Percy stared down at his hands. "Yes, Ma'am."
Mrs Westbury looked at him. "What did I teach you?"
"Never talk back." Percy sighed and stamped his foot. "Can I go play, now!?"
His teacher frowned and pushed him out the door. "Yes! Get out of my way."
Percy grinned and stampeded out of the school, on to the playground, his eight year old hands clinging to the slide as he gently slid down.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a black blur near the swing set. As his eyes were still adjusting to the sun, he managed to make out a dark suit with a long trenchcoat. The man's eyes were hidden by dark sunglasses. His white t-shirt said something, but the words were squiggling around, wriggling like tiny worms.
The squiggly worms were all of a sudden very close to Percy's chest. He glanced up from the man's gigantic body up to his grimy face. For some strange reason, Percy was afraid to look up past his large and rather hairy nose, so he settled on staring at his already moving mouth.
"Can I help you, sir?" Percy asked politely. "Your'e getting too close."
The man chuckled and moved back. "Bah. Grimy half-blood. Come. I have... sweeties?"
Percy's face contorted in confusion. "Sweeties, half blood- what are you talking about?"
He swatted away the question. "No, no. Youcomewithme! Nowplease!"
"Uhh... No thanks? I have to go... to- um- the bathroom! Um- cause- bye-"
Percy stood up and sprinted away, and as he did, he looked at the man's eyes.
No- eye.
Percy turned back around and continued the way home.