"I'm not sure about this Chiron." The aforementioned centaur hid a smile as he looked at one of his students.

"I think it's a little bit late now, Luke, seeing as we are already on the platform." The eighteen-year-old seemed unperturbed by this comment, and responded.

"It's never too late to throw Percy and Annie over my shoulder and convince Percy to swim us back to camp." Percy's eyes lit up.

"Can we, Chiron?" The centaur gave both boys a look. Just then, the train whistle blew. Annabeth hugged Percy tightly, whispering something in his ear. Luke copied his "sister", and then stepped back to let Chiron through.

Chiron smiled at his student. In a voice meant for the boy alone he said, "Don't forget to open up to others, Percy." Louder he said, "Don't spill our secret, and be careful. Your father would likely murder me if something happened to you. And I am fairly certain I cannot be murdered" Percy gave a thin smile, before grabbing his trunk and responding with his ever-so-famous quip.

"The sea doesn't like to be restrained." Annabeth and Luke heard this as well, and groaned in unison.

"Do you think being with wizards will train that out of him?" Annabeth asked Luke.

Luke eyed his "brother" before turning back to his "sister". "If spending five years with you couldn't do it, I'm not sure anything can."

"A girl can hope, can't she?" Percy waved at them, before moving forward. They watched as he shoved his trunk away and then boarded the train. A few minutes later the train pulled out of the station, and Chiron and his students left the platform. They would wait for an update via Iris Message later. Now they had a camp to be getting back to.


Ron walked down the Hogwarts Express, looking for an empty compartment. Fred and George were talking with Lee Jordan and their friends on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and he had no wish to share a compartment with Percy. He passed several full compartments, but finally came to a compartment with only two people in it: two dark haired boys about his own age. He knocked on the door.

"You mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full."

"Come on in!" One of the boys was quick to respond and Ron grinned and entered. He then looked curiously at the other who hadn't acknowledged his presence.

"Your brother doesn't seem very friendly. Sorry, that was rude of me, I just-"

"He isn't my brother."

"What?"

"He was here when I got here, and he doesn't seem to mind my presence, but he isn't my brother. I don't even know his name. Mine's Harry by the way. Harry Potter."

From there, they went through the whole "you're Harry Potter?!" spiel and the other boy still hadn't talked. He stayed silent through the whole train ride, in fact, and didn't move until they reached the station. Ron and Harry followed him off the train, and could have sworn he grinned at the sight of the lake. They shared a boat with him as they crossed the water and watched as he kept his hand in the lake the whole time. When they reached the other side, however, he was perfectly dry. He didn't react through Professor McGonagall's whole speech, nor through the Sorting Hat's song or existence. He didn't look remotely bothered by anything at Hogwarts, and when Malfoy demanded who he was, he merely ignored him. Then his name was called. "Jackson, Perseus!" He moved up to the stool, and flinched slightly when the hat was put on his head. About thirty seconds later he was declared a GRYFFINDOR!, but his expression didn't change. The cheers faded slightly when they realized he wasn't responding, and the Hall watched in silence as he just took a seat at the very end of the row and stared longingly at the door out of the Great Hall.


In fact, Perseus Jackson didn't talk to anyone for almost a week. Nothing the Weasley twins, his roommates, or the teachers said or did got him to react. He turned in homework, ate (although, he always burned a bit of his food first for some reason), acted as any new first year. But he wouldn't talk. The most exciting thing that happened was their first Potions lesson. There was an odd number, so Percy had been working alone. Or so they'd thought. "Mr. Jackson!" The class stared as Professor Snape stalked up to the dark haired eleven-year-old, who was squinting at the board.

"You wrote in cursive." Gryffindors and Slytherins alike adopted confused looks on their faces.

"What?"

"Cursive is difficult for me to read."

"Why?" Perseus looked around the room, and seemed to summon his courage.

"I-I'm dyslexic."

"What's that?" Draco Malfoy sneered viciously. "Some Muggle disease?"

"It is not!" Hermione Granger burst out. "Dyslexia is a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence. It can affect anyone, no matter their blood status!"

"Enough." Snape's voice cut through the talking. "Mr. Jackson, can you read anything?" Perseus shook his head miserably. Snape's expression tightened. "Then sit silently until the class is over, and then we will see your head of house."

"Sir?"

"What Jackson?"

"The 'sitting silently' is also going to be nearly impossible."

"Why?"

"I also have ADHD. It's another… problem with me, that makes it hard to learn. ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. I have a hard time sitting still." Professor Snape's lips thinned even more.

"How do you learn, then?" Hermione couldn't help asking. Perseus cast a look at the ground and didn't answer. Clearly talking to Snape had been all the talking he was going to do for now. Instead of sitting quietly, Perseus spent the class organizing ingredients in color order, silently. Ron exchanged a look with Harry. Clearly there was more to their dorm mate than they had previously thought.


Minerva McGonagall looked up from the stack of Fourth Year essays she was grading at the knock. Without waiting for an answer, Severus Snape swept in, hauling Perseus Jackson behind him. She raised her eyebrows at her colleague. "Really, Severus, there is no need to manhandle my student no matter how frustrated you are at him." She tried to catch Perseus's eye, but like always he was steadfastly gazing at the ground. A frown was added to her expression as she reminded herself to try to get him to open up more.

"Mr. Jackson cannot read."

"It isn't that, ma'am." Perseus spoke in her hearing for the first time all week. "I have dyslexia, which-"

"-makes it nearly impossible to read." Minerva finished for him. He nodded and resumed looking at the ground. "Mr. Jackson, you are Muggle raised, correct?" He nodded again. "What tricks did your teachers use to teach."

"Actually, I've been homeschooled by my uncle since I was seven."

"Before then. Although what, if you don't mind my asking, changed when you were seven?"

"My mom died. My… stepfather killed her."

"What about your father?"

"He isn't allowed to raise me. He led me to my uncle though."

"Isn't allowed? Why?" Perseus was beginning to look uncomfortable and she reminded herself that Severus was still in the room. "Never mind. You did go to Muggle school until then, correct?" Perseus nodded for a third time. "How did they teach you?"

"They-they didn't really. They kind of figured I was unteachable so they didn't bother trying."

"I… see. Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what we should do. You will need to be able to absorb information somehow. Perhaps the Headmaster will know. Severus, you are dismissed, as I believe you have a class starting in thirty seconds." Severus left, and Minerva led Perseus up to the stone gargoyles that led to Albus's office. She delivered the password to the gargoyle and guided Perseus up the spiral staircase. She knocked on the door and, without waiting for an answer, barged in. "Albus!" Albus looked up from a stack of papers.

"Minerva! Such a delightful surprise!"

"You know full well it wasn't a surprise, Albus!"

"Perhaps it wasn't," Albus acknowledged. "Pretend as though I don't-Mr. Jackson, may I inquire as to why you are glaring at my cabinet?" Minerva turned to see her student looking at Albus's cabinet with a look of utmost hatred and loathing.

"Αφύσικος. (1)" Perseus muttered. Minerva was perplexed. Whatever language he was speaking, it was not one she knew. One look at Albus told her that he was as confused as she.

"Could you repeat that, please?" She asked, trying to remain calm. Whatever or whoever Perseus Jackson was, he was not a dark wizard.

"Αφύσικος. Κακό. Παράξενος. Δεν θα έπρεπε να είμαι εδώ. Δεν ανήκω. (2)"

"Mr. Jackson, what are you saying?" Minerva pressed. She was now extremely concerned. Perseus seemed to snap out of the trance he was in and looked Minerva in the eye. For a moment she saw, not a eleven-year-old American boy, but a hardened warrior in a war he didn't know how to fight in. Then the moment passed, and he quickly looked down at the floor again. For the next half hour, the three of them (mostly Albus and Minerva) tried to find a solution to Perseus's problem. Minerva asked why he hadn't been having trouble in other classes, and he responded that the other professors gave lectures and explained what was on the boards. Snape put the procedures on the boards and expected students to read and follow them. He (Perseus) had a pretty good memory, so he could usually remember what the professors said and copy it down later, for homework, but if the teacher didn't talk about what they were learning, then he had no idea what to do. The only solution Minerva and Albus could come up with was to have Snape explain, but they both knew he wouldn't change his whole style for one student, particularly because the student in question was a Gryffindor. Surprisingly, it was Perseus who eventually came up with a solution.

"What if instead of-" he stopped, looking to Minerva and Albus for permission to keep going. Minerva wondered if he was this uncertain at home. He looked positively like a fish out of water. She smiled at him, which seemed to help. "What if I organized ingredients for Professor Snape and did studying on my own, but didn't actually take the class?"

"How would that help?" Albus asked. He looked as mystified as Minerva felt. Perseus blushed.

"Ancient Greek is easier to read than English," he mumbled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I can read, write, and speak Ancient Greek. It comes more naturally to me than English. I found this spell in the library that translates things to another language. I can cast it on books and the homework, and then just translate it back to English when I'm done. I'm already doing it with my other classes."

"Why Ancient Greek?" Minerva asked. "Why not modern Greek?"

"It's genetic. Like my looks."

Minerva felt that it wasn't the time to keep asking questions about Perseus's family. "Very well Mr. Jackson. I will speak to Professor Snape, and you will sort ingredients while your classmates take notes, but you will continue to brew with them. Theoretical knowledge is not sufficient in any class except History of Magic and Astronomy."

"I like Astronomy." Perseus commented. "The names are easy to remember." This was the opposite of what most students said about that class, but Minerva dismissed Perseus anyway. She already had a pounding headache.


Hermione Granger was not a good liar. Nonetheless, Minerva was impressed that Ronald Weasley (who had always shown signs of disliking her) had come to her rescue. When she heard that Granger, Potter, and Weasley were all friends, she was a mixture of relieved and sympathetic. Sympathetic for Harry, at least. Hermione and Ronald still bickered at every opportunity, and showed no signs of stopping. Poor Harry was likely to be pulled between the two of them in the years to come.

She hadn't anticipated Perseus Jackson, though. The American had followed Harry and Ronald and helped attack the troll from below while Harry rode troll-back, Ronald knocked it out with its own club, and Hermione tried to give advice from underneath her sink. What really disturbed Minerva was that she'd seen Perseus holding what looked to be a Muggle ballpoint pen when she got there. She had seen him fiddling with it before, but wasn't sure how it would help when fighting a mountain troll. As it turned out, she wouldn't find out for another nine years. Anyway, the point was that Ronald and Hermione seemed slightly less likely to kill each other, Harry had two more friends, and Perseus actually had friends.


"Percy." Perseus corrected when Hermione tried to call him by his full name. "Just Percy. I don't like my full name." Ron and Harry exchanged glances. There was much they had to learn about their new friend. And they did learn. They learned that Percy lived with his uncle and a whole entourage of cousins (no first, but second, first-once-removed, second-once-removed and so on), they learned that he didn't have much to say about his father and refused to even mention his mother, they learned his best friend back home was the daughter of his father's rival, and they learned that he loved blue food. That was pretty much all. In return, Harry and Hermione talked about their respective primary schools and Ron talked about being the sixth of seven children, and the youngest of six boys to boot.

By Christmas, they were researching Nicolas Flamel. Surprisingly, Percy had known the most about him, claiming that he was 'an alchemist'. He'd said something else too, but they didn't catch it. When Hermione asked how he knew, he said that Flamel was one of his (very) distant cousins (3). That cut off at least a week of their research, but Percy could remember no more about Flamel. Finally, when Harry received the card from a Chocolate Frog he gave to Neville, they figured out the basics. The rest they found out from Hagrid, who was really an awful liar.

As the rest of the year progressed, each opened up a little more. Hermione was appalled when she found out that Harry had only received fifty pence from his aunt and uncle for Christmas. She was even more appalled when Ron told her and Percy in secret that Harry hadn't expected any gifts.

"How can you not expect gifts for Christmas?" She demanded as quietly as she could.

"Yeah," Percy added. "I mean, Mom and I could never go full out, and to be honest I'm not entirely sure why we celebrated Christmas in the first place, but she always had the best gifts for me. Good things too, that only a mother would think to buy for her child."

"Why wouldn't you celebrate Christmas?" Ron asked. "Is it an American thing? OW! Hermione! Oh, right. Sorry."

Percy gave a small smile. "No worries. And it isn't because we're Americans. Americans get crazy about Christmas."

"Then why?"

"I'm just not, technically speaking, any form of Christian. With my family, it's rather difficult to be anything but what we are. I'm pretty sure my uncle would vaporize me if I talked about becoming a monotheist." When Hermione and the others looked at him strangely, he blushed a little. "Never mind."

The other main holiday thing was finding the mirror. Harry saw his family and Ron saw himself as Head Boy and Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but Percy wouldn't tell them what he saw, only that he had to talk to Annabeth. He seemed almost ashamed of what he saw, which made no sense. When Harry and Ron told her, Hermione pointed out that they didn't know who Annabeth even was. She could have been his sister, one of his many cousins, or just a friend. Percy, though, was not telling. He didn't tell a lot, as they were finding out. At least, not specific details. When compared to Harry, who talked in detail about his "hometown" of Little Whinging, Surrey, Percy was positively mute about his home. He gave no names, and he was quite vague about where he lived. Really, he was quite strange all told.


Life went on. So did time. Before they realized it, it was June. Gryffindor was in the running for the Quidditch Cup, Snape had not yet taken the Sorcerer's Stone (4), and Hermione was in "panic mode" as the boys nicknamed it. They were in the middle of exams, and Hermione was frantic and obsessed. Harry was obsessed too, just not with exams. Harry was far more concerned with when Snape was going to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. Ron, meanwhile, was caught between avoiding Hermione and keeping Harry from worrying himself into the ground. Percy was no help. The American was the happiest anyone had seen him all year, gleeful to be going home in a few days. He was also as fanatical as Hermione about getting a good score on his Astronomy exam. Then they figured out that someone else knew how to get past Fluffy. Even Percy stopped whistling under his breath long enough to go with them and try to warn Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall did not listen, so they devised a plan to go down the trapdoor and confront Snape. The only thing in there way was Neville. Brave, brave Neville, who just had to show his courage at the worst moment. Before Hermione could hex him, Percy stepped forward and said to Neville, "We'll only be gone a little while. I forgot to return a library book, and the due date is tonight at midnight. We'll be back before anyone even notices we're gone. We won't get caught, I promise. And if we do, I'll make sure to tell them that you tried to stop us from going, and maybe Gryffindor won't lose any points."

"You're sure Gryffindor won't lose any points?" Neville asked doubtfully.

"I'm sure."

Reluctantly, Neville stepped aside.

"Thank you, Neville."

As they crept down the hallway under Harry's invisibility cloak, Ron asked Percy, "How did you learn to lie like that? And why did you say I forgot to turn in a library book? If they try to check the story, we'll be caught."

Percy grinned. "No, we won't." He pulled a book out of his jacket. Hermione grabbed it.

"Everything to Know About Ancient Greek Wizards. Really Percy?"

"What? I like Ancient Greece?" Percy defended. "And I really did check it out. Months ago. It's about nine months overdue, actually."

"Nine months?" Hermione screeched. Harry and Ron shushed her, and she looked a little ashamed. Only a little, though. Mostly she looked astonished, probably that someone could forget to return a library book for that long.

"I found it while I was packing. I'd found it when we were looking for mentions of the Sorcerer's Stone. I'd planned to return it tomorrow, but now is as good a time as any, right?" Hermione was clearly still appalled that he could've forgotten to return it for that long, but didn't say another word. They stopped by the library on there way to the third floor, and Percy finally returned his library book. Then they made their way to the forbidden corridor.

Snape had obviously already been here, since music was quietly playing and Fluffy was snoring softly. Harry jumped down the trapdoor first. Percy dived after him, and Ron and Hermione followed. Hermione defeated the Devil's Snare, and they made their way to a room filled with flying keys. "Um," Percy said, backing away from the four broomsticks leaning against the wall, "perhaps I should stay on the floor, yes? Far, far away from going in the air or flying in any possible way?"

"Mate, why or you so afraid of the sky? It won't kill you to ride a broomstick. Also, I didn't even know it was possible to get a note from home excusing a person from flying lessons until you showed up." Ron asked.

"Actually, it would kill me to ride a broomstick or go into the sky."

"How?" Harry demanded. "And why? Flying is amazing!"

"That's your opinion, Harry." Hermione told him. "Personally, I prefer staying on the ground, too. I understand why it might be cool to learn how to fly, but not everyone enjoys it."

"And my uncle would electrocute me if I went into the sky."

"Is this the same uncle that would vaporize you if you became Christian?" Harry asked.

"Yes. He can't wait to find a way to kill me without Dad declaring war on him." Percy said nonchalantly.

Harry gaped at him. "My uncle hates me, but he wouldn't kill me."

"Then I envy you, Harry. Both of my uncles wouldn't hesitate to get rid of me if they thought Dad wouldn't declare war on them. Anyway, I shall remain safely on the ground while you three get the key." So that was what they did. In the next room, Ron defeated the chessboard, but sacrificed himself. After much persuasion, Hermione stayed behind with him while Percy and Harry progressed. Then came the bottles of potions.

"Step aside, Harry." Percy said importantly.

Harry glanced at him apprehensively. "Uh, Percy, these are Potions."

"Yes."

"As in, your worst subject."

"Actually, it's just logic. I just have to summon my inner Annabeth and Hermione, and we'll be fine." He picked up the parchment and whispered a spell, causing the letters to shift.

"What did you do?" Harry asked.

"Just changed the language from English to Ancient Greek. Makes it easier to read."

"Do you, er, cast that spell a lot."

"Every day. How do you think I write my essays?"

"How?"

"I write them in Ancient Greek, then translate them to English. Anyway, the bottle on that end will get you through, and that bottle on the other end will get me back to the lovebirds." Harry snickered at his and Percy's nickname for Ron and Hermione.

"Someday, they will realize their feelings for each other, right?"

"Hopefully in less than six years. I don't want to suffer through all of their bickering for the rest of our education."

"Hopefully." Harry echoed.

Percy looked at him a little worriedly, all amusement gone. "Be careful, Harry. You're okay. For a Brit, of course." He added, a little humor creeping in. Harry grinned at him.

"I'll be fine."

"Don't go stealing my catchphrase."


Three days later, Harry awoke in the hospital wing. After a conversation with Dumbledore that raised more questions than it answered. The day after that, Gryffindor won the House Cup, and the day after that, they were on the train heading home. Harry was apprehensive, but Percy was so excited, his ADHD was acting up more than usual. "I can't wait to introduce you to Uncle Brunner, Luke, and Annabeth."

"So we finally get to meet the mysterious Annabeth, then?"

"Of course!" Indeed, as soon as they pulled in, they heard a voice shouting, "Percy! Percy!" A blonde girl between Percy's height and Ron's height tackled Percy.

"Annabeth!" He hugged her tightly. Behind her came a young man about nineteen or so, and a middle-aged man in a wheelchair. "Luke! Uncle Brunner!" He embraced both of them, then introduced everyone. "Guys, this is my best friend, Annabeth, one of my many cousins and Annabeth's older not-brother, Luke, and my Uncle, Brunner. Wise Girl, Luke, Uncle Brunner, these are Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, my three magical friends."

"I'm your not-brother too, Perce." Luke said. He look a little drawn, but as thrilled as Annabeth to see Percy again.

Conversation continued like this for a few minutes, until Ron's family, Hermione's parents, and Harry's aunt and uncle found them, and each of the three of them departed.

"Make sure to write this summer." Ron reminded them. "And I'll try to get my parents to agree to invite you guys over later this summer."

"Sorry, Ron. I won't be able to come. I have to stay at camp this summer. Besides, travel to Britain is going to be difficult enough once." Percy said immediately, exchanging a look with his uncle. Ron was obviously disappointed, but just said,

"So we'll see you in September, then?"

"Definitely."

"Alright." The quartet each said their goodbyes, then each departed. For now, they were separated. But only one year had passed. They still had six more in their magical education.


1: Unnatural (Greek, found using Google Translate, so may not be entirely accurate)

2: Unnatural. Bad. Strange. I should not be here. I do not belong. (Greek, found using Google Translate, so may not be entirely accurate)

3: I like to think that Nicolas Flamel was a son of Hecate, therefore he is very distantly related to Percy.

4: I am a shameless American.

Hello! See, I'm on time! And look, a nice juicy chapter. 4128 words, in case anyone was interested. The next chapter will come by Christmas. I promise.

In other news, there is a poll on my profile. If you participate in it, you can vote on your top three PJO/HOO ships. Please vote. So far, the winning ship is Solangelo. The other votes are for Percabeth, Frazel, Charlene/Beckilena/Beckingard, Gruniper/Jover, Perlia, Percico, and Pertemis, all of which are tied at one vote. There are other options too, of course. Please vote!

I also posted a CoN freeverse a few days ago. If you like that fandom, please read it!

That's all the news I have.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

-swanglade37