Previously:
"Arthur-I've been so worried, so worried-" she embraced Arthur first then pulled away, tears falling. "You're all alright," she muttered. "You're alive...oh, boys..." She pulled the twins in next then moved on to the others.

When she got to me, she whispered. Thank you in my ear. She'd obviously been told I'd saved them by Arthur. He always exaggerated that way. One time, we had gone out on a family outing before Hermione or anyone else got here and I killed off some hellhounds that had sniffed me out. Arthur was the only one there besides Ron, Ginny and Fred and George. That was the first time I had accidentally revealed myself.

I just pulled her in for a tighter squeeze.

Later, at work, I saw a sea of red come heading one the direction of my desk. I've been told those were howlers.

I groaned and pounded my head on my desk. "This is going to be a very long day," I muttered.

The days leading up to the third trial for the Tri-Wizard Tournament were getting crazy when my boss, Mr. Couch disappeared. I knew something was up so I decided to head quickly over to Hogwarts in order to take care of it. Dumbledore allowed me to come and take over Mr. Couch's responsibilities under the pretense that he had some family business to take care of. Which...in light of the information Hecate brought me, wasn't far off.

Turns out his son-the Death Eater(horrible name by the way)- took revenge earlier than we all thought. Moody was looking too smug and cheerful for it not to be him.

I was just heading to the Great Hall for some breakfast when Ron, Harry and Hermione saw me.

"Hey, Percy!" Ron called just before I entered the Hall. "What happed to Mr. Crouch? He's not coming anymore."

I sniffed in annoyance. Both at my character and at my dear brother for only being the hundredth person to ask me that question already today. That Skeeter woman is incredibly annoying. "As I have just told the Daily Prophet, Mr. Crouch is just taking a well deserved break. He sends regular owls with instructions and no, I have not actually seen him but you would think I'd recognize my own superior's writing. Now, I have quite enough to do even without trying to stop these ridiculous rumors, good day," I said snobbishly before entering the Hall, grabbing a scone and some bacon and leaving again.

Yeah, I know. That was rude but hey, Percy Weasley is a slightly-alright, very rude person. As much as I hate to admit it.

I have indeed been getting letters of instruction from a Mr. Crouch. Problem is, since he's dead, it would have to be from Moody since he is his son in disguise.

Now I need to send an owl to the office for a report but my owl, who I named Hermes, happens to be on his way to Molly and Arthur. So I need to get to the school's Owlery and borrow one of their owls. As I was walking up the steps of the tower, I heard voices coming from the room. Then a door burst open.

"What are you doing here?" I could tell that was one of the twins and Ron.

Then, much to my amusement, both Harry and the other twin said, "Sending a letter."

"What at this time?" I recognized Hermione's tone and decided to wait outside until one of the parties left. Preferably the one with a miniature Annabeth.

"Fine-we won't ask you what you're doing if you don't ask us," that was the first twin. Pretty sure it was Fred. His voice is slightly higher than George's. "Well, don't let us hold you up," he continued.

"Who are you blackmailing?" Nosy, as always, Ron. A very good trait. I'm proud.

"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," George said. I could hear the forced smile in his voice.

"Didn't sound like that," Ron said.

There was a moment of silence where I found myself staring at the stones beneath my feet. I decided to name the one shaped like a horse, Chiron.

"I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is," Fred said abruptly. "Can't see why you would, but-"

"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone," Ron interrupted. "George is right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."

"I told you, I was joking," George said, I heard a little impatience in his voice now. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made a prefect."

"No, I won't!" Ron said hotly the same time I decided to enter. I won't let them insult me anymore, I took offense to that. If I'd really gone to school here, chances are, I would have been joining them in the pranking and gotten in detention for the rest of the year from the first day. Maybe even blown something up.

"Not with that attitude," I said, walking in.

"Percy!" Hermione said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

I held up the letter I was sending to the office. Rising an eyebrow, I said, "Sending a letter."

She looked suitably chastened and stepped back a little before leading Harry and the others out.

Once they were quite out of earshot, I turned to the twins. "So who are you blackmailing?" I asked them, moving to the nearest owl.

"Blackmail? Who said anything about blackmail?" George scoffed, giving Fred a look.

"We weren't blackmailing anyone," Fred agreed.

"See," I started with a sigh as the owl left. "I'd agree with you but then, we'd both be wrong."

With that I left the owlery, leaving them confused.

I explored school grounds for the rest of the day since I had done everything I needed to get done for the day. I saw Mad Eye Moody stalking through the hallway and I had a sudden burst of impulsiveness and decided to go after him. I had no idea what I was going to say, all I knew was that I had to talk to him. No idea why either.

"Professor Moody," I called, walking as fast as I could to catch up. Even with that wooden leg, he walked surprisingly fast. "Professor Moody," I called again.

"Yes?" a gruff response came.

"How is that leg of yours? Doing alright?" I started with the first thing that came to mind. "Kind of hard to get used to, isn't it?" Then I got an idea. An idea that could be more than a little creepy if Moody were not actually Barty Crouch, a well known Death Eater. Come to think of it, it was still creepy.

"What are you going on about, boy?" Moody growled.

"Nothing," I smirked smugly. I leaned in to whispered in his ear. "I just know your secret."

Then, without another word, I walked away in search of some company that wasn't annoying.

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When I said I was looking for company, I was talking about just for the rest of the day. Not for the rest of my stay at Hogwarts. Memory-Percy is the only person who knows this woman and yet she seems to know me rather well. I remember Memory-Percy...kissing her? Oh, no. I do not want to get into another romance right now. Absolutely not what I'm looking for.

"Oh, Percy!" I silently groaned but put on a more pleasant expression than I was wearing before. I've got to keep up appearances.

"Yes, Miss Clearwater?" I greeted.

"Penelope, Percy," she corrected. "We've known each other long enough I think."

I held back the urge to correct her. "Very well," I said stiffly. "Did you need something...Penelope?" I've seen her once or twice around the Ministry but never long enough for a conversation like we're doing now.

AN: any ideas for what her job would be at the Ministry?

"Oh, no," Penelope said dismissively. "I only thought we'd catch up, that's all. It's been a while since we've seen each other. Unless you had some appointment?"

As a matter of fact, I did not have an appointment. And I wasn't about to lie to her so I grudgingly said, "No, that's fine, I was just going to head down to Hogsmead. Would you like to join me?"

Why did I just do that? I told you I don't want any relationship right now.

Please say no, please say no, please say-

"Of course!" Penelope exclaimed, obviously delighted. She probably thought we were going to rekindle whatever feelings were never there in the first place.

Great, now I need to figure out a way to let her down easy. There really is no 'easy' way of doing that.

Before I knew it, we were visiting the Three Broomsticks, 'my favorite bookstore'-which to be honest might actually be true. No other book store had the same atmosphere. We even visited Zonkos, surprisingly. She said she remembered how I loved to have a good laugh under 'that mask you're always wearing'. Just how familiar did Memory-Percy get with Penelope Clearwater?

I'm almost afraid to know the answer to that question.

In the end, I couldn't do it. Instead, deciding to continue being her friend. No one else in this world besides Molly, Arthur, Hecate, Dumbledore and my dad made me feel more...me. More like Percy Jackson...it's been a while. I've missed it.

Penelope and I ended up spending a lot of time with each other over the next few weeks. When ever we had free time from our Ministry jobs, we would hang out. Sometimes that would be by the lake, along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, wandering the castle or even the Quidditch pitch.

The Quidditch pitch was undergoing major changes for the third and final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. From what we could see of it as we walked along the stands, it was to be a maze.

Wonderful. As if I hadn't already had enough of mazes. Following Harry through this would be a problem. I had it bad enough when I was following him in the lake; avoiding the merfolk so they could do their job and not be required to wait on me. Prince of the seas and all that. Triton was first in line but Dad named me second...without my permission of course. I guess that would make me a half-blood prince. As if I didn't already have enough titles.

"Percy?" Penelope started. "What do you think is going on?"

I knew what she meant. My boss was found dead the other day, Harry's name somehow appeared int eh Goblet of Fire and so many other things she doesn't even know about. Like how Mad Eye Moody is really Barty Crouch, who killed my boss and joined the death eaters if he didn't before he was sent to Askaban. Not to mention the fact that I am not a Weasley and this is the first time I've met her.

"I think," I paused, wondering how to put this so she doesn't think I'm insane, "something old is going to make a comeback."

We were on the edge of the lake and we sat there in silence with Penelope puzzling over what I meant.

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The third task was today and both Molly and Bill came to support Harry. Which I thought was nice of them...until I had to sit with my 'mother' for lunch and dinner when I really wanted to be practicing for the task. I couldn't eat with all my nerves bundled up inside me in anticipation for the task.

"Percy, it's so nice to see you again, son!" Molly had said when she saw me, then nearly suffocated from her embrace.

"I sent a letter, Mum," I grumbled, true to character. Turning to Bill, I nodded, "Bill." I got older brothers for this mission and I find I am absolutely not opposed to it considering they are not around much.

"Percy!" Bill said, not afraid to ignore my courteous nod and yank me into a huge hug. "How's the Ministry? Meet anyone?"

I found myself relaxing a smidge into the hug but when he asked that last question, I almost pulled away. How did he know about that?

"I heard you've been spending a lot of time with a certain Miss Clearwater," Bill nudged me with a teasing smirk.

Again. How did he know-my eyes landed on a certain pair of identical red heads. Oh.

Well, two can play at that game...or three as the case may be.

I was about to open my mouth to rat on Fred about a girl named Angela but I stopped. Percy Weasley does not stoop to frivolous talk about girls. Unfortunately.

Instead I huffed. "She's a coworker, a colleague," I defended in my snobbish tone.

Bill just laughed and clapped me on the back, causing me to stumble forward from the force of it.

I disappeared some time after dinner to meet with Hecate about my task tonight.

"Remember, Percy," Hecate said before I left. "Don't let anyone but Harry touch that cup and don't let him die. Above all, don't stop Voldemort's rise to power again."

I frowned at her choice of words. "You've got to sort out your priorities, do you want Harry to live in the end or Voldemort?" I asked.

"Oh," she scoffed with a reluctant smile, punching me on the arm. "Get out of here, sea spawn. You have the potion?"

"Yeah," I said, laughing as I left to the stadium.

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I made it to the stadium just as Bagman was explaining how this task was going to go to the champions and the rest of the audience. Wrapping my cloak around me, I inched my way along the hedge to the entrance. My cloak was temporarily enchanted by an illusion charm. I was practically invisible to all seeing eyes. I could only be seen if someone expected me to be there. It is even undetectable by Moody's eye.

"So...on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" Bagman said. "Three...two...one-"

He blew his whistle and said two champions entered the maze with me not too far behind them.

The maze walls were tall, blocking whatever light the setting sun provided. The crowd was silenced completely the moment the hedge closed behind us, leaving us in blessed silence.

First Harry then Cedric lit up their wands, lighting the path in front of them. Leaving me to follow the best I could. Soon we came to a fork in the path and they both looked at each other.

"See you," Harry said awkwardly before going left as Cedric took the right path.

Another few seconds and Bagman's whistle blew again, indicating that Krum had entered the maze. I followed as Harry went right, holding his brightly tipped wand above his head. Now I could see just fine. Bagman's whistle blew for the last time and all champions were in the maze.

Several minutes later we still hadn't come across anything. I don't know about Harry but the fact that we hadn't come up against anything was starting to make me nervous. Suddenly, Cedric popped out of a path behind us.

He looked out of breath and already done with everything. I couldn't help but agree whole-heartedly with his apparent mood.

"Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!" He said when he saw Harry. "They're huge! I only just got away."

Then he left down another path out of sight. Not long after which Harry hurried quickly down the path he was already on. Doing so, he almost ran smack into a dementor.

I froze, staring at it in horrified awe, this being my first time seeing one up close. It was around as tall as the hedge, its black robe covering its face and its rotting hands outstretched, searching for its prey. I heard its rattling breath and an icy feeling settle over our immediate area.

I broke out of my small trance when Harry pointed his wand at it and yelled, "Expecto Patronum!" A silvery stag flew out and the dementor stumbled, making Harry realize it was a boggart.

For the next half hour, Harry passed through each obstacle with out much difficulty. There was a mist that made it seem as though you were upside down, Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts and a much nicer sphinx than the one I had met before. At least it seemed nicer, it wasn't a crazy tester, yelling about her scoring machine and number two pencils. Somewhere in there, we heard a feminine scream who I assumed was Fleur, the French champion.

Then we heard Cedric talking to Krum and then being crucioed. Harry blasted a hole into the hedge and pushed through to see Cedric laying on the ground, twitching. Krum was standing over him, his wand pointed directly at the boy on the ground.

Harry stunned said student and ran over to Cedric. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah...I don't believe it...crept up behind me...I turned around and he had his wand on me..." Cedric panted as he stood up. Still shaking as he looked down at Krum.

"I thought he was alright," Harry muttered, looking at the other champion as well.

"Me too," Cedric said.

"Did you hear Fleur's scream earlier?" Harry asked.

"D'you think Krum got her too?"

"I don't know."

As they were talking, I leaned forward to look at the Quidditch player. I saw a glazed over look in his eyes and realized he was under the imperious spell. Moody.

Eventually Cedric sent up red sparks and they separated again. I followed Cedric. Fleur and Krum were down, meaning only Cedric would be the one to potentially get to the cup at the same time or before Harry. That means he could die.

Once I was sure we were out of earshot from Harry, I took off my cloak.

"Mr. Diggory, we need to talk," I said, folding my cloak and sending it to Hecate. I won't be needing it any more.

Cedric spun around, his and pointed at me. "Weasley?" He said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your's and Harry's podex," I said. "But I need you not to go after the cup."

"What?" He said. "Are you insane?"

"Trust me," I said earnestly. "If you go after that cup, you will die."

"Is that a threat?" he said, wand still pointed at me.

I rolled my eyes. "No," I said as if he were dumb, "the cup is a Portkey put there for whom ever touches it to be transported immediately to a grave yard where Lord Voldemort will rise back from the dead." I figured telling him bluntly what will happen might help my cause.

"How do you know that?" He still hadn't lowered his wand.

"Moody is Barty Crouch under polyjuice potion," I answered. "He's a Death Eater."

"How do I know if you are not under polyjuice potion?" He demanded.

"Because I was going to take your hairs to take your place to keep Harry safe," I answered, holding up the mud colored potion. "And I don't want to find out what happens if you take a potion for someone else while already under one."

Finally, he lowered his wand. "I can't let you do that," he said seriously. "I would be letting you do all the work-it would be cheating."

I eyed him with a pointed look. "You've been doing that all along," I told him flatly.

"How do you-"

"Point is," I said, trying to keep my impatience from getting out of hand. "Let me do this. I have a mission and I need to see it through."

"Alright," he said, grabbing a few of his hairs and yanking. "Be careful, alright?"

I accepted the hairs with a nod. "Lady Hecate?" I called. Suddenly, a familiar brown haired goddess was next to me.

"Mr. Diggory, we are going to go to somewhere safe so no one will suspect what's going on. Here are the clothes, Percy," she said kindly. "If you would hold only my arm?"

He did so before staring at me. "You know Lady Magic?" He said just as they disappeared.

"I should have led with that," I laughed before putting the hairs in and downing it in one. It tasted weird. Like garlic. Straight garlic.

Not wasting anymore time, I ran off, using the directions Hecate gave me to get to the center as fast as I could to catch up to Harry. Left, right, right, left, right then right again.

Finally, I was within sight of the cup. But so was Harry. He put on an extra burst of speed and would have reached the cup first had it not been for the fact that Cedric Diggory had longer legs. I needed to get there the same time as Harry.

Having my eyes set on Harry and the cup, I almost didn't notice a huge dark mass heading my way. I wouldn't have at all if it were not for Harry.

"Cedric!" He shouted. "On your left!" (AN: lol thinking about Steve and Sam right now)

Right then, I saw it. I threw myself to the side, tripping and dropping my wand. Swearing in Ancient Greek, I grabbed at my pockets for some sort of weapon as the ginormous spider started advancing.

Then Harry shot a spell at it and it changed course. Too soon it was on Harry as he desperately shot spells, trying to get it to stop or slow down. I frantically looked for my wand and shot spells as well. Then, getting an idea when it picked Harry up with those long black pincers, I yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

It worked. Dropping Harry, it turned to me once more. Then both Harry and I shot a stunning spell, effectively knocking it out cold. Only problem, as it fell, it rolled in Harry's direction.

"Harry!" I shouted. "You alright? Did it fall on you?"

"No," Harry called back, he sounded out of breath. It also sounded like he was in pain.

I looked at the cup, wondering how to get Harry to trust me enough to get him over there so we both take the Portkey. Didn't take much thought-we both fought and defeated the spider.

"You take it," he insisted.

"You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here," I told him.

"That's not how it's suppose to work," Harry protested angrily. "The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. That's you. I'm not winning any races on this leg."

Now I saw that his leg was bleeding quite heavily. At least, it hadn't stopped. I shook my head and stepped away from the cup to prove my point. "No," I told him.

"Stop being noble," Harry said irritably. "Just take it. Then we can get out of here."

Noble? I thought to myself. Look who's talking.

Long story short, Harry figured we should both take it and we grabbed the cup together. Almost instantly, we were both in a tunnel of howling wind and let me tell you, I preferred vapor travel. Much quieter and calmer. We arrived in the grave yard Hecate described and fell face first to the ground. We got up and looked around. I glanced at the cup and turned to Harry.

"Did someone tell you the cup was a Portkey?" I asked.

"Nope," Harry replied as his eyes moved around the eerie grave yard. "Is this suppose to be part of the task?"

"I dunno," I said, hoping to sound nervous. "Wands out, d'you reckon?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed. I checked my pockets for Riptide and almost jumped when Harry whispered, "Someone's coming."

A creepy figure stepped out of the darkness holding a bundle of robes. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was a baby or small child. It stopped by a towering head stone and Harry screamed out in pain, his hands reaching for his scar.

Then a hiss, "Kill the spare."

If the situation weren't so dire, I'd be offended.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light and all I saw was black.