o0o Chapter Five o0o

As they came to the school, Harry knew he was in it deep, and he had just dragged the new kid down with him. Snape was standing inside the gate, looking irritable as ever. He could now see the smirk on the professor's mouth, even the small upturn of his lips, and Harry knew he this pleased him, annoying Harry to no end.

"Potter, I see you've felt the need to make a dramatic entrance again. Nothing fancy available? Decided to just make a late entrance? And who," he turned to Percy, "is this? A new follower?"

"I'm the new student sir, we were held up, we didn't come late on purpose, I'm actually quite hungry."

Snape looked at him in disapproval, Harry just hoped the kid didn't plan on taking potions.

"Yes, Dumbledore did tell me to keep an eye out for you too, how interesting, you're in trouble before you've even been at the school for an hour.

"Potter, fifty points for being late, and you," he glanced at Percy, "you haven't been sorted, a week's worth of detention with me, will have to suffice."

With that, Snape let them through started off towards the castle. Harry winced, and looked at Percy expecting to see him surprised at the harshness of the professor, instead he just seemed annoyed.

"Stupid tyrant teachers." The American mumbled as they walked.

"Here's your chance to make the dramatic entrance Potter, and you won't have anywhere to sit because of your lateness, you missed the sorting, you'll have to wait out here until the feast is over, the headmaster will come for you later."

After shooting an apologetic look at Percy, Harry walked into the hall, heading straight for his seat at the Gryffindor table near Ron and Hermione. Snape followed him in and closed the doors, leaving the new kid to starve in the hall.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked.

"I'll tell you later."

"Harry?"

"Not now."

They seemed to get the message and let it drop, Harry spooned some pudding on to his plate and began to eat. As embarrassed as he was, it didn't mean he wasn't hungry.

Over dessert the trio talked and had one of the most light-hearted conversations to be held between them in quite some time. The warm, homely feeling of Hogwarts made Harry want to leave behind all his gloomy thoughts and worries, he was home, and for now, Harry was just going to have a nice time.

-:-:-:-

After Dumbledore's speech he started to head off to the Gryffindor and let himself be absorbed by the throng of students climbing the stairs, dragging their feet, and groaning tiredly as they made their way upstairs after dinner.

Hermione and Ron were in the front, doing perfect duties. In all honesty, Harry was glad he didn't get chosen after all, he just wanted to be a student, not have extra things to do. When school started tomorrow, Harry was sure he would have more than enough to do.

"Wattlebird." Hermione's voice rang around the corridor when they arrived at the portrait. The fat lady hmphed as she swung open, allowing the students to try and squeeze through, all sandwiched by the others.

Harry walked towards his friends, where they had scored three seats right by the fire - Ron was currently laying across two of them.

"It's nice to be back." Harry said as he sunk to an armchair, which was recently relieved of Ron's feet.

-:-:-:-

When the doors finally opened Percy scrambled out the way, and most importantly, out of sight.

There were so many people here, Percy hadn't realized what it would be like, to be in school again. He hadn't been in school for over a year, adding magic to the mix then throwing him in didn't seem like the best idea. It seemed explosive, and with his record, that honestly wasn't too far from impossible.

But when do immortals ever have good ideas? he thought.

The stream of students slowly became thinner and thinner, until the last little group exited. A minute later he heard voices of - what he assumed to be - the teachers, before they came out, Percy walked out from behind the statue he'd taken refuge behind.

The demigod felt extremely awkward when the teachers did come out, they were all walking out together, and ended up staring at him as a whole, all seemingly confused on different levels. That is except for the one teacher that stuck him here, he happened to have a small grin playing on his lips, small and evil.

"Professor Dumbledore? I believe I'm supposed to talk to you."

"That would be me." The voice reminded him of Chiron somewhat, it gave off the 'old and wise' vibe, as Percy liked to call it. The elderly man that stepped forward had an old wizened face and sharp blue eyes that sat behind half-moon glasses, he had long silvery hair and a beard of the same color that was just as long, reaching past his waist. The man's right hand was dead looking, shriveled, and blackened, round him were eccentric purple robes.

"And may I ask why?"

"I'm Percy Jackson, from America, I'm supposed to go to school here this year." Percy felt incredibly stupid, he didn't know what Hecate did, he knew what he was supposed to say, he knew his story, but right now, he just felt like a completely awkward idiot.

"Ah yes, why are you out here?"

"I was," Percy started to rub the back of his neck as he paused, "um, late. Sorry."

The headmaster started sharply at Percy for a moment before exclaiming, "I suppose we shall take this to my office, goodnight professors, Mr. Jackson, if you could follow me."

With that the man walked off, most obviously expecting Percy to follow.

The pair walked in silence until they arrived at what seemed to be a dead end.

Apparently not, Percy thought as the golden gargoyle at the end of the hallway moved aside as soon as Dumbledore said 'lemon drops.'

Behind the statue was a set of corkscrew stairs, they spun upwards in a circle, like an escalator. Except golden and more elegant.

Dumbledore stepped onto the stairs and waited from them to do the work, Percy however stood restless behind him, wishing he could run up them like a five-year-old and get the entire ordeal over with as soon as possible.

After a short wait, they arrived at the top and stepped into the headmaster's office.

Percy's first thought was Annabeth.

She would marvel at the architecture and definitely would love to have a place like this. She would stay up working in here, she could plan out all her designs and would have space for all her sketches and books and paper, and all her things. Schist, he thought, I miss her.

The room was large with a vaulted ceiling, stone arches and bookshelves adorning the walls, little silver trinkets laying around, all doing something, some puffing smoke, or clicking, or whirring, and in the center sat a mahogany desk, with a chair of the wood behind it, Dumbledore was occupying the chair, Percy stood in front of the desk feeling dreadfully out of place, wishing his wise girl was with him.

"Mr. Jackson, Professor Snape has informed me you came in at the same time as Mr. Potter, yes?"

"Yes sir."

"May I ask what held the two of you up?"

That may have sounded like a question, but Percy knew he wanted an answer and if he said 'no', it wouldn't exactly be taken lightly.

"I found him on the train, stupefied in his seat."

"By who's hand did this come to happen do you think?"

"I'm not sure sir."

"Never mind that then, thank you for delivering Mr. Potter to the school, I shall deal with that later. For now, let us pay attention to the matter at hand. You need sorting, and dare I say food. First, I am sorry to do this, but we are in difficult times. Please tell me a little about yourself. Why you're here, and past school experience and so forth. Keep in mind, I do not want to hear lies, I know what has already been said."

The demigod rubbed the back of his neck, he did not want to forget what Hecate had told him and mess this up. Best case, he would be thrown out, worst case he might end up as an annoying splat mark on the floor in a minute.

"Well, I'm Percy Jackson. My mom, Sally Jackson, just got a job offer in Australia. My old school, Ezalius' Institute of the Magical Arts, wasn't a boarding school, and my dad's not around, so my mom couldn't leave me. She needed another option, Ilvermorny wouldn't take me in because it was so sudden. When she asked for advice, Hogwarts came up, she always thought Dumbl- uh, you were telling the truth and the best chance against the dark lord and thought I'd be safe enough here, and once you accepted me… Well here I am.

You want to know about my school? Well it's small, a private school, not a boarding school, not quite as big. I'd go there for the day and then go back home, my mom's a no-maj, my dad was lost at sea before I was born but, she thinks he was a wizard. And I couldn't go home to noting so… boarding school."

While he was speaking, he could feel the old man's eyes boring into his own, judging, assessing, reading him. The wizard in front of Percy definitely reminded him of the Centaur, Chiron who had become his mentor over the years, almost a second – forth? – father to his now. Percy wished it was Chiron in front of him, he had gone to boarding schools before, this wasn't a new feeling, but this felt different. He was raw, fresh out of war. He wanted to be with loved ones, all the people he cared for, fought for, fought with.

He didn't want to be here. Yet, he knew no one deserved this, and he sure as hell wasn't going to put this on someone else.

After a short silence in which the headmaster seemed to analyze hm and his response he continued. "Indeed, we are joyed to have a new student. A sorting is in order, as it seems you've missed yours."

With that he got up and walked over to a shelf that held a tattered hat, he strode back and placed it on the desk between them and sat down.

"Here at Hogwarts there are four houses, the sorting hat will place you in one of them, if you could set it on your head, I will take the liberty to explain afterwards."

The demigod was confused, but honestly, he had seen too many weird things that by now he didn't even bat an eye at the mention of a hat doing something.

He lifted it on to his head, and let it sink over eyes.

"Late! This is overtime. You should be thankful I'm sorting you at all, hhm, but what are you?"

He jumped as a deep voice growled in his ear, and he couldn't help but think, 'Don't say anything out loud.'

"Private, mmm, but I'll have to say your house now wont I?"

'You can hear me think?'

"Yes, of course, now be quiet, I need to think."

'How exactly are you doing this?'

"I'm just looking through your head, seeing your values, memories, and trying to think."

Percy did not like the sound of that and was immediately on alert, 'I don't want you going through my head.'

"No? Well too ba- How are you doing that?!"

'What?'

"Don't do that!"

'What?'

"You aren't letting me look in your head, stupid kid, I need to sort you."

'You can't look in my head, that's private.'

Percy didn't know how he was doing whatever he was doing but he wasn't stopping. No one could know his secret, not even the hat.

'Get out of my head.'

"I'm here 'til you're sorted,' it growled back in reply.

Percy was suck, he had to be sorted, that much was clear. As much as he didn't like it, he knew the only way was to let in.

'Fine, you can't say anything except for my house out loud though, swear it on the Styx.'

He didn't know what an oath on the Styx would do to a hat, but hopefully nothing short of burning the life out of it, literally.

"I swear on the sticks that I won't say anything but your house out loud, happy? Let me do my job, this is already over time."

'You lie, you die. Now go ahead I guess.'

Percy didn't know what he did or how, but he just tried to relax and that seemed to do the trick because the hat began to grumble and mutter very kind things about the demigod sitting under it.

"Plenty of loyalty, a good amount of courage."

"And hmm, impulsive."

"Very impulsive."

"Loyal to a fault!"

'Kind indeed, and humble."

"You strive to succeed, but not for yourself, hmm."

"Valent bravery."

"You are hard to sort indeed Percy Jackson."

"Caring, strong, and…what is this…War!"

"Gryffindor!" the thing yelled in his ears, "Now get off, get off!"

The second part was no quieter, but Percy could tell it was in his ears only.

Percy took the ragged thing off his head and set it back on the desk, unsure off what just happened.

"It seems you have been put in Gryffindor, the house of the brave and courageous. There are four houses, they all stand for different things and are located in different places, you will only know the location and password of your house, as it is with every student. Your house will be where your sleeping quarters are provided as well as a common room in which you can do homework or converse with other students.

"Whichever classes you take you will do with your house, and during meals you will sit with your house. There are also house points, at the end of the year the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup, good behavior can warrant points to be given, bad can result in the deduction of points.

"That brings me onto another important point I must speak with you about, we must decide schedule. What profession are you pursuing? And what classes would you like to take?"

"I, um, I would like to become an Auror, but, I'm not sure what exactly I have to take here, if it's different or anything, and what else there is…" Percy remembered his conversation on the train, but decided it would be best to look at his classes before adding another, even if it was easy.

Dumbledore began to look through his desk and after opening three drawers found what he was looking for and handed Percy a paper. A list of classes, Percy found when he glanced at it.

Or at least he thought it was a list of classes, he wasn't sure, just because he saved the world twice didn't mean his day-to-day problems could suddenly vanish.

Dyslexia was ever present and was currently an obstacle as he squinted at the piece of paper.

He did remember though, what he was told he needed, and knowing what he was looking for was helpful.

The headmaster got out a quill – he thought that was a joke to be honest, a quill- and some ink along with his own list.

"To be an Auror you need to take, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms, now are there any other electives or classes that you fancy taking this year?"

Across the table under Dumbledore's assasive gaze Percy felt extremely awkward, yet obliged to speak.

"I wanted to take the Care of Magical Creatures class, I, uh, I heard it was good."

He thought, mentally face palming.

"You did? That was good advice, it is a very enjoyable class in my opinion." The professor said loftily while he marked the class.

"I'll have Professor McGonagall give you your schedule at breakfast tomorrow along with the rest of the students. That is all Mr. Jackson, but I dare say you are hungry. I know Professor Snape did not see it fit for you to sit down to eat without a place to sit and disturb the hall, yet I believe everyone needs a good filling at the end of the day."

Percy was slightly confused at where this was going, but he just wanted to go to sleep, he wasn't that hungry, nowadays he never was. Ever since the pit his appetite had decreased exponentially.

"If you go back to the entrance hall you first came through, and walk to the left there are paintings, find the one of a fruit bowl and tickle the pear. I'm sure the kitchen staff won't mind whipping up a quick meal for you."

The demigod was thoroughly baffled by that statement, yet he justified it with, magic, and respond as if nothing were amiss

"Thank you, but I'm not very hungry, rather just tired."

"Ah, yes, I guess that is to be expected. For directions just ask one of the paintings, I'm sure at least one will offer their help, you are headed for the Gryffindor common room. Now I must wish you a good night, and many good nights after that at Hogwarts. If you have any problems contact Professor McGonagall, she is the head of Gryffindor, your house."

"Thank you, and good night Mr., um, Professor Dumbledore."

"Oh, and Percy, tell the Gryffindor portrait Wattlebird when she asks for the password.

Percy nodded then walked out the office, down the winding stairs, out the gargoyle, and into the hall. Then stood there like an idiot.

After a little bit, finally deciding there was no other way, he announced to the hallway that he needed help. He felt like a total and complete doofus asking the paintings for help. Sure, he saw them moving, but he just couldn't get over it.

The portrait that responded was of a girl, she looked to be around thirteen or so, long brown hair flowed down her back, and curious hazel eyes looked back at him, "You don't know where your own common room is?"

"I'm, uh, new. I was just sorted; I don't really know where anything is."

"Hhm, and how do I know you aren't lying?"

"I guess you don't, but Dumbledore told me the password and all that so, without it I supposed I couldn't get in anyway, so even if I am lying – which I'm not – what's the harm?"

"Yes, I suppose that makes since, I'll show you where it is, but I won't tell you exactly."

With that she started off, she walked right out of the field of daisies and into another frame, then straight into the next one.

"Thanks for showing me, um, what's your name?"

"You want to know my name?"

"Well yeah."

Percy could swear he saw the painting blush, "It's Emma," she said quietly.

"That's a really cool name for a really cool girl."

Percy desperately hoped he wasn't messing up, talking to painting was a first for him, it wasn't as weird as he thought it would be, but he kept feeling like he was going to say the wrong thing.

"What's your name?" Emma asked.

"Percy," he replied, "and I'm from America if you're wondering."

"America? Is that why you sound so weird?" It seemed she talked without thinking because immediately afterwards she seemed quite flustered, "I didn't mean, I meant, sorry, I just-"

The boy walking besides her just laughed, "Yeah, and you have the same odd accent as everyone else here."

"It's not odd."

"Well, then neither is mine," he chuckled.

They walked in comfortable silence, up stairs, around corners, through hallways, and eventually ended up before a long hallway of paintings, the one that stood out the most was the biggest. It was a huge portrait of a lady, she had a fancy light pink dress on, dark brown hair done up in ringlets, an obvious amount of makeup om her face, and a crown of grapes and leaves sat upon her head.

He turned to his painted guide, "Is this the Gryffindor portrait?" he asked.

And despite her earlier statement, she nodded.

"Um, Miss Gryffindor Portrait Lady, can I get into the Gryffindor common room?"

"Hmph, I don't recognize you, and you're far too old to be a first year, who are you, you don't belong here."

"I'm Percy Jackson, the new student, I was just sorted into Gryffindor, so I do actually."

"Well, then boy, you should be able to tell me the password."

"Right! The password, Dumbledore told me it, it was, um, Wattlebird I think."

"Correct," she sighed as she swung forward.

Percy turned around, "Bye Emma, I'll see you around, thanks for the help, I would have never found it here without you, and thank you Miss Gryffindor Lady, good night."

The demigod waved and turned back then climbed in the hole through behind the portrait.

Walking in, all eyes were on him, he tried his best to just ignore them as he walked to the closest person and asked where the sixth years sleeping quarters were. He got a very weirded out glance, but an answer none the less out if the person.

He walked to the stairs, found the bed near the end with his truck at the foot of it and fell asleep as soon as he fell back on it.

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I'll start out by saying sorry for the two week wait for this disappointing chapter, I'm still trying to get the hang of this whole 'being good at writing' thing. I've been working so hard to get stuff out in a week, but these past two weeks I failed. Last week was this big deadline for late work, plus a biggish assignment, and I had this thing to do over the weekend (sounds stupid, but I really don't want to say that much to random strangers, no offence to you all), then this week, well it was the week before Halloween, and on top of that family was visiting (still is in fact.) And even more, my dialogue and writing in general still sucks...

Whatever, I'll get better (hopefully.)

Well, I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who reviewed or any of the other stuff, I feel like all the writers say this and I'm like 'ok, ok,' but it really does mean a lot to me. And now I'm gonna respond to my two non-account reviewers real quick.

Guest: You were one of my first and I thank you for being here (I mean, if you are still here, I know I kinda suck), and I thank you for the suggestions, I mean I do try with italics, but I don't typically write with bold or underline... I don't know, it's just not my style, as for the line breaks, I think I got that (ish), but the shorter paragraphs, I hope it was the unedited version you saw, because if not, I don't know how short you want this. Oh, and uh, no more prologue, thanks for the compliment though, it does mean a lot.

Anonymous: That made my day right there, I was having a crappy day in school, and your review popped up and I swear it made the day that much better. I'm glad to know you actually want to know what's going to happen, and sorry for the wait. But to be honest, 'what happens at Hogwarts' is going to be the entire story practically, so you might have a bit (lot) longer to wait for that...

Yeah, that's it for now, happy belated Halloween, hope everyone is enjoying their candy, I was a random Camp Half-Blood camper person if you wanted to know, review your costume or favorite candy or something is you feel like it, something Halloween, I don't know... Now I'm done, have a nice day/night/morning/life/whatever, until next time :) Thanks for reading - BBB (11/1/2020)

EDIT (11/2/2020) It seems this chapter went up, and then somehow after some time it stopped showing up. I don't know why or how but that's what happened. I just took it down and now I'm reposting it. Nothing new, well unless it dodnt show up. Then here's a new chapter.