay-"

"It's fantastic!" Choke said, several people murmuring in agreement.  Why, thank you.  I do have good taste, don't I?

"It's bizarre," Fred frowned.  "We once hid from Filch in here, remember, George?  But it was just a broom cupboard then..."

Harry answered some questions about what some of the doodads were.

"Well, I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and-er-what, Hermione?"

"I think we ought to elect a leader," Hermione said.

"Harry's leader," the girl Harry had the crush on said obviously, looking at Hermione like she purposely drank wine in front of my beloved camp directer.

"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly.  It makes it formal and it gives him authority-"

"It means no one can bitch about what he tells us to do, and they have to shut their traps when they have an idiotic comment.  That's right, I'm talking to you, Zack-Attack."  Zacharias Smith flushed slightly, and Fred gave me a high-five.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, mate," George grinned.

"So," Hermione continued.  "Everyone who thinks Harry ought to be leader?"

Everybody raised their hands, even Zacky, under my infamous wolf-glare.

"Er-right, thanks," Harry said, blushing.  "And-what, Hermione?"

"I also think we ought to have a name." She said brightly, her hand still in the air.  "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?"

"Or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?" suggested Fred.

"I was thinking," Hermione frowned, "more of a name that doesn't tell everyone what we're up to, so we can discuss it safely outside meetings."

"The Defense Association," said Choke.  "The D.A for short, so nobody know's what we're talking about."

"Yeah, the D.A's good," Ginny said.  "But let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?"

There was a good deal of appreciative murmuring and laughter at this.

"All in favor of the D.A?" said Hermione bossily.  "That's a majority-motion passed!"

Hermione pinned a piece of paper with all of our names on the wall, and wrote DUMBELDORE'S ARMY across the top.

After a little shake down between Harry and Zacass, we divided into pairs to practice disarming.  I purposely partnered up with Neville.  He smiled gratefully at me.  It was honestly the least I could do, after using the poor kid as a human shield.

I didn't take it easy on him, and after five or six tries, and gave him advice.  "A little sharper."  "Speak clearer."  "A little faster."  

And after about ten of those, he was able to knock the wand out of my hand.  I wasn't really trying-with my demigod reflexes and battle experience he wouldn't have stood a chance.  But I wasn't not trying.  It really was all him.  I grinned encouragingly at him, and he flushed a little.

"Good job.  Think you can do that again?"

He did, and then I started making it a little harder for him.  He lost his wand a few more times before I  lost mine again, and I smiled.  You couldn't help someone to get better if you don't challenge them-make it harder on them.  Neville had potential.  Why no one noticed...not everyone pays as much attention as I do.  Sure, I'm obvious, but I'm also pretty observant at times.  It gives me the impression that I'm not all that smart, but that's why people shouldn't underestimate me.

"Okay, stop!" Harry shouted.  "Stop!  STOP!"

He blew a whistle, and the last wands clattered to the floor.

"That wasn't bad, but there's definitely room for improvement.  Let's go again..."

"Nev, would you mind practicing with my cousins?  I'm going to see if Harry needs help.  Besides, you can't get good at something without practicing against more than person.  It gets predicable, and that doesn't help anything.  You need to shake it up, okay?"

"Okay, Percy.  Thanks."  I grinned at him.  He was a good guy.

I nodded at my cousins, and they nodded back.  Maybe I didn't always like it, but we were soldiers and I was the leader.  It was unspoken, but that's how it worked.  They followed my orders, and understood what I was saying, even if I didn't speak.

"Hey, Harry-boy, anything I could help with?" 

Harry turned away from the girl he has a crush on.  "Um, what do you think you could help with."

"Well, no offense to your teaching skills, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, so I figured I should help you with whatever you need."

Harry smiled.  "Thanks.  Uh...I don't know.  I guess just walk around and help people."

I saluted him, and went over to Luna Lovegood.

"Hello, Percy.  Have any good naps in the Forest lately?"

"You know, I actually have.  It's a pretty relaxing place considering it's forbidden."

We talked for a few minutes, and I critiqued her wand movement a bit, and then Harry blew his whistle.  I think I hate that thing.  So many memories of Gym class and suicide runs.  Not that I can't do them, but with a bunch of sweaty mortals...well, it isn't my favorite thing to be doing.

Ginny walked up to me as we were leaving.  "Tomorrow I fully expect you to be the one to train me, Jackson.  Mr. Best Swordsman in 300 Years my arse.  You haven't shown me how good you supposedly are."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked, amused.

"I think it was." Thalia grinned.

"That's what I heard," Nico smirked.

"You guys put her up to this, didn't you?  Is this your punishment for the last time Leo and I-"

"Don't even talk about that," Thalia snapped.  Ginny snorted, and Nico blushed.  I snickered.  What can I say?  Life's never dull when you hang out with demigods.

Yeah, this isn't edited.  Not at all.  So kindly ignore mispellings or sentences that don't make any sense, once the book is finished, I will get around to fixing it...you know...eventually. And I have no other excuse for not updating besides laziness and writer's block.  But mostly laziness, so I'm sorry.  I'm a lazy shit.  I wish I could regret that, but I really can't.  I JUST CAN'T!

School's starting up for me, so I won't be able to update much, but I promise I will try and write on weekends and stuff.  This story isn't going on hold, and I'm not dropping it.  I'm sorry, but I'm probably not going to work on my other stories until I finish this one.  I don't know how many chapters there will be, because to be honest, I didn't exactly plan this story out so much in the beginning, or at all.  So from now on, Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo, and Thalia will be following the story line for the most part. Thank god I own the books.  That makes this so much easier.  

If something sounds weird, it's probably because part of it was a little hurried, and I'm not sure how it sounds.  But here is at least another chapter for you guys, so there's that.

Please, please, please vote and comment.  VOOTTTEEEE and COOMMMEENNNTTT!  My first chapter has over 300 votes, and my last chapter has, like, 70.  Please, if you like this, press the little star thing.  If you like it, please comment.  I love reading the comments.  It makes my day, and since school is starting, I kinda need that pick-me-up.  Of course, since I've been out of school for such a long time, it's kind of a relief.  I didn't really have a middle school experience since I was sick for a year and a half, so wish me luck.  I'm healthy now, so I'm pretty happy.  I'm also happy I was able to update this for you guys. 

Book_The_Worm (Paige)~