The Golden Wand [Harry Potter/Percy Jackson]

Chapter 31: Attempted Murder

Author's Note: Hey guys! Really, really sorry it's been so long since I last updated. My life has been just about as busy as it could possibly be right now so I've had very little time to write. But the good news is I'm super stressed out at the moment and I LOVE to write when I'm stressed so expect lots more chapters to come!

Percy POV:

We were taken to Professor McGonagall's office. Dumbledore and Mr Dionysus waited within. It was cloudy outside and the room was cold. I noticed that pumpkin decorations still adorned the Professor's walls, despite the fact that it had been three weeks since Halloween.

"Can someone explain what's going on?" Nico asked timidly. "Why were the other competitors not taken with us?"

"And why does the school hate us?" Jason mused. 

"And why do you still have Halloween decorations up?" I couldn't help myself from asking. Annabeth elbowed me and gave me an angry stare. 

McGonagall stared at Mr D, waiting for him to answer. Our Headteacher simply grunted and shrugged, leaning back in his chair in an awkward silence.

"Although to you it felt like three weeks had passed in that room,  you were in there for no longer than a day," Dumbledore explained finally, clearing his throat. Mr D shrugged again and put his feet up on McGonagall's desk - the Professor looked at him with disapproval but said nothing. "Please, take a seat."

Dumbledore clapped once and 5 chairs appeared in the room behind us. We sat down quickly; something in Dumbledore's voice had implied he wasn't asking, he was ordering. 

McGonagall made her way around the room and sat behind the large mahogany desk. Dumbledore stood to her left, Cedric to her right, Mr D sat apart from them and looked as if he didn't want to be there at all. I felt a sense of dread run through me as I noticed he was quieter than usual, more polite than he usually ever was and - probably the most concerning thing of all - he was looking at us with more distaste than usual. 

"What's happening?" Annabeth's voice was tight. I could tell she was feeling the same as me. "Is this another trial?"

"Annabeth, let Professor McGonagall explain," Mr D said irritably. Hazel's mouth fell open, my eyes widened, Jason did a double take... he had said Annabeth's name correctly. This couldn't be good. 

McGonagall cleared her throat. "Thank you, Dionysus. As to your questions Miss Chase, no, this is not a trial. And I'd be happy to take Veritaserum in way of proof that I am, indeed, not lying - but I pride myself on always telling the truth anyway."

"Then what's going-" I stammered. Mr D picked up his empty coke can that was sitting on the desk and threw it at me. I got the message loud and clear: be quiet, let the adults explain. 

McGonagall was staring at Mr D with wide eyes but continued speaking as if nothing had happened. "To be quite honest, children, there really is no other way of saying this - we are appalled with the behaviour each of you displayed in the trial. Even your own professor's agree, as well as your classmates, that what you did during the trial brings shame to the name of Goode. The only reason we never stopped the trial was out of pure dumb shock. We were, in truth, baffled by what we saw. To put it bluntly, we are very disappointed in the lot of you."

The Professor had become flustered and hot with rage as she spoke. Her words became near incomprehensible nearing the end of her speech, due to her Scottish accent that became thicker and thicker with each syllable. 

Sporting a fake, amiable smile, Cedric leaned forward quickly. "What the Professor is trying to say is that you competitors have been under close observation ever since that first stunt Jackson pulled on Sarah. We've had to consider pulling all of you out of the competition all-together, which is practically unheard of in all the years the Golden Competition has been held. Now, we've even been in contact with the Committee of the IYWC - and frankly if it weren't for them you'd be having the boot right now.