A/N- And so, here we are. The ending. I'd say it's pretty good, but you guys are the real judges of that. So don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Anybody else curious about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

Chapter 16- Counterattack

June 30th, 1993

Percy awoke to someone shaking him fiercely. He was having such a good dream – another date between him and Daphne.

"Percy! Percy!" a feminine voice shouted. Percy recognized it as Hermione.

"'Mione…Can't I sleep a bit longer; exams are over, y'know," Percy replied, rolling over. He realized rather quickly that he was not in his bed in Gryffindor tower – or if he was – he didn't remember his bed being so uncomfortable.

"Percy, wake up! Harry's gone!" she said, hysteria creeping into her voice.

Percy jumped up immediately, suddenly wide awake. The events of the night hit Percy like a ton of bricks. Some man had taken Harry, and Percy doubted it was for a good purpose.

"Hermione," he said grabbing her shoulders so he could look her in the eye. "I'm going after him. Once everyone calms down, go get my dad."

She nodded in understanding.

"Whatever you do, don't let Daphne come. As much as I hate to admit it, she's too hotheaded for this."

"Do you know what's happening?" she asked before he could leave.

Percy turned his head back around slightly. "I think it's another of Voldemort's extravagant plans."

"But V–Voldemort…he's dead," she whispered horrified.

Percy couldn't stand around dawdling; Voldemort could already have Harry with him.

"Look, I've got to go," he said.

Percy ran out of the great hall, not looking back. Hopefully, the confusion that still reigned would be enough that his departure wouldn't be noticed.

He wasn't sure where to go; the man was surely out of the castle by now. The question was: Where?

Percy decided his first move would be to get out of this ridiculous dress. He cancelled the transfiguration Harry had placed on it, and used the Aguamenti charm to wash off the makeup. 'Much better!'

It was then that Percy realized the hiccup in his plan. How did he expect to save Harry when he didn't even know where he was?

The Marauders' map wouldn't work; it wouldn't work on the castle grounds. The adults probably wouldn't help him, and for the ones who would – they wouldn't let him go after Harry anyways.

There weren't any spells that he could use to track him. There were some variations of the four-point spell that could track Harry, but he didn't know any of them.

Thus, he had only one option. To think.

'It would have to be a place nearby that nobody would go near, but probably not close enough to the castle to arouse suspicion. So most likely not the Forbidden Forest…' Percy pondered.

He needed to hurry. Voldemort was dead; that was for sure. But there were rituals that could bring him back. And what better way to bring back your lord – than through the boy who killed him?

'If not the Forbidden Forest, where?' Suddenly, the perfect place forced its way to the forefront of his mind.

It was only a few miles away, and it wasn't hard to get there at all. The locals steered clear of the place; it was supposedly haunted. The Shrieking Shack.

Percy took the only route he knew to Hogsmeade. He ran up to the third floor of the castle and moved down the hallway to the statue beside the DADA room.

"Dissendium!" he said. At once, the statue moved aside and created the passageway.

Percy crawled through the hole like last time and ran down the corridor when it was tall enough to stand. All of the cobwebs were back in place, proving just how little this passage was used.

He came to the basement of The Three Broomsticks and threw it open unceremoniously. He plowed through the the basement door and into straight into the owner – Madam Rosmerta.

He heard her squeal of surprise, but paid her no attention. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going. It was nearly dark and dark rituals were usually done at night.

Hogsmeade didn't have many people out on the street at this hour; people were settling down in their homes by this time of night.

The shack was at the edge of the town. It stood gloomily in the distance, the signs of wear clearly evident.

Percy had to cross a large field to get to weathered and badly cared for 'house.' There was no cover to take; the only option was to sprint it as quickly as possible.

The field really was quite large and it took Percy nearly three minutes to cross. If they had only glanced out the window, then he was surely seen.

The front door was open, granting easy access to the pitiful house. This only reaffirmed to Percy that there were in fact, people in this house currently.

The interior was just as bad as the outside. The room he had entered into – probably some sort of forum – was very disordered, not to mention the gallons of dust that adorned everything. The paper was peeling from the walls and the floor was covered in stains – not unlike some of the grime in Grimmauld Place that Kreacher refused to clean.

He had heard of the legend of the Shrieking Shack, but he had never quite believed it. As far as he knew, ghosts couldn't break furniture.

Percy was suddenly feeling very frightened and foolhardy. He had told Hermione to get his dad, but they hadn't a clue where he was. He could only hope that they would find his body protecting Harry's.

Percy could faintly make out voices above him. He pulled out his wand and walked stealthily up the crumbling stairs. He winced as the stairs creaked under his weight.

With every cautious step, the voices increased. 'Maybe there's still time!' Percy hoped.

He came to a stop before a door – with voices coming through. He hesitated as he tried to listen, but there seemed to be a silencing charm on the door – meaning that it was most likely quite loud on the other side.

"Expelliarmus," a squeaky voice said from behind him. He was struck in the back and forced through the closed door.

Percy looked up dazedly from his position on the floor. He could see two blurry figures in the room and another behind him in the doorway.

"Perseus…I've been expecting you," a raspy, snakelike voice said.

Percy shook his head to regain his sight. His eyes were met with a wraith-like creature that he hadn't noticed before. It looked strangely like Voldemort had the year before…

He had been right! It was one of Voldemort's plots! And he had walked willingly into it, probably buggering both Harry and himself.

"Percy!" Harry called from his chair by the window. He was bound tightly with rope and he was bleeding slightly from the side of his head. Funnily enough, he was still dressed in his dress, as well as having makeup on his face. It would've been hilarious if they weren't in their current situation.

"Harry – are you okay?"

"Well – other than these bloody buggers," he replied nodding towards his bindings.

"Enough with the chatting!" Voldemort's wraith yelled. "It's time to get down to business! Quirrell – put the boy in the ritual circle!"

Percy finally recognized the other occupant in the room. 'Quirrell…but…he's dead!'

"Uhh…Which one, my lord?" Quirrell asked nervously.

"Perseus of course! If I was going to use it on Hadrian, why would I wait for the other Potter?"

Percy and Harry shared a look. Voldemort wasn't at all like he was last year – he seemed rather cheery if anything.

Quirrell roughly tugged a protesting Percy into the circle drawn in the center of the room. Percy tried to escape, but Quirrell quickly cast a full body-bind curse.

Voldemort's wraith quickly began to chant in Latin and as he spoke, the wind began to pick up.

Percy was both terrified and confused. He had caught some of the words and it sounded like the ritual to host a wraith. He couldn't fathom why Voldemort would want to be hosted, as there were plenty of rituals that could completely take over the body.

Suddenly, the man who had stolen Harry and ambushed Percy in the halls flew into the room, crashing into the far wall.

Lupin ran in, ruddy in the face and an insane look in his eyes. He was wielding two wands (one must have been Pettigrew's) like duel swords, ready to destroy anyone who threatened him.

Quirrell jumped in between the ritual circle and Lupin, attempting to defend his master if necessary. Quirrell attempted to attack Lupin with the Cruciatus, but Lupin was faster – casting confringo.

Quirrell crashed into the Percy just as Voldemort was nearing the end of his chant. Percy went rolling across the floor to Harry's side, leaving Voldemort's wraith to enter inside Quirrell instead.

"Lupin!" Harry shouted in relief.

Lupin didn't reply; instead, he threw them their wands. Percy quickly cast diffindo, severing Harry's restraints. They both ran to Lupin's side and pointed their wands threateningly at the man and Quirrell.

"I knew I couldn't trust you," Lupin said calmly, looking accusingly at Quirrell.

"You're a traitor to your own kind, Lupin," Quirrell sneered.

Quirrell's pale blue eyes changed to a sadistic red. "And you," a voice that sounded completely like Voldemort's creepy voice said, looking at the unknown man, "I told you to watch the door, you pathetic mongrel!"

"I'm sorry, Master!" the squeaky voiced man whimpered.

"You're saying sorry to him when I'm standing right in front of you, Pettigrew!" Lupin growled to the now identified man. Wait a minute…Pettigrew!

"Peter Pettigrew?" Percy questioned.

"That's correct, Perseus," Lupin said smiling down warmly at him.

"Then you really are innocent!" Percy announced gaping.

Percy saw Quirrell/Voldemort inching his hand downwards towards the floor. He didn't think anything of it and continued his conversation.

"We can free Lupin, Harry! And he won't have to be on the run –"

Percy was cut off by Quirrell's shout of, "Rhabdomyolysis!"

Percy had no time to react as the hand that Lupin held Pettigrew's wand in withered and turned black. To his credit, Lupin didn't let so much as a whimper escape his lips, though his expression was one of intense pain.

"Accio wand." Pettigrew's wand went flying to Quirrell, who in turn, threw it to its owner.

"Did you like my curse, boys? I created it myself, although the muggles use it for some sort of snake-bite," he said with disdain.

"Although, how fitting really?" he said laughing.

Percy hadn't a clue a clue how to get out of this situation. Lupin was still crumpled on the floor in pain and they were passed with not only two adult wizards, but one was possessed by Voldemort.

There was no way out and Percy knew that when Voldemort stopped talking, it would be over. At least they had a chance if they used the only advantage possible – surprise.

"Reducto!" Percy said, throwing a swirling ball of explosive energy toward Quirrell.

Quirrell batted it away as if it was a mere nuisance. "That wasn't very nice, Perseus," Quirrell/Voldemort chided. "Didn't James and Lily teach you manners?"

"Piss off," Percy said annoyed. Percy nodded his head to Harry, hoping the bespectacled boy would get the hint.

Fortunately, he did. "REDUCTO!" they shouted simultaneously.

Pettigrew dived under Harry's reducto and cast an unknown dark brown colored spell. Harry managed to dodge it by rolling to his right, but he crashed into Lupin, sending the both of them sprawling.

Percy's own reductor curse had been batted away and Quirrell had stood up, beginning to walk menacingly toward Percy.

"Harry! Take Lupin and get out of – umph!" Percy yelled, dodging Pettigrew's unknown curse and jumping into Quirrell's bludgeoning hex.

The pain was rather extreme at first, but then it disappeared. 'Oh shit!' Percy thought, before his thoughts dissolved into bloodlust.

Percy was mad. He was furious even. What was worse was that he didn't even know why, but these people in front of him surely must've caused it.

Percy began attacking with his repertoire of spells, not fully aware of what he was doing. Someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him through the door.

Percy was about to hex this person also, until he realized it was Harry. He regained some semblance of his sanity when Harry's voice broke through.

"Perce – snap out of it!" he said, pulling them down the stairs.

Percy had just jumped off the stairs when a spell struck the last step, shattering the wood and knocking him and Harry down. Percy turned around onto his back, to see another spell heading right towards them. They were dead.

Lupin jumped in just in time and casted a disarming charm, causing both his and the enemies spells to bounce off each other.

"Let's go!" Lupin yelled, pulling them to their feet and then basically pushing them into a tunnel. Percy could only assume that this tunnel went to the school.

Unfortunately, Quirrell and Pettigrew were anything if not tenacious and followed the trio into the tunnel. Thus, a running battle began.

The tunnel was filled with spell fire between the sides, with Percy and Harry attacking and Lupin trying desperately to counter the enemy's spells. He couldn't be everywhere though, and Percy was currently limping and Harry's left arm was wounded pretty badly.

Pettigrew had received a cut – courtesy of Percy from earlier – that reached from his collarbone to his left hip. Unfortunately, it hadn't been deep because of the length of it, but it was causing the rat animagus pain.

Quirrell was looking better than he ever had and as the battle went on, his spells got stronger. Voldemort's power must be helping him.

Harry was a monster in battle. He swirled and dodged even though the passage was only wide enough for about four people. He even had the power to counter Quirrell's spells, even as they got stronger.

However, both Lupin and Harry were starting to get tired and if they didn't get help soon, this battle would be over as soon as it started.

Just as they were about to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, they saw the literal light at the end of the tunnel.

"Go!" Lupin ordered.

"What about you?" Harry asked, dodging another of Pettigrew's curses.

"I'll be right behind you! Now go!" Lupin shouted, countering both Pettigrew's and Quirrell's attacks.

Percy probably would've continued fighting if Harry hadn't pulled him along. Lupin had done more than enough for them this year; he didn't deserve to die as repayment.

Percy and Harry were forced to crawl through the tiny opening to the other side. They soon realized that rushing into – or out of in this case – was a mistake. They were hit roughly in the back and tossed a good ways.

Percy noticed that the passage led to the Whomping Willow. It hurt just as bad this time, as it had last time.

Lupin dived out of the hole only a moment later, but instead of being attacked, he quickly cast a spell at the tree that caused it to go rigid.

Lupin started to make his way over to them, as he was having trouble. They stopped immediately when he raised his hand.

"You've got to get away!" he rasped doubling over.

"Remus!" Harry yelled, racing over towards him. He didn't get too far, for he was struck in the chest with a red light of some kind.

Harry dropped like a sack of potatoes and Percy was terrified that his friend was dead. Quirrell and Pettigrew advanced towards Percy, wands out.

"That's two of them down," Quirrell barked with cruel laughter.

Percy looked to Lupin in confusion at Quirrell's statement. What he saw was some sort of beast right where Lupin had been standing. At first, Percy had thought that the beast had eaten poor Lupin, but surely he would've heard it. There was only one answer: Lupin was a werewolf.

"Rise Moony!" Voldemort said cackling.

Lupin seemed to resist at first, but eventually obeyed his master's command.

"You forget Lupin; I control your werewolf form! Now – feed on that child!" he said, pointing at Percy.

Percy could honestly say that he had only been this scared once before – during the basilisk fight. But he wasn't going to leave Harry behind like last time.

"Accio Harry!" he shouted, pointing his wand towards the unconscious boy. Harry flew towards him at the same time as Lupin began bounding across the field.

As soon as Harry reached him, Percy quickly cast the levitating charm, and took off towards the school – Harry in tow 'flying' along behind him.

It quickly became apparent, however, that Percy could not outrun Lupin. Even if his leg hadn't been injured, he would've been hard-pressed to make it half-way across the field.

So he had only one choice – run into the forest and hope for a bit of luck. Quirrell's cackles only made him more determined.

As Lupin pounced, Percy quickly pivoted to the right, Lupin missing by a mere inch. Percy kept running to the tree line. It would be much easier to avoid Lupin amongst the trees – or at least, he hoped as much.

Just as Percy reached the edge, three claws tore through his back like saws. Percy was so shocked he didn't even cry out, but he did stumble and fall. Harry crashed down as a result.

Percy was forced to roll to the right to dodge another of Lupin's swipes. Even if he had gotten lucky with that one, he knew he was out of options.

Help apparently wasn't coming, even though they were quite close to the castle. Harry was unconscious, and although, he had been about to reawaken – his twenty foot fall hadn't helped. Lupin was out of his mind completely and Percy was simply injured to badly. And even his curse – which could've been loads of help – didn't seem to be working. In other words, he was screwed, again. Oh well – there were worse things in life than being a werewolf.

Lupin seemed to be restraining from attacking Percy again. Percy had hopes that maybe Lupin could fight Voldemort's hold over him, but it proved to be for naught when Voldemort ordered him.

"What are you waiting for? Kill the boy!"

Lupin didn't waste a second, although, apparently, it was a second to long. Antlers crashed into Lupin throwing him into tree milliseconds before Lupin's teeth reached Percy's leg.

A beautiful stag stood defensively over both Percy and Harry and had undoubtedly saved his future.

"Percy!" a voice that sounded much like his father yelled, before tackling him from his sitting position into the ground. It hurt his wounds quite a bit, but Percy was just happy to have an ally at his side.

"You dare hurt my son!" his father growled, looking up at Quirrell.

"Son?" Quirrell questioned as if pondering a long overdue question. "It all makes sense now!"

Fortunately, they didn't have to listen to one of Voldemort's wild theories, as his father attacked viciously. Percy finally understood why that Shacklebolt guy had been so sad to see his father leave the auror force.

And thus, the wild battle began anew. The stag and Lupin grappled for dominance, whilst his father and Quirrell launched devastating magics at one another. Hermione – who Percy hadn't noticed before – was fighting a courageous, but ultimately losing duel with Pettigrew.

Percy was exhausted, but he rejoined the battle nonetheless. At some point during the exchange, he found himself fighting all of his opponents. He and his father fought amazingly well together, being able to go toe to toe with Quirrell – and by extension - Voldemort.

Percy had received a scratch on his arm during his newest fight with Lupin next to the stag. Together, they had managed to chase Lupin into the woods and the stag had chased him.

Percy was then finally able to help Hermione in fighting Pettigrew. Pettigrew was unbelievably sneaky (for a Gryffindor) and his magical talents were extraordinary, but between the smartest witch of the age and the son of the Offensive Magics professor, he fell rather quickly – courtesy of a well-timed bludgeoning hex from Percy to the head. He had been knocked unconscious. Or his neck had been broken. It didn't really matter as long as Lupin could still get the freedom he deserved.

Dumbledore finally heard all the commotion going on outside that was basically right under his window and arrived with a portion of the school staff. Quirrell quickly apparated away, yelling, "I'll get you next time, brat!"

"We did it!" Percy exclaimed proudly. Suddenly, the ground was getting a bit too close for comfort.

Percy grimaced as Harry told a retelling of the skirmish last night. At first, Daphne, Gabrielle, and Victoria had been quite put out that they hadn't been able to join their adventure yesterday, but that was quickly altered after Harry's story.

Rumors had spread through the school that a battle had happened on school grounds the night before. They ranged from two seventh year students getting into a fight to Aurors fighting a group of death eaters. How close they were to the truth on the second one.

Seeing the two injured professors and the three grievously wounded students walk into the hall for breakfast, they had speculated that the three of them had went after Lupin and Professors Black and Potter had been forced to go save them. They'd be learning the truth soon.

Since Percy had been unconscious, the others had relied on Harry for the truth. Harry had told the story to a very surprised staff and impact on the Wizarding world would be great. Lupin had not betrayed the Potters, nor did he kill Pettigrew.

By Harry's description, Dumbledore had been the most shocked by the news. The fact that Lupin had never received a trial, nor had he been questioned whatsoever, had brought doubts into Harry's mind about the leader of the light, but Percy assured him that people make mistakes.

Lupin's trial would be today and Percy was saddened a bit that he wouldn't get to see it. After Lupin's trial – which was an almost assured not guilty – he would be living with him and his father at Grimmauld Place for recovery. Maybe this summer wouldn't be so bad.

Dumbledore walked through the floo that was connected to his office. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

This was not what he imagined at all. Lupin was supposed to kill off Perseus in his werewolf form, leaving the light – or at least Harry – with a martyr. Now, he was not only still alive, but getting progressively stronger as well – if his skills displayed this morning were noted.

Lupin was free; Dumbledore had hoped to be rid of him for good. Not that he didn't like the werewolf – or werewolves in general for that matter, but it was imperative that he stay out of Harry's life.

His plan was getting harder and harder to rework with each passing year. And it was all Black's fault.

'Well – this ought to get rid of him for sure,' Dumbledore thought menacingly as he held up a piece of paper that he had received from the minister.

'It just isn't possible for him to survive the tournament!'

A/N- By the way, I'm going to start another story that's not part of this series that's Harry-centric, but it won't be my main focus at all, so…Just thought I'd let you guys know. Anyways, choi (is that even how you spell it? I never really paid attention in Spanish!) For now!