History of Magic class was droning on and on in an endless loop of boring and even more boring. Percy mindlessly looked out the large arched windows of the spacious and unamusing classroom. The outside was much more exciting than the teachings of Professor Mnemosyne's lecture about who knows what. Outside the wind danced through the bare branches of the almost leafless autumn trees and the sun sang bright behind puffy clouds of white with the promise of unseasonable warmth. Inside the most excitement was the squeaky and unpleasant voice of Professor Mnemosyne.
Percy eyes were tracing the path of a particularly large and glowing white bird when he heard a throat being cleared behind him.
He turned around to find the professor's dull, beady black eyes fixated on him like a hawk on a mouse. Deep crow's feet were evidently etched into her old and wrinkled skin that sagged sadly off her face. She stood so close to his desk that Percy could practically smell the odor of mothballs and musty perfume. She reminded him of the Wicked Witch of Grandmothers.
"Mr. Jackson, if you would, please tell the class of the eccentricities of Uric the Oddball." Her shrill voice grated on his ears like nails on a chalk bored. She sugar-coated her words in an attempt to cover up her annoyance, but she did not do it well enough.
Her fading orange hair hung lifelessly in a too tight bun marked with the grey streaks of age. The woman's small and scrawny frame was all but consumed in her large and blooming black robes. The out of style cat eye glasses she always wore slipped to the base of her nose making her face an even sterner complex of lines.
In that moment Percy truly disliked her. He hated to be called out on the spot like that; to be made a fool in a moment's notice. She reminded him of his horrible math teacher back in the Muggle world, Mrs. Dodds. They should get together and start an unnecessary hag club, he thought.
"Uh, well Professor, he um... He wore a funny hat. Oh, and slept with strange things!" The last part of Percy's answer earned a giggle from the rest of the class (well except for a certain Annabeth Chase).
A small frown formed on the professor's thin, tight lips. She really needed a new lipstick color, at the moment they were coated in a perky pink that made it look as if a bubble of bubblegum had popped right over them.
"Very well, Mr. Jackson. I suppose you are not incorrect, but next time please pay attention in class so you may recount specific details." Her voice was clipped and clearly irritated.
Percy sighed in relief, he had at least saved himself from maximum embarrassment.
Again the class went back to droning on about this wizard or witch and the next, and again Percy stared out the window as the professor's voice faded from his hearing.
When the class finally and thankfully ended and it was time to go, he felt his arm being gripped with a steely force.
The hand belonged to none other than Annabeth Chase. Honestly, Percy just wanted to go eat lunch.
"What do you want, Chase?" He asked in dramatic exasperation while peeling Annabeth's warm fingers from his wrist.
"Why don't you pay attention in class? You're a Slytherin, the house of ambition, but you don't apply yourself." She studied him with those grey eyes that were much too intelligent for an eleven year old. Her tone wasn't judging, but instead filled with a passionate curiosity like that of a scientist's.
Percy was a little taken aback at Annabeth calling him a Slytherin like that and did not reply right away until her face grew more intense in the waiting of an answer. Why was any of this her business in the first place? She had no right to ask such questions. Still, Percy found himself answering the Ravenclaw's question.
"I, uh, have ADHD. It makes hard to stay focused on things. Especially boring things." Percy rubbed his neck abashedly. He preferred to not make all of his somewhat private information known to the world.
Instead of making fun of him or pitying him, Annabeth gave a single nod as if he just confirmed something she already knew. Her face filled with satisfaction, the furrow in her eyebrows lessened and the intensity of her stare grew quiet.
Percy thought she'd say more, but all she did was turn around and walk off to what he presumed would be the dining hall with a fantastic swish of her dark cloak. It wasn't until after she left and Percy stared like an idiot down the hallway that he realized their conversation had been the first in weeks that didn't hold hostility or wasn't accompanied by shouting. He could get used to that.
Unfortunately, the small ounce of civility between the two did not last long. As Percy was making his way to the dining hall he couldn't help but glance out the windows once more to see the beautiful fall day that made his heart ache and leap for the outdoors. Although, it wasn't just a lake and grass he saw. Near the Forbidden Forest he swore that a certain blonde haired Ravenclaw was entering it's dense perimeter.
He shook his head in disbelief at the vision before him, at Annabeth sneaking into the forest with only a few glances around. Annabeth Chase didn't break rules. She was a goody two-shoes, no way would she enter the Forbidden Forest.
But he definitely saw her glittering french braid and impeccably straight and ironed robes.
What business did she have doing there? Students were not supposed to go in the Forbidden Forest, Professor Dionysus explained that somewhat at the feast in the beginning of the year in a sloppy, drunken slur. Percy didn't go against the rules set for him, he didn't want the attention if he did, but to see Annabeth Chase, Miss Pride and Perfectionist going against the rules... It was just too unrealistic.
But that person definitely bore a remarkable resemblance to the Ravenclaw.
Curiosity got the best of him and instead of going to the dining hall to get his long awaited lunch, Percy headed towards the outdoors. The Forbidden Forest loomed with the overhang of danger and malice. The trees themselves seemed to be grown from dark magic and watered in a ferocious poison. It was not a friendly place and why an okay eleven-year-old girl would even dare think of entering it, Percy could not fathom.
The dark barks textured the knotted trees in gruesome cracks and the thick, twisted branches shadowed the interior of the forest in a wash of black. Unfamiliar sounds shouted out from its misty surrounding and every creak and rustle lurked with the warning of harm.
A crawling shiver crept its way up and down Percy's spine all the way to the hollows of his bones.
Annabeth was nowhere in sight down the ruddy trails in the forest. It was like she had vanished into the forbidding abyss of mist. He would never admit it, but Percy grew concerned for the girl and her safety (even though he was fairly sure she could handle herself just alright).
He tread carefully on the muddy ground and finally found footprints of what he assumed was Annabeth. They were small and petite, which surprised Percy, who was a good two inches shorter than her, but had feet at least three sizes bigger. The footprints led even deeper into the forest where the trees grew closer together until they were on top of each other and where not even a shred or sparkle of light penetrated to the floor.
The footprints were sparse as if she had been flying and only touched the ground to give herself a bit of an extra boost. Percy thought that's how she walked all the time, weightless like a feather and drifting through the wind at a rapid pace so no one else could keep up. The footprints were just as much a mystery as Annabeth, providing enough information for an outline but not for details. It was funny how footprints could parallel the person creating them.
When the footprints seemed to finally stop Percy was perplexed to find himself in just an ordinary part of the forest. This part was just like all the others, creepy and crowded with that terribly opaque mist. What was so attractive about this to Annabeth?
Percy glanced around to see if he missed anything. There had to be at least one thing that would stand out, something of even the most minor significance that would force a bright and reasonable witch to break the rules.
He saw absolutely nothing. There were only trees and the surrounding, suffocating darkness that seemed to want to swallow him whole.
"What are you doing here?!" A hot and angry voice yelled at him from behind.
Percy must have jumped a mile in the air.
Behind him was none other than Annabeth Chase. Where had she come from? He swore there was no one in that section of the forest besides him. It was if she was invisible for the moments of his arrival and decided now to reappear unannounced.
On reaction Percy drew his cypress wooded wand towards the tip of Annabeth's nose in a menacing and threatening way. His heart still fluttered in his chest from the fright Annabeth had given him just a second ago.
"Take that wand away from my face." She demanded through gritted teeth.
Her face had taken a bright red, splotchy color. Her jaw was clenched so tight it was a wonder that she didn't shatter her teeth. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest and stood primly in annoyance and ire.
"What are you doing here?" Percy asked, lowering his wand, but not letting go of it. The forest made him jumpier, more on edge than he had ever felt at the school.
"What am I doing here?" Her voice was livid like it was a catastrophic mistake for Percy to ask such a simple question. Her hands balled into fists. She looked about ready to clobber Percy over his head and leave him to the savage beasts that held residence in the ominous forest.
"How did you get here? I was just looking around and you were no where in sight. Why are you even here in the first place? Do you have like a secret cult of werewolves out here or something? Is that why you hate me? Because I'm not a werewolf?" Percy's ADHD had taken over his whirring brain, sputtering out random nonsense that held little relevance to the argument.
Annabeth looked completely baffled by the strew of words that had just been flung from Percy's mouth. Her mouth hung dumbly open in a perplexed state. She shook her head as if to rid of her confusion.
"I'm sorry, what?" Her voice still held undeniable hostility and each syllable was as sharp as a piece of fractured glass.
Percy suddenly grew embarrassed of himself. His rambling made him feel foolish. Not that he'd let Annabeth know that.
"Uh, what are you doing here?" He asked sheepishly with a crooked grin, attempting to diffuse the growing argument.
He did the exact opposite.
"How dare you ask me that when you followed me here! I should be asking you the same! Why were you following me? And don't even try to deny it." She glared at him with the intensity of an open flame, her icy gray eyes brewing with a fierce and powerful storm.
"I was curious about what you were doing! You're not supposed to enter the Forbidden Forest, its breaking the rules. Rules shouldn't be broken!" Percy found his own voice taking higher volume. His previous attempt for renewed civility ended terribly. He could already feel a white-hot emotion flowing beneath his skin and around his heart.
"That logic is so backwards! You broke the rules to tell me I shouldn't be breaking the rules. I will certainly not tell you why I am here, seeing as it is none of your business." She gave her foot a stomp in stubbornness and whipped her head away from his view. Her actions were childish, but at the moment she did not care.
"Fine! Then I'll just be off." Percy was infinitely mad now. Annabeth was too much for him to handle. She was an annoying prick that couldn't even try to be the least bit nice to him. Yes, he had been snooping about Annabeth's whereabouts, but he had also grown concerned for her. Now he wouldn't care if a centaur attacked her.
Angrily, he marched off down the trail he had come. In the midst of muttering to himself he heard what sounded like a broken sob coming from the patch of trees Annabeth was still in.
Quiet as a stalking cat, Percy tiptoed his way to the area again, in the heart of the forest. He was all too careful not to misstep, to not create a creak or a snap or a crunch, to make sure his presence was unbeknownst to Annabeth.
Percy hid himself behind a black tree with a particularly large and round trunk. Its wood knotted in severe shapes and its lower branches spindled their way onto Percy's head with the sense of creepily thin and dead fingers. This forest was designed to bring to life the crawls and shivers of the night, it felt home to a malevolent source that could not be recuperated in a world filled with light. Percy wished he knew the spell to cast light.
Peering slightly over his shoulder he saw Annabeth's small frame slumped grievously against one of the many trees. Her body shook like a rattle accompanied by remorseful and heavy sobs. She had her hands delicately placed on the pitch bark of the tall and enormous tree. At that moment she was not an irritating girl that loved to argue and cause disruption in Percy's life, but a sad and almost pitiful one. Percy felt a sharp twinge of sympathy pierce through his heart like a javelin. Annabeth was so alone, hugging that tree like it was an old friend.
Cautiously Percy made his way from behind the tree to the point where he was visible for Annabeth to see. He felt the strong need to comfort her now, even though he had no clue how to do that. Did girls like hugs at times like this? Or maybe he should just listen to her talk? He was as clueless as a barbarian when it came to these things. But could you blame an eleven-year-old boy?
"Annabeth?" His voice was uneasy, unsure of what to say. He really should have gone back to the castle. Lunch was probably over already.
At the sound of his voice Annabeth sprang herself up and away from the tree. Her hands wildly wiped at her eyes erasing all traces of tears, though her face still remained flushed and her eyes still held a red tint around the rims.
"You were leaving!" She accused him. Her face twisted with her rage, her lips parted in a deranged snarl.
Percy's hands automatically flung into the air as if he was surrendering to Annabeth's shout.
"I-I heard you crying." Percy said nervously, not wanting to break the already shattered glass. He made his eyes wide and innocent as he did at home when his mother teasingly got mad at him. He prayed to whatever gods existed that his eyes would lessen Annabeth's powerful punch.
"I was not crying! And if I was it would be none of your business. NOW GET OUT!" She jabbed towards the exit of the forest and Percy was too afraid to disobey her loud command.
He practically sprinted out of the forest. He was not yet accustomed to Annabeth's extreme anger, especially when it was her pride that was wounded.
He felt himself out of breath by the time he made it to transfiguration class.
Ψ
Percy was seated next to Travis Stoll at breakfast the next morning. The boys were buffooning around with their food and drinks much to Silena's disgust. Percy had built a fortress from his mashed potatoes and Travis was currently trying to take it down through milk snorted from his nose. It was positively disgusting and immature, but the boys laughed like hyenas at a circus.
"Do it again!" Percy breathed out through his fit of laughter. His face was bright, tomato red.
Travis slurped up some more of his chocolate milk and squirted it out at the mushy pile of mashed potatoes already soaked in liquid.
The boys cracked up again, clutching their stomachs. Silena passed them a spiteful and dirty look. Her button nose scrunched up in repulse and her dark ebony ponytail swished as she turned her head away from the edible disaster.
"That is the grossest thing ever." Her distaste was excessive.
"Oh lighten up Silena." Luke said with a cheeky grin, slinging his arm playfully across her shoulders.
She took his tanned arm off hers with a milky white hand, allowing it to fall to his side.
"Hands off Castellan. I'm taken." She said with a dreamy sideways glance to the Gryffindor table.
Luke let out a good-hearted chuckle. His white and jagged scar looked a lot less sinister when he was laughing. Percy thought that scar portrayed more of Luke's emotions than anything else about him. He wondered how he had gotten it, not that he'd be rude enough to ask.
Silena raised her hand and waved at a burly boy. He waved back with his strong arms, shadowed underneath his black robes. His grin was gleeful and she let out a lovesick giggle when he gave her a flirtatious and humorous wink. She felt intoxicated just by the mere sight of him, her insides rumbled with joy and she longed for him to wrap his arm around her.
"Isn't Charlie just the best?" She sang happily, completed with a content sigh.
"Oh yea, Charlie is the best ever. Great kisser too." Luke snickered.
Silena swat at his arm with her manicured hand.
"Only I get to call him Charlie." She said with a playful glare.
The two went on with their teasing fight like brother and sister. Percy tuned them out when he saw a flock of owls coming towards the grand windows. In the midst of all the owls Percy spotted Blackjack, sleek and inky dark amongst the browns and whites of the others. She was a true beauty and carried with her a long rectangular box wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. The gift wrap seemed a little out of season.
Blackjack landed gracefully on the small section of the table that wasn't littered with food. She cooed when she saw Percy and dropped the gift in front of him. Percy pet her head as she rubbed her feathers against his warm hand.
"What do you have for me, Blackjack?" Percy asked in a silly voice to the owl.
He took the rectangular box and shook it like he did with all his presents.
By now the other Slytherins were looking at him expectantly, waiting to find out what Percy had received.
"Well open it." Luke said with a grin wider than anyone else.
Percy shred the wrapping paper off of the box. The Christmas themed paper was strewn all over the table and squashed Percy and Travis' food travesty.
Percy lifted the top of the box. Inside was the most beautiful broom he had ever seen. The wood was dark and sleek with no knots. The bristles mirrored the color of the handle and gold patterns wove intricate designs in it.
"That's a Shoewing 2000! They're one of the most expensive kind of brooms." Travis said, eyes wide with awe. He looked as if he had just witnessed a miracle.
"Who's it from?" Percy asked, turning over the box and sorting through the paper to find some kind of name.
"Yours truly." Luke said with a bow of his head.
"Luke! Man, you didn't have to get me this. I'm just learning how to fly." Percy said though a ecstatic grin hung on his lips.
"It was the least I could do. My... father," His words seemed to hesitate and harden a little when saying this, "He got a couple for really cheap. I know you don't come from a wizard family, so I thought I'd give you a broom. It really wasn't much of a trouble. Besides I won't be here next year, consider it an early goodbye present." Luke plastered a smile on his face. It didn't seem to reach his eyes. Or his scar.
With another 'thank you' from Percy and some jealous ooing and ahing from the other kids, they went back to eating. Travis snorted more milk through his nose and Percy laughed a chuckle filled with even brighter joy. Silena made googly eyes a Beckendorf while he tossed her the occasional wink. No one noticed how quiet Luke had grown or how his blue eyes stormed over. No one noticed the sharp edges of his scar that always told the most about him.