A/N: So, Professor McGonagall will be featured in this chapter and I expect you to imagine her lines being reading by the wonderful Maggie Smith. It was supposed to cover Diagon Alley, but that'll have to wait until the next chapter now. Also, this chapter marks the first edition of 'Spot the Quote'. Some chapters will contain phrases that are directly quoted from the Harry Potter books or films so keep an eye out. I'll reveal the answers at the beginning of each following chapter. This chapter contains 2 quotes.

"Dad must have protected the apartment somehow," Percy said offhandedly during breakfast a couple of days later.

His mom frowned. "What do you mean, Percy?"

"The old man, Professor Bumblebee. He said he came to put protective wards up, but his visit wasn't necessary. We don't know any wizards, so it must have been a god."

"You want to go to this school in England then," his mom said. It wasn't a question. She knew him too well. She knew what he'd been wanting to say.

"Yeah. I mean. It seems like your brother's going to try to kill this Harry Potter kid first, so if I go, I can stop him before he comes after you," Percy said. "Plus it's magic. Like, real, actual magic. And I can learn how to use it. Think how much easier it will make my life if I can use it to fight monsters."

Of course, it was that moment that a goddess appeared in his kitchen. She appeared in flowing black robes that tailed off into mist.

"Perseus Black," she said. "I am Hecate, Goddess of Magic. Lord Zeus has sent me to give you a warning."

"Oh?"

"The worlds of wizards and demigods cannot become aware of each other. All gods and goddesses took an oath many years ago that no demigod would be born to a witch or wizard. Your father has gotten away with it due to his ignorance of your mother's nature, but his divinity has awoken the magic in your blood. If you ever look as though you are going to reveal the existence of one world to another, not even Poseidon will be able to prevent Zeus from destroying you," Hecate said.

"Umm… okay," Percy said. "I won't tell anyone."

Hecate shrunk to the height of a normal woman, her head had been previously less than an inch from the ceiling. Her robes morphed into a black dress and she smiled. "Good. Now personally, I'm rather excited about all this and I want to give you some advice. You can say that your father is a Pureblood, though it will be best to avoid talking about him at all if possible. Also, your divine nature will make certain aspects of magic come naturally to you."

"So, I'll be able to learn quicker than other people?" Percy asked, curious. His ADHD and dyslexia meant that until now he'd always struggled in class, so the idea that he could do well was certainly welcome.

"Only in the subjects that you feel a connection to. Knowing your father, I suspect that you'll do well in Potions and Transfiguration, though you'll have to work out the connection for yourself."

Percy really wasn't sure what to say so he opted to stay silent. He needn't have worried though, because Hecate began speaking again.

"Ah, your visitor has arrived. Before I leave, Perseus. The wizarding world needs its own hero. You can help him, guide him even. But he has his own fate and his own journey that is set in stone. There is another, however, whose fate remains in the balance. He won't be a hero, but perhaps you can help him be better than he otherwise would be."

There was a knock on the door, and Hecate vanished. Shaking his head to forget the goddess' words for the moment, he went to open the door. Presumably this was the Deputy Headmistress from Hogwarts. Percy couldn't remember your name.

"You must be Perseus Black," she said when he opened the door. "I am Professor McGonagall and I'll be accompanying you to Diagon Alley to purchase your school supplies."

Percy's first thought was that she was wearing a pointy hat. A genuine, stereotypical witch's hat, and he barely managed not to laugh. "I prefer Percy Jackson, but yes. I suppose I am."

"Very good, Mr Jackson, are you ready to leave?" she asked.

"Um, yeah sure," he said. "Mom, the professor's here. I'll see you later," he called out.

"Won't your mother be joining us?" McGonagall asked.

"Nah, she has class today," Percy said.

"She's still in school?"

"More like back in school. She had to drop out when her uncle fell ill and she only recently got enough money to pay for tuition. She's studying creative writing at the local college. She's going to write novels," Percy said. He was glad that his mom was finally living her life for herself and not for him. McGonagall stepped aside so he could exit the apartment. "So, where is this Diagon Alley?" he asked.

"In London."

"Umm… Mom's expecting me back in time for dinner," he said. "Isn't there somewhere in New York we can go?"

"Alas, there are certain items specific to Hogwarts that can't be purchased in America. No matter, Professor Dumbledore has arranged for us to use the fireplace of an old friend of his to travel to London. In fact you may meet one of our other students, a fourth year Hufflepuff called Rolf Scamander," McGonagall said.

"Wait. Did you say we'll travel through a fireplace?" Percy interrupted. "How?"

"Magic, Mr Jackson," the professor replied with a disdainful look. "You do recall being informed that you are a wizard, don't you?"

Percy opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, utterly dumbstruck. He certainly hadn't expected the stern older woman to respond in such a way.

"Do close your mouth, Mr Jackson. You're gaping like a goldfish," she said.

"Sorry, I… it's just… you're a teacher."

"Indeed I am. Is that supposed to preclude me from being possessed of a scathing wit?"

"No, I mean…" Percy said quickly, before stopping and scratching the back of his neck. "It's just that usually when a teacher calls me stupid, they're a bit more direct about it."

Professor McGonagall, who had begun walking toward the stairwell, turned around abruptly and stared sharply at him. "I most certainly am not calling you stupid. I don't know what kind of teachers you have had in the past, but I am first and foremost a source of knowledge and guidance. It is my duty to impart my expertise to students, and I certainly don't expect them to know everything about a subject beforehand. At Hogwarts I will be your Transfiguration professor, but in this moment, the subject at hand is magic in itself. A concept of which you were unaware until just two days ago, so I would not anticipate you to possess the knowledge that it is possible to travel from place to place via fireplace."

Percy hastily apologised, feeling as though he had offended the woman, though she was not quite finished.

"And why ever did any of your previous teachers feel the need to act so unprofessionally?" she added, her thoughts on the matter evident in her tone. She clearly thought it was unacceptable.

"I have ADHD so I have trouble concentrating in lessons and I have dyslexia so I… err… I can't really… umm… read. Not very well anyway. At least not in English," he said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"So you can read in another language?" the professor asked.

"Yeah. I usually read in Greek. You see, my dad's Greek, and he taught my mom the language who then taught me. Something about staying connected to my roots, even if I never meet him. It's like my brain doesn't recognise the different letters as being actual letters so they don't start having a party?" Percy explained, coming up with what he thought was a reasonable excuse for knowing Greek. It wasn't like he could confess that the first time he heard it, he knew exactly what had been said and never had to actually learn it.

McGonagall hummed, seemingly intrigued, but said nothing. She began to walk again, so Percy followed her downstairs and out onto the street.

"So how does fireplace travel actually work?" Percy asked, feeling uncomfortable with the new silence. He suspected some of the gods could teleport through flames in some way, but he was curious as to how it could be achieved by mortals.

"Good, a curious mind will take you far in your magical studies," McGonagall said. More like a concern for my health, Percy thought, but took the compliment. "Fireplaces allow us to access the Floo Network if we use Floo powder. The Floo Network is a form of magical transportation. One need simply say the name of their intended destination and they will appear in a fireplace there."

Percy decided not to comment on the fact that they appeared to have named their transportation system after a disease. "Don't you get burned?" he asked instead. "By the fire, I mean."

"A pertinent question," McGonagall said. Percy snickered, remembering the time that he'd mailed Medusa's head to Olympus and Annabeth had called him impertinent. He didn't contradict the professor, who looked at him unamused before continuing. "Use of Floo powder turns the flames green and heatless."

Minerva McGonagall pondered the teenaged boy she was leading to the New York residence of Newt Scamander. Perseus Black was certainly very interesting. She just hoped he would not befriend Seamus Finnegan, with whom he shared a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics, if the school records Albus had come by were anything to go by. He also seemed to have a rather quick mind, and she rather feared for the safety of the school should he ever find himself in a room with the Weasley twins. But nonetheless, he showed an innate desire to learn about the world he had so recently found himself to be a part of, a curiosity which she surely hoped would not fade as he came to terms with the reality of his nature. The other matter to consider was that of his father. It was certainly unusual for a squib to have a magical child unless the other parent was magical, a rare relationship in itself. However, Albus had confirmed that neither the British Ministry of Magic nor MACUSA had record of the birth of a Perseus Black or Perseus Jackson, which they surely would had the father been a wizard. The boy had been silent for while once they'd left his apartment building, but Minerva was aware that he was fiddling with a muggle pen.

"So, what will I study at Hogwarts?" he asked suddenly, the words spilling from his lips rather quickly, as though he'd been trying to hold the question in.

"Well, since you are fourteen, you would ordinarily be in your fourth year, but since students sbegin studying electives in their third year, Professor Dumbledore and I thought that it would be best for you to start in that year. You will be required to take seven core classes, the first of which, Transfiguration is taught by myself. Transfiguration is the art of changing the form and appearance of an object or person. Charms, the practice of adding or changing the properties of an object, such as its colour, will be taught to you by Professor Flitwick. Potions and History of Magic, which I'm sure need no explanation are taught by Professors Snape and Binns, respectively, and Defence Against the Dark Arts, which teaches magical self-defence is being taught by Professor Lupin this year. Your final two core classes are Astronomy, the study of the stars, with Professor Sinistra and Herbology, the study of magical plants, with Professor Sprout," Minerva explained.

"Wow, that's a lot," Perseus said.

"I haven't finished yet, Mr Jackson," Minerva said. It seemed lessons and Perseus Black didn't particularly get along. "You will also be choosing at least two electives from the five we have available. The first of these is Arithmancy, the study of the magical properties of numbers, including their use in predicting the future."

"No, absolutely not. I want nothing to do with the future in anyway," Perseus said quickly.

Minerva raised an eyebrow as she felt her lips twitch in amusement. Perseus was one student whose name would not go on the list of those who take Divination because it is an easy subject. "Is that so?" she said, and Perseus nodded vigorously. She wondered what it was that he had against the future. "Well in that case it would seem that Divination is also not the subject for you. That leaves Muggle Studies with Professor Burbage – though as you have been raised in the muggle world I would be most disappointed if you chose this as one of your two, though it would be acceptable as a third if you felt so inclined – Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Hagrid – the content is self-explanatory I am sure – and the Study of Ancient Runes. Professor Babbling will teach you about the methods of writing wizardkind used hundreds, even thousands of years ago, Ancient Greek scripts included."

"So basically you're saying that if I refuse to study anything relating to the future, then I have to take Care of Magical Creatures and Study of Ancient Runes?" Perseus said.

"Not necessarily. I cannot prevent you from choosing Muggle Studies as one of your two electives," Minerva said, curious as to what his response would be.

"Yeah, but you seem kind of scary so I don't want to disappoint you if I can help it. Besides, I'm not really sure that I'd be able to sit and listen to a wizard talk about muggles. The other two sound interesting anyway, so I'm not too bothered. How am I going to catch up on the core classes? Everyone's going to be two years more teaching than me."

"We have arranged for you to receive tutoring from a sixth year student in your house," Minerva said.

"My house? What does that mean?" Perseus asked.

"Your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. We have Gryffindor for the brave and daring, Hufflepuff for the loyal and hard-working, Ravenclaw for the intelligent and creative, and Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning. You will be sorted into your house at the welcome feast on September 1st," Minerva said.

"You were a Gryffindor," Perseus said, and Minerva looked at him questioningly. The teenager shrugged, "when you talked about Gryffindor you sounded proud. You also didn't seem particularly fond of Slytherin."

Minerva considered him for a moment. It seemed that he was much more observant than she had initially given him credit for. "That is correct. Gryffindors and Slytherins have a rivalry dating all the way back to the Founders of our school, but I will leave the specifics for your History of Magic professor."

After walking for twenty minutes, Professor McGonagall came to a stop outside a townhouse. Whoever this friend of Professor Dumbledore was, they must have been seriously loaded, because they were in a nice part of Manhattan. She knocked three times, and a boy, about his own age with red-brown hair opened it. Presumably Rolf Scamander.

"Professor McGonagall?" he said, confusion clear in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

A man, seemingly older than McGonagall but younger than Dumbledore appeared. "Ah, Minerva, you're here. Sorry Rolf, I forgot to tell you we'd be having visitors. Please do come in," he said.

"Thank you, Newton. And thank you also for allowing us to use your fireplace. You see, Mr Black here lives in an apartment block and doesn't have one. Mr Scamander, I would like to introduce you to Perseus Black, though he told me he prefers Percy Jackson. He'll be joining us in third year in September."

Rolf held out his hand for Percy to shake. "Hi, I'm Rolf Scamander," he said.

Percy took the outstretched hand. "Percy," he said.

"Right, now that the two of you are acquainted, Mr Black and I must be getting to Diagon Alley, if you don't mind Newton."

"Not at all, Minerva. We'll see you when you bring Percy back to New York," the old man, Newton, said.

"Indeed, thank you again. Come along now, Mr Jackson, it must be afternoon in London by now, and we have lots to purchase," McGonagall said, leading the way to a large front room. She took a handful of powder from a bowl by the fireplace, which she then stepped into. "You'll need to take a handful of Floo powder, step into the fireplace and throw the powder at your feet. Then say 'Leaky Cauldron', and you'll be taken to your destination. Like so." McGonagall finished the process she had described. Green flames leapt up, and she disappeared.

Percy hesitantly took a handful of the same powder.

"Don't worry too much," Rolf Scamander said. "Just make sure you say 'Leaky Cauldron' clearly and you'll be fine. It's really quite easy."

"Why do I say 'Leaky Cauldron'?" Percy asked, wondering whether it was some kind of activation phrase, but then how would the fireplace know where you wanted to go?

Rolf smiled. "The Leaky Cauldron is a pub in London that acts as an entrance to Diagon Alley. It's the name of your destination. When you come back here you'll say this address."

Percy smiled his thanks as he stepped in to the fireplace. He threw the powder at his feet, flinching as the green flames came to life once more, and said "Leaky Cauldron."

A/N: I hope that I managed to capture the essence of the absolute queen that is Minerva McGonagall. The next chapter will feature Diagon Alley and Draco Malfoy.

Please review and comment your answers for 'Spot the Quote'