Chapter 4: All aboard the Hogwarts Express!

Percy's POV

We're going to school today. And that's the worst thing we've had to do for a while.

Leo and I gulped as we faced the brick wall. Funny that we've basically defeated the earth but are still afraid to run into a wall.

"I don't think to be willing to run into a brick wall was in our job description..." Leo started.

"... and also, bricks are more like Jason's thing." I finished.

"I'll go first." As it turns out, these scrawny wizards were braver than we were being right now.

Five minutes later, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "God/ goddess of magic brick walls… keep me safe and I'll sacrifice three-quarters of the food on my plate for you every night."

I squinted my eyes and charged.

'Boom!' I slammed into the wall and crumpled onto the ground, unconscious.

Just kidding. At least, that's what I thought would happen.

In reality, I emerged on the other side. What immediately caught my eye was the red train that was currently in the station. I was speechless.

"Hey dude, you made it." Leo clapped me on the back. "Still, if you didn't make it, it would've been funny to see tomorrow's newspaper headlines: 'Percy Jackson Slams into Magical Wall and Dies from Several Head Injuries'."

The others laughed and Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly and told us to get on the train. We did so and I saw Harry and Ron out of the corner of my eye.

"... prefects' cabin." Ron seemed to say. Hermione was nodding her head.

Harry looked really disappointed but he agreed and instead joined us on the train.

We looked around, trying to find an empty compartment until at last, we found one. There was a blonde, pale girl and a boy with a round-ish face sitting inside, and it seemed that there was no one else occupying the compartment.

Leo, Carter, Sadie, Harry and I pushed open the door, walked inside, and plopped down onto the cushion-padded seats.

"Hi, Neville, Luna." Harry addressed them glumly.

Leo stared at the upside-down magazine in the girl's hands. "Your magazine is upside down."

She continued reading, ignoring Leo's statement. "You're Harry Potter." She told Harry dreamily.

"I know I am."

We sat in the uncomfortable silence.

Later Ron and Hermione joined us. "Guess who's the Slytherin prefect?" Ron was scowling.

"Draco Malfoy? No way," Harry frowned at the mention of this 'Draco' person.

"Uh, blonde hair, grey eyes? Snobby and spoilt guy? That Draco?" Sadie guessed.

"How'd you know?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at Sadie.

"Relax, it's not like I'm his friend or something," Sadie scoffed. "Bumped into him while getting our school robes. Dude fled after I threatened him."

"You threatened Malfoy?" Ron said incredulously, looking at Sadie with new respect.

"I did." She smirked.

"What you did wasn't even called threatening," an annoying voice drawled. "Now that my mother's not here, I'm going to teach you a lesson."

"Malfoy." Harry's voice took a sharp edge.

"Not cool, man. If you wanna beat somebody up, do it alone. Not with your 2 cronies to help you." Leo joked, but his hair was already starting to smoke. He hated bullies; everyone at camp knew that.

"Leo, your hair." Carter reminded him.

"Oops. Whatever." Leo waved a hand at Carter. "It'll scare him."

I cleared my throat. "Don't force me to put it out myself, Leo."

"Fine." He grumbled and patted his hair. It immediately stopped smoking.

Malfoy sneered at us. "So who's this? Some American exchange student? No doubt Dumbledore sent you here to protect Potter from his own hallucinations."

"Nice to meet you," I chose to ignore his words, which had been partially right, "I'm Peter Johnson."

"Leo McShizzle." Leo managed to keep a straight face. We winked at our friends and Sadie muttered something in Ancient Egyptian. Carter snorted.

"So Johnson, McShizzle," Malfoy smiled maliciously, "What's your blood status?"

"We're half-bloods." I smiled back fakely. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Be careful about who you choose to ally yourself with," He threatened. "Someday it may cost you your life, just like what happened to Potter's foolish parents."

"Back at you." Sadie shot at him.

"Don't you dare insult my parents, Malfoy." Harry trembled with rage. "You have- you have no idea-"

Carter, who had stayed silent, spoke up. "When somebody's parents sacrificed themselves to save somebody they love or possibly the world, don't insult them. They stopped Voldemort and if not for them, half of the students in Hogwarts would be dead by now."

"Very well. I will leave your group of pathetic blood traitors and Mudbloods alone," Malfoy sneered. "But be careful, Potter. Don't want anyone to find out about your little pet, do we?"

Harry and Hermione stiffened and Sadie slammed the door shut behind Malfoy. "Annoying git." She growled.

Harry exchanged a knowing glance with Hermione. Something was up, but they didn't let us know about what was wrong. I ignored the feeling that whatever Malfoy just said, there was a fairly important hidden meaning behind it.

A few hours later I came out of the toilet in my robes as the train came to a stop.

"Is this cotton?" Sadie murmured as she examined a piece of cloth from her robe.

Leo turned to me and grinned like he was about to trash the whole school within five minutes, which knowing him, was totally possible, "We're here."

I rolled my eyes. "Duh. Let's go."