"There, look."

"Talking to that kid with red hair."

"Where?"

Whispers broke out all over the corridor as Percy, Harry and Ron left the dormitory the next day. Percy ignored them. You get kind of used to whispers when you're the Savior of Olympus. That is, until he was shoved aside. That put a different spin on things.

"What d'you think you're doing?" Percy demanded, then blinked. There was no one in front. He looked again. There were plenty of people milling about. Some were even eyeing him curiously. He shook his head. Evidently he was getting slower.

He realized he had been standing frozen in the corridor and hurried to catch up with Harry and Ron. He didn't want to be late for breakfast.

He somehow got through the week, helped by Ron and Harry and oddly-Hermione. Dyslexia had been taken care of by a simple visit to Professor McGonagall. She had just raised an eyebrow and muttered a quick spell. Now dyslexia was in the past for him. She seemed to be sticking close to him and Harry though he was clueless as to why. He suspected it wasn't just because of his good looks.

The trick staircases were the biggest annoyance. How the Hades were you supposed to know your way around a place if the staircases kept moving-randomly, as far as he could see- from one place to another? However, Neville was a great help in this matter. Percy wouldn't have been able to arrive anywhere on time if it hadn't been for the round-faced kid. He had a talent for finding the very staircases which led the wrong way. By avoiding Neville's routes, he managed to not become hopelessly lost.

Friday, however, changed things. He managed, along with Harry and Ron (they were becoming quite inseperable) to find their way into the Great Hall at breakfast without getting lost once. Incredible, right?

As Percy munched into a piece of toast, he asked, "What're the classes today?" to no one in particular.

Harry opened his mouth but didn't get the chance.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," and he didn't have to look to see who had answered. Does she get a kick out of answering questions? He wondered to himself. On the face of it, the answer appeared to be 'yes'.

Ron groaned. Though whether it was at Hermione or Double Potions he never knew. Possibly it was both.

"They say Snape favours the Slytherins. Let's see if it's true," said Ron, making a face.

"Yeah," said Percyand the post arrived. This time there was a change, however. Percy had noticed that Harry hadn't got any post since the beginning of term.

It was a first, then as Hedwig fluttered down to Harry, handing him a square of yellow parchment.

Harry grabbed it- it was clear he wanted to read whatever it was- and read it. It probably took him a few seconds, but to Percy it seemed like a dozen minutes. As Harry reached the end and grabbed a quill, he wondered with ever-rising impatience what was in the letter.

Finished, Harry tied back the letter to Hedwig, who took off, hooting softly.

Harry's eyes caught Percy's and he seemed to realize what Percy was thinking.

"Oh, it's from Hagrid. He wants me to come tonight." He said quickly.

"Can I come along?" Percy asked eagerly. He was feeling shut up in the castle.

"Yes, I suppose."

That visit to Hagrid was the best thing about that day, definitely much better than Potions.

"Ah,yes. Harry Potter. Our new-celebrity."

Snape's voice was sneering. The platinum-blond kid and his two sidekicks sniggered, not bothering to hide. Snape took no notice.

Percy glared at the teacher. He knew the guy was going to make Harry's life difficult.

Snape gave a last contemptuous look to Harry-who looked bewildered- and then turned back to the attendance.

He finished and turned to face the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and art of potion-making-" his voice was barely above a whisper, yet everyone could hear it. It reminded him of- no, no one in particular, he just got a general bad impression about the guy. Yes, he was creepy, but there was something else...

He zoned out, aimlessly scratching some patterns in his desk. Lectures had always bored him. His dyslexia had gone, but he still had ADHD.

He jumped at an unexpected sound.

"Potter!" said Snape in the loudest voice he had used yet. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

A what to a what?!

Percy glanced at Harry and could tell that he wasn't better off than himself. On the other hand, Hermione had her hand right up. If it wasn't for the fact that he had seen her with her hand down, he would have sworn she had seen Medusa- except that the spell only applied to her arm.

"I don't know, sir," Harry said.

Snape looked grimly satisfied. However, it seemed that he had a bit more to say-and not to Hermione.

"Try again, Potter. Where would you find a bezoar?"

Hermione's hand extended. If she had been any taller, it would have touched the ceiling. Harry, however looked clueless.

"I don't know," he repeated.

Snape's sneer grew more pronounced. Malfoy and his two buddies were now shaking with laughter.

"Well, well. I don't suppose you had a look at a book before coming, hmm, Potter?" he asked then turned his gaze from Harry and briefly, his and Percy's eyes met.

A look flashed across Snape's face, so quickly that he didn't catch it. But he did notice later on when Snape kept shooting him sidelong looks.

After another question shot at Harry, Snape seemed to have had enough of tormenting just one person and decided to move on to the rest of the class. That is, except Malfoy and his cronies.

Percy managed to get along well enough and managed to escape major criticism from the professor, who seemed to reserve his worst for Harry. As for Hermione, Snape couldn't find a criticism to throw at her and swept past her cauldron.

Other than that, the highlight of the lesson was Neville managing to get his nose to erupt in boils.

"Hagrid! That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might have been happening while we were there!" said Harry in a rush, looking at Hagrid.

Hagrid looked away, busying himself with the teapot. The hut was becoming slightly stuffy.

"What's up?" asked Percy, moving closer. In reply, Harry gave him a newspaper cutting.

Percy read it and then looked blankly at Harry. "Well, so what?"

"Oh, you don't know. Well, Hagrid and I went to Gringotts-"

When he finished, Percy looked back at the cutting, trying to figure it out. "So that means-"

"The break-in's could have got something to do with the package in the vault!" Harry said excitedly.

"Yeah," said Percy, becoming excited in turn.

As they walked back, Percy wondered at it. Though what could such a small package have inside it?

Forgive me, forgive me. Hopefully updates will come sooner...

Well, next time I take too long, shoot me a PM, will really motivate me.

Thanks for reading

N.O.Y.E.S