Percy's pov
When he first saw the looming castle in the distance, Percy was slightly reminded of one of those German castles. The only reason that he knew that what German castles even looked like because Annabeth liked to babble about the architectural genius of the historical era and it was hard not to catch on to some facts even if he zoned out.
The castle stood out in the distance, the around it crackling with anticipation of the upcoming year. Then for first time in months, his blood sang in excitement. His inner thunderbird adventurer making itself known. He wanted to explore every passage and open all the doors of this school.
"Impressive ain' it?" a rumbling voice spoke from behind. Percy struggled not to give in to the instinct to flinch and pull-out riptide. Hagrid- a good half-giant apparently was the groundskeeper and the professor of care of magical creatures at Hogwarts.
Percy glanced at his side to look at the reaction of his companion. He did not know her very well. If he remembered correctly, she is in Pukwudgie. She had short black hair and pale skin which contrasted her midnight eyes, a look of fascination on her face. Her name was Rose Mcmillian.
"Yeah, it looks awesome and mysterious," Rose commented.
Percy nodded in agreement. The sounds of an incoming train can suddenly be heard from the distance. The three of them turned to look at the old train coming to a stop on the tracks. "Is that a steam engine train?" Percy asked incredulously.
"That it is, lad. The Hogwarts Express. Very useful to bring all the students here," Hagrid explained.
It was strange to see a steam engine in this day and age. These Brits sure don't adapt to the new era very well, he thought.
"Where do we have to go?"
Hagrid scratches his head and looks thoughtfully at the train coming to a screeching halt. The doors open and a crowd of students step out in a hurry wearing what he assumed was the standard issued robes.
Personally, Percy did not like wearing robes. He just felt awkward in them. On some people, robes looked dashing but on him it looked like he was wearing bath robes looking out of place. He wished wizards wore capes instead but he couldn't see it becoming a trend.
The voice of Hagrid speaking brought him out of his wandering thoughts. "Yer' jus' need ta go on those carriages. They'll take ya to Hogwarts."
Percy noticed most of the older heading towards the carriages. So, they thanked Hagrid for the directions and followed the rest of the students. As they got closer, he saw something strange about the horses pulling the carriages. Their body were reptilian, with bat-like wings. They were pure black and looked ethereal in a way. Their black coats clinging to the bones.
Thestrals.
He had never seen them up close. America was not a place where many magical creatures liked to roam. He figured it had something to the with the gods staying there and making more monsters populate the country. Magical and mythical creatures liked to stay away from each other.
The thestrals stomped their hooves in greeting as soon as they sensed his presence. Welcome lord.
Thestrals were said to be created by Hecate and Poseidon. So, they still respected Percy, despite being magical. Percy bowed his head a little in respect and promised to visit them later.
Percy knew that there were a lot more creatures here unlike Ilvermorny but knowing and seeing are two different things.
Percy and Rose made their way to an empty carriage, Rose being oblivious to the majestic creatures he had greeted.
"So, what do you think it's going to be like?" Rose asked casually.
"I don't know but I want to explore that castle, that's for sure." She chuckled slightly at my excited answer.
"You, thunderbirds are all the same. All you want is an adventure, don't you?" What he could say? His entire life has been a whole big adventure but the ones he really treasured are the ones where his and his friends' lives are not constantly in danger.
"That's true," he conceded. They made some small talk when the door to their carriage slid open and a girl with blonde hair stepped forward with another girl behind her who had brown bushy hair.
"Hello," the blonde girl said dreamily. "I am Luna Lovegood. This is Hermoine Granger." She gestured to the girl behind her.
"Are you the exchange students?" Hermoine asked.
"Yeah, my name is Percy Jackson and this is Rose McMillian," he introduced.
"Do you mind if we join you?"
"Not at all," Rose assured them with a bright smile.
They shuffled to the seats in front of us and sat down. "The headmaster asked us to answer any questions you have. So don't hesitate to come to either of us if there is anything you need. You could also go to the professors obviously but some of them can be a bit …. difficult to understand," Hermione trailed off.
"I have a few," Rose said immediately taking the offer. "What year are you in?"
"I am in the seventh year," Luna said breezily.
"I am actually a returning seventh year," Hermione chimed.
"No offense but why were you held back?" Percy tilted his head in confusion. Hermione seemed like a really smart girl. Why was she held back? She should have graduated already.
Hermione face flushed and she vehemently shook her head, "No, I was not held back. Last year's students did not quite have their education finished with the battle ongoing so, we were invited back to seventh year to complete our studies and give our N.E.W.T.S."
"Ah." That made sense. He did not want to further comment on it because she already looked pretty annoyed at him for assuming that and if it had been Annabeth, she would've hit me on the head with one of her very heavy architecture books already. So, he changed the subject, "What are the houses you get sorted into?"
"Yeah, I have been wondering about that too. I've heard it's kind of like our houses," Rose chimed in.
Hermione visibly brightened and explained, "Hogwarts has four houses- Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin." Her nose wrinkled a bit uncertainly at the last house she mentioned. It was gone as soon as she did it though. "Gryffindor for the brave and chivalrous, Ravenclaw for the intelligent and creative, Hufflepuff for the loyal and hardworking, and Slytherin for the cunning and ambitious."
Percy agreed that Hogwarts and Ilvermorny's houses did have some uncanny similarities. He knew about Ilvermorny's history obviously like any other American student. Their founder was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin from England. He wondered why Hermione held such disdain towards Slytherin.
Suddenly, the carriage jerked and alerted them that they had reached Hogwarts. Thus, their conversation came to an abrupt halt and they scurried off the carriage and joined the other students walking through the gates.
Percy trailed slightly behind Rose and the other girls trying to take note of all the details of the magical castle because obviously it was magical. He could feel the magic pouring off of it waves. He would not be surprised if Hecate herself had a hand in building this place.
All of a sudden, a firm hand clamped down on his shoulder and he startled. "Mr. Jackson. You and Ms. McMillian are to follow the first years for your sorting," an elderly yet poised looking woman told him. Her confidence and authority made slightly bristle and the ever urge to rebel blossomed. Yet, he crushed it down.
She was only trying to help him, he reminded himself. He had a hunch that it would not be good for him to cause trouble under her sharp gaze.
So, he nodded and followed Rose who was already on her way to the first-year group.
The aura of nervousness and excitement around the wide-eyed group of students was contagious. He couldn't help but wonder what house he would get sorted in. He remembered feeling the same when he was ten and new to this world. In the end, though it was his choice to pick the house would become his second or third (most probably) family. He wondered how they got sorted in Hogwarts.
Neither Hermione nor Luna bothered to mention that.
"What do you think you'll get sorted into?" he asked Rose who was staring in awe at the starry ceiling.
"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I was chosen by Pukwudgie in Ilvermorny but there we are chosen by the kind of people we are or can be. Here, it seems like differentiate by our characteristics."
"Yeah, you're right. It is different."
"Weren't you chosen by all the houses before?" she asked with a sly grin.
"Yes, I was," he admitted with a sheepish smile.
"You think it'll be the same here?" she asked curiously.
"Nah, I have never heard of Hogwarts student choosing their own house."
"Oh," she looked disappointed but looked ahead eagerly when a rough voice started singing. To his astonishment it was a worn and tattered hat. A singing hat. Percy never imagined he would ever witness a singing hat. Singing coyote. Check. Singing musical boxes. Okey dokie. But a hat, his first question would be why? Just a first of many questions million planted in his head.
After the concert of the hat ended, everybody politely clapped and the professor he had seen before started calling out names.
"Travis Gollen" A trembling young boy walked slowly to the stool and sat down. The professor (he should really learn her name) placed the singing hat on his head. A few seconds later the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"
A singing hat who sorted the students into their houses for the seven years they were going to be studying there. Freaking Fantastic. And so it continued.
…
"Danna Hoven"
"HUFFLEPUFF"
...
"Kristen Segara"
"GRYFFINDOR"
…
They skipped over Percy and Rose's names till all the lingering first years were done with their sorting.
"Now, students as you may have heard. Hogwarts for the very first time is hosting an exchange program with Ilvermorny, a prestigious wizarding school in America." Whispers and chatter broke out among the students siting in the Great Hall. The Great Hall. Such an unimaginative name. Not unlike the Big House at Camp. Percy quickly shoved down the urge to snort at the thought. He might not have been quick enough because Rose gave him questioning look and sighed amusedly when he shrugged.
"They are both seventh year students and I hope you will help when it is needed. They will get sorted as well. First Rose McMillian."
Rose strode to the stool with confidence and sat on it. A couple minutes passed and the other students seemed to be getting antsy. It was weird from he had seen before since, all the other students only sat there a minute at most to determine their house.
"SLYTHERIN" the hat shouted at last. However, that seemed to be the wrong answer because many of the students sneaked suspicious glances at Rose and then at Percy. Rose not minding the looks she got stood up and was welcomed by her new house. Although Percy could see their welcome wasn't as loud as the other houses. A few of the older students seemed to be wearing forced smiles.
"Perseus Jackson," the calling of his name shook him out of his observations and he sat on the stool as well anxiously awaiting his judgement.