The Gryffindor Common Room, Hogwarts
Percy
Percy and Jason were sparring. It was their common practice routine. After all, no sense to waste time in Hogwarts than in Camp Half-Blood. (If that made sense... :0 ) They had very different fighting styles.
Percy focused on attacking the enemy, repeatedly slashing with all his power as he tried to figure out his advantages. He'd tire both himself and the opponent out quickly, and then strike at their weakest point. This was very effective, but costs a lot of stamina.
Jason on the other hand, focused on defending himself while he analyzed the opponent's attack patterns. Even the most unorthodox movements had to have a pattern. His javelin/gladius made things a lot easier, especially since his new sword, Juno's Gladius could change forms automatically, even though it wasn't as long as Ivlivs.
That was what they were doing right now. Percy slashed in an upstroke motion which Jason blocked easily, simultaneously backing up slowly. Percy swung his foot in an effort to trip Jason, which Jason saw, and blocked. He then made a jab of his own, which Percy parried. Percy was faster, but Jason had more core strength. That was why Jason's strategy worked. Percy went on the defensive as Jason rushed forwards, his gladius now a javelin and lashed out at Percy, the javelin no longer a stick but a whip and crackle of speed. Percy saw this coming, and ducked underneath the horizontally swinging javelin, then knocked it upwards with his own sword. Jason spun around, unfazed and sent sparks of electricity whizzing through his javelin, nearly goosing Nico who sat watching nearby. Percy reflected. There is definitely electricity he charged in the javelin. Dang it. That means if I block with Riptide or water, it'd conduct electricity and I'd be shocked. Not like he could create water, anyways. Everytime he did, Jason would simply swipe his hand and de-assemble the molecules. Both of them were evenly matched.
Percy had an idea. He rushed in, Riptide raised. As he expected, Jason swung his javelin to meet him. Instead, Percy ducked below, sliding towards Jason at full speed. Shock passed through Jason's face as Percy kicked his legs hard, and he buckled underneath. Percy clambered back up, twisting around and holding Jason on the ground. His opponent, however, was not ready to be defeated. A deafening blast of air pushed Percy off as Jason rose up and flew the several feet he was allowed to (blocked by the ceiling. How sad.) and caused lightning to rain down in multiple strikes. Percy looked up. He knew he couldn't continue this for long, as the lightning were chipping away at his stamina as he dodged them. He knew Jason didn't intend to strike him with lightning, only to slow him down.
Percy vaulted up, using Riptide as a counterweight and raised his hands to grab Jason. Jason whooshed away, using the wind to propel himself backwards while knocking Percy forwards. Percy landed on the floor, already rolling and getting back up.
He instead cause miniscule balls of water to appear in a ring around Jason. Realization hit Percy's sparring partner. Percy grinned. He caused the tiny balls of water to travel upwards, towards the center of the storm Jason was causing. CRACK! Lightning struck the balls and bounced off, shooting strikes of electricity and sparks everywhere. The ceiling light was completely demolished. Several bunks were too. Annabeth and the other scrambled for cover. That was just the sparks.
The real storm headed for Jason. Even though he was the Prince of the Sky, lightning still hurt. At least five different lightning bolts hit him at the same time, causing his shirt to be destroyed in tatters, revealing his muscular chest. He fell down, losing control and consciousness as he went. However, the plan also backfired on Percy. Lightning reached out to meet him, snaking across the air.
He too, collapsed in agony, his shirt ruined, with his more slender but still muscular chest revealed. Annabeth and Piper immediately got up to help them. "Boys," Annabeth muttered, reaching for a flask of nectar. "Always soooo competitive."
"Agreed," Piper said.
"Definitely," Will replied, busy scrounging around for his medical supplies. "But not me, I'm just a healer."
"Really? How about you and Nico fight?" Thalia asked. Both Nico and Will scowled at her.
"That's not the point," Will answered.
"Anyways, I'm glad you guys didn't just duke it out in the Great Hall," Nico tried to change the subject, as both Jason and Percy groaned and woke up.
"Nice one, Percy," Jason put his hand on his forehead while fist-bumping Percy with the other.
"You too," Percy replied, also groaning.
Somebody else, however, was watching inside of an Invisibility Cloak. His face was white, sweaty and pale. Someone, named Harry.
Hermione
Hermione was busy making sure she had the right supplies. She was about to go to Arithmancy class, and she wanted to prepare. My book on Ancient Runes, wand, quil... Hermione listed mentally. She was cut off by Harry's abrupt entrance the Gryffindor Common Room. It looked as if he just took off his Invisibility Cloak, and he was sweating hard. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked, worried.
"No-thing, not-t-hing at all," Harry answered, still breathing hard and chattering. Hermione shrugged, clearly not buying the act.
"If you don't want to tell me, fine," Hermione replied. "But at least tell Dumbledore-"
"Oh yeah, I'm supposed to go meet him, I forgot," Harry quickly scrambled to get off the armchair he was currently residing in. Hermione sighed.
"Seriously?" she said to no one in particular. Hermione went back to sorting her Ancient Runes supplies.
