Title:The Wizard Thief
Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HP. Rick Riordan and J.K. Rowling do, respectively.
The Wizard Thief
Chapter Two
"Gentlemen, welcome to Diagon Alley!" Hagrid bellowed as Percy and Harry were struck with awe.
"Woah," was all either of them had to say about it.
The two boys looked around in wonder at all the shops around them filled with witches and wizards.
"Firs' stop is Gringotts to get money from your vaults," Hagrid rumbled as he waved them forward.
"I wonder what all the fuss is about that over there," Percy whispered to Harry as they passed by a shop with a crowd around a display window.
"I dunno," Harry replied as they approached a giant marble building.
"And there she is," Hagrid said as they walked into Gringotts.
Percy stopped as he caught notice of a glittering plaque with something in several languages.
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn
Must pay most dearly in their turn
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
"Hey, Harry!" Percy whisper yelled as he pointed at the glittering letters. "Come look at this!"
Harry stared at the plaque and his eyes quickly roamed over it.
"You can read this, right?" Harry said as he pointed at the Ancient Greek inscription below the English.
"Yeah," Percy nodded as they caught up to Hagrid.
Percy tensed up as he saw the monsters sitting at the tellers and reached into his pocket fingering Riptide as Hagrid turned and whispered to them, "They're goblins. They've been doing this since the las' goblin war. Bes' not to stare now."
Percy and Harry nodded as all the goblins immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at Percy.
"I don't like this," Percy whispered to Harry as the bank grew silent as witches and wizards turned to see what the problem was.
"Mr. Perseus Jackson," a goblin that was taller than the others boomed and all the goblins knelt before their reigning monarch.
The goblin was very muscular and matched Hagrid in height. Percy whipped out Riptide causing the goblin to laugh heartily.
"Peace young demigod," the goblin thundered.
"I am here to welcome you to Gringotts, as you are the first demigod to step into Gringotts in over a century."
Percy's eyes widened as he clutched Riptide tighter and spat, "Who are you and what do you want with me?"
The goblin smiled and put a hand up to stop the guards from charging in, "I am Yor Draconis Gringotts, King of the Goblins. And as to what I want from you, is nothing. I am here to give you a welcome worthy of a demigod as our race has done since the beginning."
"What do you mean?" Percy asked as he lowered Riptide.
"The gods charged us to keep watch over their offspring millenia ago and should one ever step foot in the wizarding world, welcome them and show them to their vaults," Yor Draconis replied. (A/N- Yor is a term of respect by the goblins that is held only by the king)
Many of the wizards and witches that were in the room began whispering excitedly to each other at the interesting turn of events that were happening.
"Come, let us go in private to see your vaults," Yor Draconis waves as he turned and headed for a dark archway.
Draconis explained how the Gringotts family established the bank long ago and were the sole banking for wizards all over the world as they made their way to the King's private cart.
It was big enough for all four of them with room to spare. Draconis talked about Gringotts' various branches that they had world-wide and that they even had two in Manhattan.
"Well here we are," Yor Draconis said as the cart lurched to a stop. "Vault 687, belonging to young Mr. Harry Potter."
Hagrid waved Harry on as he held on to a stalagmite, green from nausea.
Yor Draconis waved his hand and the vault opened with an audible click.
Harry's jaw dropped as he stared at the mounds of gold and other precious metals. He scooped as much as he could fit into the small leather pouch that Draconis had given him.
"Percy! Come, help yourself mate!" Harry exclaimed as he looked around in wonder.
All his life, he had been starved, been handed second-hand clothes that were much too big for him, and was led to believe that he was penniless... And to discover that he was loaded with money was a shock to say the least.
"No thanks man," Percy quickly declined. "I'm sure I'll be fine with what I have in my vault."
"Ok, whatever you say, but you're missing out," Harry laughed giddily.
As soon as Harry was done loading the gold, silver, and brinze currencies they were off to another vault.
"Vault 713 for you know what," Draconis gave a pointed look to Hagrid as said half-giant quickly emptied the vault of the one item in it.
Percy saw the small parcel, but said nothing as Hagrid put it within one of the many pockets he had.
"And now for Mr. Jackson's vault," Draconis said as they set off yet again.
The ride was much longer than the journey to the other vaults as they went deep into the tunnels.
Percy could have sworn that he saw a dragon as they zoomed past an intersection, but Draconis quickly denied his claim.
"And finally Vault G3," Draconis gestured at an archway that led to a hall made in the classic Greek style of marble columns.
Percy quickly glanced around the hall and realized that it was in the shape of a U, not unlike Camp Halfblood, and each door was decorated accordingly.
The third door on the left immediately caught his eye as it was decorated with Blue coral and various shells and gold lining the Trident that it had above the door.
"I'm afraid that this is as far as we go Mr. Jackson as we would literally be burned alive as soon as we stepped into that room aswe aren't demigods," Draconis bowed his head in respect.
"Oh... ok," Percy replied as he placed a hand on the door. Blue lines raced from his hand and the door dissolved and Percy stepped inside.
"Welcome Perseus," a feminine voice spoke softly.
"Uhh, hi?" Percy looked around in vain for the source of the voice.
"Come forth young hero and recieve the knowledge you seek," the mystical voice said as Percy located the voice to be coming from the diving pool in the center of the room.
Percy approached the pool as it started glowing sea-green and an apparition of a Nereid appeared.
"I am Sereneus, daughter of Poesidon and Zarina Nightshade. I am the keeper of this vault and I will deem whether you are worthy to gain the treasures of this room."
"So, you're my sister?" Percy wondered.
"Yes, young one. Now come forth, hero," Sereneus said, her voice as calming as the waves upon the beach and smooth as the moon's light upon the water.
Percy calmly stepped forward and Sereneus touched her hand to the demigod's forehead.
"Reveal your trials young one Sereneus spoke in Ancient Greek as her hand began to glow.
Percy's body jerked forward as if she were pulling his soul toward her hand and out of his body.
Percy twitched uncontrollably as memories assaulted his brain and flowed into his sister.
The abuse from Gabe...
All the schools that he was kicked out of...
The feelings he had that he would never amount to nothing...
The hopelessness and depression that he used to struggle with...
Finding out he was a demigod...
The quest for the lightning bolt...
Luke's betrayal...
The voice in the pit...
His hidden feelings that he pushed away...
His fear of losing Annabeth or Grover...
His mother, the most amazing person on the Earth...
And as quickly as it had flowed out of him, it came crashing back in.
"Arise Percy Jackson, son of Sally Jackson and Poseidon, and accept the Gift of the Sea," the Nereid helped him up as the pool began to glow and rise up and surround him.
"For you are pure of heart, have the courage of a lion, the loyalty of a badger, the cunning of a snake, and the intelligence of an eagle, I bestow upon you, Perseus Jackson, the blessing of the sea."
As soon as the words left her mouth the water turned into a blue light and went into him resulting in a wave of magic radiating outward.
As the glow died down Percy was kneeling on the floor panting. Something was different. He could feel it in his bones.
"Yes young hero, something is different. Every 500 years, four people are chosen to become the Four Mages. Each mage has a mastery over a certain element, which you are now the Mage of the Sea."
"Wait so what does that mean?" Percy asked as he stood up.
"You will find out in time young Perseus. But know that mages can only be chosen during times of great evil, so beware hero as your journey goes on," Sereneus warned as she led Percy through an archway to a room filled with Galleons, Sickles, Knuts, Drachmas, and other forms of riches.
"Can I send some of this to my mom?" Percy wondered as he saw a bundle of cash valuing up to $15,000 dollars.
"I can send it to her now if you want," Sereneus asked to which Percy agreed and the cash disappeared showing up on Sally's coffee table to which she would be suprised to say the least.
Sereneus decided to give another gift to Percy so she sent a ball of light at him.
"Oof," the half-blood exclaimed as he felt something hit him.
Almost immediately her gift took effect, to which was knowledge. He knew the basics to the wizarding world such as currency, culture, politics, etc.
"Thank you Sereneus," Percy bowed his head.
"Your welcome young one," the goddess smiled as she looked straight at the reader.
Yes I can see you, Chaos thought as she smiled to herself. Ah, now you see how grave things must be if I'm stepping in.
Not even petty things such as an idiot author can get in my way. Yes, I'm talking to you Bellamy Blake. Anyway, back to the story.
Percy put almost 10,000 galleons and the same amount of drachmas in his magically altered pouch that Sereneus had made for him and squished it to become a ring, which he promptly put on his finger.
"Thank you Sereneus," Percy said looking at her smiling at the ceiling.
He decided not to comment and she sent him on his merry way.
As he walked out Sereneus/Chaos snapped her fingers and disappeared while starting time again.
Percy walked out of his vault with his ring on his finger and feeling 10,000 drachmas and galleons richer.
"That was rather quick Perseus," Draconis said with a puzzled look.
"What do you mean?" Percy asked confused. "I was in there for over three hours."
"No... You were in there for about a minute," Harry responded leaving Percy very confused even though Chaos' blessing had left him smarter without him knowing.
"This wouldn't have been the first time that this happened," Yor Draconis sighed. "Many demigods go into their vaults and come back out within a minute, claiming that they've been in there for extended periods of time. My guess is that there are charms to slow time down while a demigod is in one of the Godly vaults."
They all got in the cart and headed back to the surface as they discussed this weird phenoma, while Hagrid tried not to lose his lunch.
As they said their farewells to Draconis and stepped back out into the sunlight Harry realized something.
"Percy! Blimey what happened to your hair?!" Harry cried out as he just realized the change to Petcy's hair.
"What do you mean, what happened to my hair? What's wrong with it?" Percy started freaking out as he pulled a small mirror out of his pocket.
"AHHHHH!!!!!!!"
/This line break is brought to you by, Thanatos' Thestrals! The best in death!\
Draco was sitting at one of the tables at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor licking at his double chocolate chip ice cream cone when what sounded like a cat being tortured rang our throughout the alley caused him to be startled and drop his ice cream cone onto the ground.
Slightly annoyed he, along with everyone else went to investigate what had caused all the racket.
He went and saw a giant of a man with a raven-haired boy trying to calm a boy holding a mirror in his hand.
"My hair," the boy whimpered as he ran his other hand through his hair, which was black with the tips a nice shade of blue. "She ruined my hair."
"Percy it's fine," the raven-haired boy tried to reassure the other.
"No! It's not fine! Do you know how long it took me to get my hair to look good?!" Percy as the other boy had called him cried out.
"N-"
"6 months Harry! 6 months," Percy groaned as he shook his head. "All that hard work down the drain..." Percy pouted.
Draco smirked at the decidedly American bloke's antics. He shook his head and went on to Madam Malkin's to get fitted for his Hogwarts robes.
/This line break is sponsored by Nimbus! So fast that it's smooth!\
Harry shook his head at his cousin's apparent attachment to his hair and they followed Hagrid to Ollivander's to get the two of them brand new wands with Percy bemoaning the loss of his amazing hair the whole way.
"Hey, uh Harry, Percy... I'll wait out here okay?" Hagrid muttered as he clutched his umbrella nervously.
"Yeah okay," Harry said as Percy sulked.
The two boys walked into the shop as a bell signalled their arrival.
"Hello, first years at Hogwarts I presume?" Mr. Ollivander asked the cousins.
"Yes sir," Percy replied instantly switching moods as he was excited at the prospect of getting a wand.
"American?" Mr. Ollivander raised his brow as he didn't get many American customers in his shop.
"Yes, my parents could have sent me to Ilvermorny, but instead decided to send me to Hogwarts, as it is currently the best in the world," Percy replied smoothly.
"Ah well welcome to Britain," the shopkeeper smiled.
"Thanks," Percy grinned his signature smirk.
"Well who's first?"
"Go ahead Harry," Percy told him.
"Harry Potter?"
"Yes," Harry responded.
"Ah yes, I've been wondering when you would come into my shop. You have your mother's eyes. Why it seems as if it were only yesterday that she was in here buying her first wand," Mr. Ollivander sighed. "Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy and made of willow. Good wand for charms work."
"And why your father preferred a mahogany wand. Yes, eleven inches long and pliable. More power and excellent for Transfiguration. Well I say that they preferred it, but the wand actually chooses the wizard."
"Anyway, come along now," he said beckoning Harry to come behind the counter. Ollivander stared at the scar on Harry's head.
"I'm sorry to say that I sold the wand that did that to you," he apologized as he examined it. "Yes, thirteen and a half inches, yew. Very powerful wand indeed. If I had known the evils that would be comitted with that wand..."
"Anyway back to the subject at hand," Mr. Ollivander clapped and pulled out a measuring tape. "Which is your wand arm?"
"Er... I'm right-handed," Harry muttered.
He measured his arm length, wrist, height and went to go grab a box. This is when Harry realized that the measuring tape was measuring on its own and was measuring his in seam...
"You see Mr. Potter every Ollivander wand has a powerful core made of a magical substance. No two wands are exactly the same, just as no two phoenixes are the same or two unicorns, and as such you will never get the same result with another wizard's wand."
"That'll do," Mr. Ollivander told the measuring tape as it had been measuring in between his nostrils and suddenly fell to the floor.
"Try this," Ollivander said handing Harry a wand. "Nine and a half inches. Birchwood and dragon heartstring. Nice and flexible. Just give it a wave."
Which Harry did, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it away at once. After trying what seemed to be an endless amount of wands, Mr. Ollivander handed Harry another one.
"A rather unusual combination-Holly and Phoenix feather. Eleven inches, nice and supple."
As Harry waved it he felt a warmth and red and gold fireworks erupted from the end of it.
"Curious, that is the brother of the wand that gave you that scar," Ollivander stroked his chin. "Very curious."
"Now young Percy Jackson it's your turn!"
After getting his measurements Ollivander studied Percy a bit before running off to get wands off of the shelves.
"Try this," Mr. Ollivander said as he pushed a wand into Percy's hand. "8 and a half inches. Elm and Unicorn Hair. Durable."
Percy raised his hand to give it a flick when it was ripped out of his hands and replaced with another.
After going through twice as many wands as Harry did Ollivander had a look in his eye.
After rummaging in the back a little he brought a wand out for Percy.
"Twelve inches. Now this one is the only one of its kind. It is the only wand in existence to have two woods and an extremely rare core. It is Cyprus and Aspen with the last Pegasus' hair."
Percy felt a warmth well up in him and like a flood blue sparks came out of the wand.
"Interesting. A powerful wand for a powerful wizard," Ollivander said.
The two boys paid for their wands and went to go find Hagrid.
/Line Break\
"Ok who's stupid idea was this?" Percy asked after nearly losing an eye to a particularly angry cat.
He was very tempted to kick it across the store, but held whatever restraint he had in check.
"Stupid spawn of Satan," Percy muttered as he glared at the cat.
"Oh wow," Harry said as he laid eyes upon a snowy white owl.
"She likes you," Percy said as Harry stroked her feathers.
"I'll take her," Harry told the shopkeeper and promptly bought her.
They walked around some more to see if they would find something for Percy when a black puppy with dark blue stripes came running out of the back room covered in soap.
"Dakota no!!" the poor person chasing after him cried.
The Husky made the poor assistant chase him around the room until Percy picked him up to which he immediately settled down.
"Aww, you're so cute," Percy cooed as he scratched the dog behind its ears.
"Is he for sale?" Percy asked.
"Merlin! Yes!" the shopkeeper exclaimed. "That dog's been nothing but trouble for us."
Percy bought Dakota much to the puppy's delight who had instantly fell in love with Percy since he had picked the puppy up.
After that they took their animals and bought their books and headed into Madam Malkins to get fitted.
"Firs years for Hogwarts" Hagrid had told her.
She asked them to wait while she finished up with another customer.
The blond that she was measuring held his arms up so she could get his waist saw Percy and grinned.
"Hey you're the American who was causing all the ruckus out there earlier!" Draco smiled.
"Yeah," Percy ginned sheepishly. "My sister dyed my hair without me knowing it, so imagine my suprise when I found out that she did it after coming out of Gringotts."
Draco laughed and they all introduced themselves telling stories about their lives while waiting for Madam Malkins to finish u.
"I think that we could become very good mates," Draco told Percy and Harry to which the both of them agreed.
A/N- Congrats for reading this far! Bonus points to you! Hopefully next chapter I can really move away from the canonical plot. So, I feel like this chapter just dragged on... Sorry for that. Anyway, thanks for the reviews. (Even you too guests!)
NakedFury- Thank you for this gem of a review! I'll keep this in mind as I move forward. P.S.-Congrats! You're my first hater!!!
Alex Focker- Shh... It's okay. *Pats your head* Just let it happen...