When I woke up, I panicked for a second. I was in a comfortable bed in a strange place, a big warning sign for demigods. Then I remembered the previous day and calmed back down. Of course. I was at Hogwarts.
I checked the clock next to my bed and groaned, forcing myself up. I had to meet Annabeth for breakfast in five minutes. Knowing my luck I'd get lost and end up in the dungeons.
After getting dressed I walked down to the common room. It was cozy, with red and gold everything around the place. I saw Thalia over by the hunters a group of boys ogling at them. I rolled my eyes. They wished. I walked over and tapped Thalia on the shoulder.
"Hey, do you remember the way to the Great Hall, or whatever it was called? I have to meet Annabeth down there, and I'm already late."
She smirked. "Well, that sucks. I don't know, though, you'll have to ask a student." With that, she turned back to the hunters.
"Thanks for your help," I said sarcastically.
"Anytime."
I turned around and saw the three we met last night, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They had seemed nice enough. I walked over. "Could you three possibly show me the way to the Great Hall? Annabeth's waiting for me."
Hermione smiled and nodded. "Of course." She began to leave, the other two and me following.
They started to chat idly on the way down, making me feel out of place. Normally I would have thrown myself in, but I couldn't seem to break into this group. They were too close.
Once in the Great Hall, I spotted Annabeth at the Ravenclaw table, talking to some others. As I came up her smile melted, and she gave me a deep frown.
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice pleading. "I woke up late then had trouble finding someone to show me the way down."
She sighed. "Whatever, Seaweed Brain." She kissed my cheek and that was that.
One of the girls she'd been talking to, an Asian girl with long black hair and a pretty face, looked up at me. "You can't sit here," she said. "We aren't supposed to go to other house tables."
"Well," I said, "it wouldn't be the first time one of us has done it." I was referring to my second summer at camp, when Annabeth had come to sit at the Poseidon table, and to the time since my birthday. We were always at the same table, be it mine or hers.
"It'll be fine, Cho," Annabeth said to the girl. She still didn't look happy. She was clearly not someone I would like very much. Annabeth turned back to me. "How'd you sleep?"
I shrugged. "Alright. Beds are comfy. Roomies aren't bad, although, with Tyson, no one's snoring could ever compare."
"Who's Tyson?" asked another girl. She had dirty blond hair and wide, dreamy eyes. She seemed kind of out of it, if you asked me.
"My brother," I told her.
"Why isn't he here with you?" Cho asked, still sounding angry that I was at the Ravenclaw table. Jeez, someone has problems.
I shrugged. "Because he's working with the other Cyclopes in my dad's underwater palace."
Cho stared at me for a second, probably debating whether I was serious or not. A smile spread across my face. Let her think on that one for a while.
"Sounds fascinating," the other girl said dreamily. She looked dead serious. "I'm Luna Lovegood, by the way." She smiled.
I returned the smile. "Percy Jackson." I turned back to Annabeth just as a teacher came by. What was her name? McGonagall?
"Mr. Jackson," she said briskly, handing me a piece of paper. I looked down and saw my school schedule.
"Training has been added for the benefit of all demigods. The training grounds, located outside of the Forbidden Forest, are also open during all free times. As you did not take OWLs with your fellow students, we have placed you in all core classes, along with any elective classes you chose," McGonagall explained.
Annabeth grabbed the schedule from my hands. "Today we have Charms and Herbology together, but I have Ancient Runes where you have Transfiguration. Then we have training at the end of the day, obviously."
"What's the training for?" Cho asked curiously.
"We're demigods, so we have to fight monsters. We need to train to stay in shape."
"What sort of training?" A girl on her other side asked. I think I heard someone call her Marietta or something.
I shrugged. "With our weapons, like Riptide here," I said, pulling out the ballpoint in my pocket.
Cho snorted. "That's a weapon? I do live in a half-muggle household, thank you. I know a pen when I see one."
Annabeth sighed as I grinned slyly and handed the pen to Cho.
"Here," I said. "Uncap her."
Rolling her eyes, Cho pulled the cap off of the pen. She squealed and dropped it as it expanded into a blade.
Annabeth looked at me as I grabbed my sword and re-capped it. "You're impossible."
I grinned at her cheekily as we stood up. "But you love me," I reasoned.
She muttered something about that being debatable as Harry, Ron, and Hermione came up.
"What are your first classes?" Hermione asked.
"Charms, for both of us," Annabeth replied.
They nodded. "Us too," Harry said. "Come on, we'll show you the way."
