The castle was pure brilliancy. The image of magic was encompassed in every aspect from the stone walls to the lake to the eerie, dark forest lying on the edges of the grounds.
Percy had arrived there on boat with the rest of the first years. He was upset to have to leave Grover, but the older boy assured him they'd see each other soon enough.
A boy with ashy brown hair and a permanent mischievous smirk sat across from him on the boat. His smirk was the kind that made you want to double check your belongings.
A girl with plaited, dry hair falling all the way down to her waist sat beside the impish boy. Bangs covered her forehead, clearly needing a cut as she was constantly moving them from out of view of her eyes. Those same earth colored eyes were pointed in annoyance at the boy, but their gaze did not reach Percy. Percy decided she was not a person to push buttons with, even in the slightest. Already her temper radiated off of her like light from the sun.
Soon enough the kids were standing in the largest dining hall Percy had ever seen. Floating candles shed light into the grand room. At the head of the hall a stool was set it up. He wondered what that was for.
There were four very long table each decorated in different colors. Students obviously older than Percy and the other first years were already seated at these tables wearing pointed hats and ties the same colors as their respected table was decorated with.
Percy looked up to see the ceiling reflected the sky outside. It was dusk and the ceiling bore just a few wisps of pinks and purples in the darkening blue. The hall was more mesmerizing than even the outside of the castle.
At the front of the hall was an elegant table sitting what appeared to be the Hogwarts professors. At the head of the table sat a regal throne looking seat. A man with inky black curls winding on his head sat in the throne.
His outfit choice was highly questionable. The other teachers were seen wearing standard black robes are robes of subtle, dark colors such as dark grey or navy blue or even forest green. But this chubby little man with the round face of a child was clad in atrocious tiger print robes. The vibrant orange stood out like a light in the dark. It was too prominent to even try to ignore.
Did they even make tiger print robes?
A woman with shining golden hair that billowed on her shoulders came in and placed and old, tattered, brown hat on top of the stool at the head of the hall.
The man with the black hair and tiger robes lazily stood up and the buzzing of chatter in the hall died down to nothing. He held a silver goblet carelessly in his hand. His eyes were watery and brimmed with red. The man was drunk.
The man sighed in annoyance as if this was the last thing he wanted to do.
"Hello insolent children." The man said dryly.
Another man with a beard to his left gave him a look of warning.
The black haired man let out another little sigh towards the warning, but continued in slightly less irritation. If almost undetectable counted as slightly less. Still the man with the beard smiled a bit of a smug grin tha held the sens of accomplishment.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts. Or welcome to Hogwarts if you're new here." The man continued in that same dry, uncaring voice.
"It is a pleasure to have you all here." The most oblivious person would have been able to detect the sarcasm in his voice.
"I am your headmaster Dionysus. Call me Dionysus and I'll transfigure you very painfully into a dolphin." The words showed no trace of joking, sending an ice cold shiver down Percy's spine.
Professor Dionysus, probably as tall as Percy, did not seem like a threat. He was drunk and he spoke with a slight slur. But when he delivered that threat... It was clear not to underestimate him.
"Anyways you'll be sorted into a house... blah blah blah... And the sorting hat will take care of that. Professor Chiron will call your name or whatever." Professor Dionysus shrugged back into his seat and took a gulp from his goblet much too large to be respectable for a headmaster.
No wonder Grover said he's probably the worst headmaster ever. Percy would not doubt it.
Thinking of Grover, Percy glanced around the room until he found a familiar head of curly brown hair. Grover was seated with other kids at a table decorated in yellow and black. Grover wore a tie of the same colors that had not been on him on the train. Catching his eye, Percy gave hima small wave that Grover retaliated.
The man sitting to the left of Professor Dionysus did not stand up, but instead sat there politely with his chin tiled up just a little more. The professor did not have am ornate chair like the others. He must have been Professor Chiron. The same professor that was supposed to get Percy, but sent a 12 year old boy instead. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
He smiled warmly to the crowd of kids. His eyes were kind and filled with the wisdom of a person that has lived a thousands years and a thousands lives. Although, the man could not have been over middle age.
"Welcome students!" He said in a surprisingly booming voice. It was a nice booming, not angry or cocky, but booming in a more humble way as if he only wanted your attention to help you and not himself.
"We are to begin the sorting ceremony soon with our own sorting hat." He said fondly.
The kids at the tables cheered in delight.
"Let us begin with a song."
Suddenly the hat perked up and began singing. Percy was too stunned to see an inanimate object singing to actually take notice of what it was singing.
When the song was over Professor Chiron called a boy named Clovis Ardington to be sorted.
The plump boy with a head of thick blonde curls walked towards the stool with the hat. He stumbled a little in what appeared to be sleepiness as he could not contain a single of his yawns.
Once he reached the stool the hat was placed on his head by the woman that had brought it out.
It pondered on his for half a minute before shouting out "Hufflepuff!"
Percy remembered Pia Plumington was a Hufflepuff. He hoped Clovis would do the house justice.
After the first few people were sorted Percy's ADHD got the better of him. He was glancing aimlessly around the room while bouncing on the balls of his feet when a name caught his attention.
"Annabeth Chase." Professor Chiron said with a little more warmth than the other names had had.
Percy had never heard the name before, but it struck him as something important. He had no idea why.
Annabeth was a girl. She stood tall and proud with perfect posture. Her honey gold curls swept beautifully down her back. Annabeth was the one to tell Percy he drooled in his sleep.
She walked like a ballerina danced. With precision and purpose.
Percy had never seen a person sit so elegantly on a stool before.
The hat hardly even glimpsed her head when it shouted "Ravenclaw!"
She stood up with a smug grin and even straighter posture if it was possible. Annabeth already knew she was going to be in Ravenclaw and wasn't afraid to gloat about it.
Percy knew he'd never be in the house as Annabeth. Pia had said Ravenclaw was the house known for wit and intelligence. Intelligence would be the last thing Percy would identify himself with.
A few people after Annabeth had been sorted into Ravenclaw a girl with wild fiery red hair sat on the school.
Rachel Dare was her name.
Her green eyes shone with nervousness. She was so painfully obviously out of her element. Percy suspected she was muggle-born or so would Pia say.
The hat was placed on her head. It took her slightly longer than the rest of the students to be sorted. She was placed in Ravenclaw.
Percy couldn't help, but notice the absolute pure look of disgust on Annabeth's face when the red head was placed in the same house as her. He wondered why.
Ψ
Before Percy knew it his name had been called out by the professor.
Tentatively he walked to the stool. It was cooler than he thought it would be after so many kids sitting on it. He felt the leather hat placed on his head, also cooler than he thought it would be.
The most surprising thing though was when the hat talked to him, seeming to respond to his thoughts. Did it do that to the other kids?
"You do not think you will be a Ravenclaw, Percy?" it said.
Startled for only a second, Percy regained his composure and let out a snort.
"The day I get into the house known for intelligence is the day pigs fly." he replied to the hat.
"It is not as impossible as you think." The hat continued, "You are not as dumb as you think Perseus Jackson. You are cunning."
The way the hat said his name chilled him to the bone. No one ever called him by his full name like that. Not even his own mother.
"You are also brave." The hat told Percy.
Percy noticed he'd been at the stool longer than anyone else had.
"Cunning, brash, and brave. Loyal to a fault, but only to those that matter to you. You are deceitful sometimes you do not even recognize this. You value so much." The way the hat analyzed Percy like this was terrible. It knew him in ways it shouldn't.
"What house am I in? Can you please tell me already?" Percy tried to voice annoyance, but his small words quivered at the end.
"Ah, that is the question."
Percy sat there for a few other minutes. He heard whispers of hat stall. The longest one ever. He started to understand this wasn't normal.
Finally after what felt like an eternity plus another 1000 years the hat called out, "SLYTHERIN!"
Percy noticed not as many people cheered for him as they did for other people in other houses. Shrugging it off he made his way to the table dressed in emerald green and silver.
Taking a seat next to a boy with blonde hair and a nasty scar running down his face, Percy gave a small hello. Honestly, he just wanted to go unnoticed.
The boy he was sitting next to turned to him with a smile and offered his hand in greeting. Percy shook it and noticed the boy's eyes were blue like water.
"I'm Luke. Luke Castellan, seventh year prefect." The boy introduced himself.
"Percy Jackson." Percy mumbled.
The sandy haired boy threw his head back in laughter.
"I know who you are!" The grin on his face was immeasurable. "Longest hat stall in history they're saying! Well, I'm just glad they sorted you into Slytherin. Best house there is!"
Percy gave him an almost equal grin. It was nice to feel welcomed.
Another person turned to introduce themselves to Percy. This time it was girl with black hair worthy of a model and warm chocolate brown eyes.
Her hand was small and delicate in Percy's despite her being obviously older. Her handshake was surprisingly firm and strong. She wasn't someone to underestimate he decided.
"Silena Beauregard. Fifth year prefect." She smiled kindly at him.
Percy felt he could make great friends in this house. Although... he thought of Grover in Hufflepuff. Would their short friendship maintain? Percy certainly hoped so.
Soon the table was joined by the mischievous boy Percy arrived with. Somehow the house seemed a perfect fit for the boy.
"Travis Stoll." The boy said in a voice high for a boy.
Even his last name fit the boy flawlessly.
Ψ
"Alright newbies, follow me!" Luke said gleefully, leading the first years to their dorms and common room.
The castle was designed like a maze. Corridors twisted and turned randomly. Staircases moved against your will. It was like the castle wanted all of the students to get lost. The teachers could have at least provided the first years with a map.
Luke led them down a stairwell, explaining their common room was in the dungeon.
Percy didn't like it at all where they were going. He felt claustrophobic. His heart raced a little too fast and he had to force himself to swallow.
A hand wove itself into his own sweaty one. Silena was standing beside him, a gentle small smile on her face.
She gave his hand a squeeze.
"It's alright." She said soothingly.
Percy nodded. He felt his cheeks warming. How embarrassing was it to need someone to hold your hand just to walk somewhere?
The group stopped at a metal door. Green tinted lamps were hung up at each side, casting an almost sinister glow in the already dark pathway.
"Here we are!" Luke's cheery voice sounded so wrongfully out of place in the dank area.
Luke continued, "Now to get into the common room you have to know the password which will change weekly to prevent intruders. This weeks password is 'Nox Imperial'. If you forget don't hesitate to ask one of your housemates. Any questions and come to me or other prefects!"
The group entered the common room. Only one word could describe the place. Dark. There were dark leather sofas, dark wooden cupboards, skulls. Yet there was also some beauty. Tapestries that were so accurate and intricate they could be photographs hung on the walls depicting adventures and tales of other wizards. And the kids in the house. They were all so close. They were like a family.
"Why don't you guys take your stuff and get settled into your rooms before tomorrow." Silena suggested.
The group dispersed into the rooms and unpacked their belongings. Percy's bed was by Travis. He wasn't so sure that would be a good thing.
Ψ
The first day went well enough if you didn't include the part where Percy got lost to almost every single class.
Slytherins had classes with Ravenclaws and Percy started to take a disliking to Annabeth. She was snobbish, thinking she was smarter and better than even the others in her house. Her hand was raised for every question that was prompted and she never failed to give the correct answer.
That is until the classes that actual magic was used.
Percy was unfortunately seated by her in almost every class.
In Charms Percy learned Annabeth didn't handle someone being equal in skill to her well.
"You know," She started to say towards Percy.
He knew she was going to brag about something. She took pride on her intellect and loved to rub it in his face, even more once she learned his marks were poor and he was in Slytherin. Thought she didn't know he had dyslexia and could barely read teacher's handwriting and ADHD so couldn't even concentrate on trying to read the teacher's handwriting.
Annabeth continued, "I grew up in the wizard world because I'm pure-blooded. My mother has taught me lots of magic. I wouldn't be surprised if I was top of the class."
Percy rolled his eyes at her. She was prideful to a fault. There was nothing humble about the gray-eyed girl.
When the class started and they were learning how to levitate a feather, Percy surprised himself by getting it on the first time. He even levitated it before Annabeth.
That had earned him an annoyed glare from the girl.
In Flying the same thing happened.
The class all had to call "up" towards their broomstick and catch it as it floats up to them.
Percy and Annabeth got the broomstick to come to their hand at the same time. So much for her gloating.
Defense Against the Dark Arts, Percy decided, was his favorite class. The teacher, Professor Chiron, encouraged the students to do well and didn't look at Percy as though he had an IQ lower than that of a fish.
Annabeth seemed to have a father-daughter relationship with Professor Chiron. You could tell by the way he beamed proudly at her when she got something right. Only parents looked at their children in such a way.
What Percy wasn't expecting in the class was Professor Chiron being disabled. The man sat in a wheel chair, a plaid blanket covering his legs.
All through the class Annabeth sent hateful glares at Percy. He honestly didn't know what he did wrong. It wasn't his fault she couldn't be the best at everything. Besides, it'd be good for ego not to be at the top in a few of her classes.
Ψ
"She's awful. She always glares at me and I do nothing!" Percy exclaimed to a chuckling Luke.
It was dinnertime and the tables were filled with every food Percy could imagine. He grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and any blue food he could find. He was limited to eating a blueberry parfait, but the color reminded him of home.
"Aw, she's not bad once you get past her pride." Luke replied to Percy.
They were talking about Annabeth.
"Yea, like that's ever going to happen." Percy snorted.
Suddenly, Luke grew serious. It unnerved Percy the way his scar looked when he wasn't laughing. Like it told it's own story just by being there. Like it held all the dark secrets in the world. He suppressed a shiver.
"Seriously, Percy. Annabeth is like a little sister to me, give her a chance. She's... she's been through a lot" His eyes grew sad for a second, but quickly diminished. Luke went back to happily eating his chicken roast.
What was Luke talking about? Why did he seem so sad all of a sudden?
Percy wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answers to his questions.
Ψ
It was transfiguration and Percy and Annabeth were already in an argument.
The teacher tried calming the children down, but soon gave up. It was hopeless to get those two to stop arguing. The class would just have to wait it out.
"You idiot!" Annabeth had her wand pointed threateningly at Percy's nose.
"It was an accident!" Percy shouted with his hands in the air, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous she looked.
He had accidentally made her ears into the ears of a mouse. The ears combined with her cherry red face was a scene set for a TV show.
"Turn my ears back!" Her face went into a deeper red and her knuckles grew white.
"Why don't you if your so smart?" He mimicked her voice, unsuspectingly accurate.
"I do not sound like that!" A lock of golden curls fell from her prim ponytail.
"Sure you do, Wise Girl."
She stomped her foot in annoyance. By now the whole class was in a fit of giggles. The two didn't seem to even notice.
"If you don't I'll turn your brain into seaweed! Maybe you'll be smarter that way." She sneered at him.
"Oh boo-hoo. If you hadn't noticed, I don't really care about your ears!"
That was a lie. Already Percy felt twinges of guilt prodding at his stomach.
"You are such a Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth shouted before storming out of the room.
It was going to be a long year for both of them.