Percy Jackson Collection

by bookwormx10

Hey! So this is just a collection of all the PJO fics I've written. Some are multi chapter and some are one-shots. (also please note the multi chapter stories featured are incomplete)

10. Percy Jackson and the Wizarding World

The cake sat tauntingly on the kitchen counter top, marked with eleven candles and frosted with blue. Its delicious sweetness could almost be seen radiating off in sugar scented waves. Percy Jackson licked his lips in anticipation; soon his mother would be in to light the candles and sing happy birthday, then he'd be able to eat the confectionery delicacy. His stomach growled and his taste buds tingled, all ready for a bite of one of Sally Jackson's cakes.

He hoped so badly for nothing odd to happen this day. For as long as he could remember Percy Jackson was always a source for bizarre occurrences. First it was the strange people in brightly assorted robes that had always appeared at his schools when he was younger. Then it was field trips constantly going wrong.

Percy shuddered when he thought of the aquarium incident. It started off as a nice class trip, but then they got to the shark exhibit. He didn't mean to do anything, all he wanted was to get a closer look at the sharks and the floor seemed to suddenly disappear. The workers said he had hit into a lever that made the floor retract over the waters and needless to say Percy did not return to that school the next year.

But today, today had to be perfect. No weird happenings were allowed on this warm August day. Percy Jackson was eleven today and had the whole day just to him, his mother, and one of her famous blue cakes. Gabe was at work, nowhere near enough to bother him. Today was going to be great.

"Percy," Sally Jackson called from the living room. "You better not be eating that cake. You know it's for later."

"I know, mom!" He shouted back. He didn't need to shout as loud as he did. The home he lived in was quite small with only one level, two bedrooms, a just barely functioning bathroom, and a small living room and kitchen.

Still, the cake sat there just as luring as before. Maybe if he asked nicely, Sally would let them have cake before lunch. He could ask for it as a birthday favor.

"Mom," He said with a slight hesitation, he didn't want his mom getting upset with him. "Would it be alright if we had cake now?" Not once did his eyes leave the butter cream swirls.

Sally gave a small chuckle and entered the kitchen with a smile on her face and some flour in her brow. "I suppose that would be just fine." She said looking at her only son entranced by the dessert.

Percy's face lit up. How could he think his mom would ever be upset with him?

"Let me just go get some matches to light the candles." Sally said walking over to a cabinet.

When Sally returned to the kitchen counter top that Percy was huddled around she stroke a match on the side of the box to begin lighting the eleven candles. Only the match didn't light. She took another one out and tried again. Just like last time nothing happened.

Like children of his age, Percy was becoming impatient. How long does it take to light a match? He glanced around the kitchen for a quick second in a bit of annoyance, but was startled to see that when he looked back at the cake all the candles were now lit. That was very, very fast.

Sally eyed Percy in a way he'd never seen before. It seemed to be a mix of worry, suspicion, and dread. Though the look soon faded into a bright grin as she started to sing "Happy Birthday" to Percy.

When he closed his eyes to make wish, he stopped short. What did he want? There was so much he could wish for; for his mom to leave Gabe, for his family to have more money, for him to actually do well in school for once. He decided on something that covered all those areas. Percy wished for his life to go right and blew out the candles.

Ψ

The day had started out terrible. Thunderstorms rolled in in endless waves. The heavy rain, foreboding gray skies, and perilous lightning diminished all chances of going outside. So for the whole of the day, Percy Jackson was stuck inside with his smelly step father and his smoking, drinking, and poker games. So much for the wish he made just a few days ago.

"Hey, punk." Gabe called to Percy in a sloppy slur.

"What do you want?" Percy said already irritated by Gabe's small thread of a voice.

"Are you giving me attitude?" Gabe asked menacingly.

Without meaning to, Percy's whole body tensed. He still remember the last time he gave Gabe "attitude". Let's just say Percy Jackson wasn't a stranger to concealer.

"No, sir." He mumbled.

"Don't frickin' mumble kid," Gabe snarled. "Get over here and give me some money."

Now Sally had heard Gabe demanding for money, she felt it was time to intervene. "Gabe, sweetie," She said with the beginning of a cringe. "Percy's only a child. He doesn't have money to give you."

Gabe grunted in response. "Just go back to making your bean dip, Sally." Sally flinched a little when he ordered her around, but didn't argue.

Turning his attention back to Percy, Gabe asked, "Now why don't you have money? Huh, punk? There's absolutely no reason for you not to have a job by now."

Percy snorted, "Yea except maybe child labor laws."

Once the words were out of his mouth, he instantly regretted them. Sally glanced at her son with eyes wide in fear. Gabe made his way up to Percy, grabbing him roughly by the collar of his shirt.

"Do you think you're funny, punk?" Gabe spat in Percy's face.

"N-no, sir." Percy cursed himself for stuttering.

"Don't stutter when you talk to me." Gabe said pulling Percy closer to him in a threatening stance.

"Gabe! That is enough." Sally yelled out.

With a glare as venomous as a snake's, Sally quickly quieted. "Now," Gabe started at Percy. "Why don't you just go outside and get out of my way?"

Percy didn't have it in him to argue that it was raining cats and dogs out and he'd get soaked to the bone. He marched himself out the front door onto the cement steps.

Luckily, a small awning covered most of the steps, so when Percy sat down most of his body remained dry. However, he did feel something crinkle beneath him. Curiously, he stood up to see what he had sat on.

It looked like a letter. Picking it up suspiciously, Percy saw it was addressed to him. Against better judgment, Percy reentered his house to open the mysterious letter wit his mother.

Gabe didn't miss a beat, "Did I say you could come back inside?" He said once Percy had only a toe through the door.

Ignoring the man, Percy called out to his mother. "Mom! I got a letter."

Apparently not getting the memo, Gabe sneered at Percy. "Are you dumb or just stupid? It's Sunday. You don't get mail on Sundays." Gabe's poker buddies laughed with him.

Percy was about to retort with dumb and stupid were the same things, but saw his mom entering the room. She wore the same face that had been on her on Percy's birthday. That look of worry, suspicion, and dread.

"A letter?" She asked cautiously.

"Don't feed into his lies, Sally." Gabe said up to her.

Like her son, Sally ignored Gabe too. For an unknown reason, the letter seemed much more important than any of Gabe's threatening taunts.

"Yea, a letter."

Sally made her way over to the raven haired boy. "Well let's open it then."

Percy of course noticed the tension in her voice. Why was his mother so worried about a letter?

Breaking open the red seal, Percy pulled out a cream colored piece of paper. The letter looked very official, like a school's. But why would any school want Percy Jackson as one of their students? He had a record to last him a lifetime.

Reading the contents, Percy's confusion replaced his previous suspicion. It was like any other school letter. There was an introductory and then a list of required materials. Only this letter spoke of witches and wizards and all first year students required wands instead of notebooks.

"Mom? What is this?" Percy asked, wondering if this was some kind of prank. Though if it was a prank, why was his mother so nervous?

"Percy, I should tell you something." Her eyes couldn't hold onto one spot for long. Guilt consumed all other features.

"What is it?" His voice strained.

"Not here. Let's go outside."

The pair rushed out the door in a way that alarmed Percy. Once out the door and onto the cement steps, rain splattering on their clothes, Sally took in a deep breath before looking directly into her son's sea green eyes.

"Percy," She started. "You're a wizard."

CHAPTER 2

Percy stared at his mother incredulously, mouth agape in a small 'o' and eyes glazed in a thin coat of shell-shock.

"I know," Sally said kind and soft with a smile to match. "It doesn't seem true. Or possible"

Well of course it doesn't seem true. Here was his rather sensible mother, telling him that he was a creature of magical being. A wizard. An apprentice of magic. Good for nothing Percy Jackson with his ADHD and dyslexia something that was so wonderfully impossible.

He could almost snort in response. Almost. The way his mother looked at him with a ferocious sincerity. Her gentle voice that showed no trace of malice. Unwavering words that couldn't possibly hold one wrong word much less a whole lie.

"Mom," He started slowly, unsure. "Mom, there's no such thing as wizards. Magic can't exist. It's not possible." But even as he said the words, he couldn't fully believe them. His voice faulted noticeably.

"Percy your father..." Sally said in a strangely strangled voice. Her eyes started to pool a little in the glistening preparation of tears. She was going to cry.

Percy had always felt uncomfortable when his mother cried. Wanting to step away from the sensitive topic Percy took his mother's hand as he did when he was a small child.

"We don't have to talk about him Mom."

In response she smiled to him. A warm, sad smile that contradicted itself.

"I wish we didn't, but we do."

"Why?" He could feel in his own voice the pleading for answers.

As Sally opened her mouth to respond to her son's question a hideous shout came from inside the house.

"Sally! Get back inside! I need some more beer." Gabe yelled.

She wore a defeated, tired look on her face. The lines the etched her forehead became deeper. Grays in her long brown hair became more populous.

"Just a minute, honey." Sally replied placidly back, even though her face was contorted in a way as if she'd been asked to eat something disgusting.

"Why do you put up with him?" Percy asked, suddenly growing angry. Squeezing his fists into tight balls, knuckles turning white, Percy was about ready to teach Gabe a lesson.

A small hand was placed on his tensed shoulder. "Now's not the time." Sally looked at Percy hoping he'd see the understanding in her eyes.

By the way his body relaxed, he did. He stood there expectant, waiting for more of their previous conversation.

"Percy," Sally faulted, not sure how to word her next statement. "Was... Is a wizard like you."

Taken slightly aback he did not speak for sometime.

"He was a wizard like me?"

Sally nodded.

"Wait..." Percy said baffled. "You said is. He is a wizard. I thought my father was lost at sea."

Sally looked down at the ground, but then back in her son's green eyes. The same eyes as his father. "Percy your father is not lost at sea. He never was. He's alive, but in a different type of world."

"He was alive this whole time!" Percy shouted unable to keep the growing rage inside of him.

"Percy you have to understand. He loved, loves, you and I both very much, but he's in a compromising position. Your father, Poseidon, is a very powerful wizard. If he were to ever see you it'd endanger you gravely."

"Endanger me!" Percy said, furious beyond belief. "I'm already endangered living with that sleaze ball Gabe! And now you're telling me that my father has been alive and could have helped us." He simmered, his skin felt hot and his adrenaline pumped. Anger was encompassing him.

"Percy, please try to understand. It's not his fault. He's only did what he thought was best for the family."

Percy snorted on the word family, but kept any other comments to himself for his mother's sake.

"I still don't believe in this whole 'magic' thing." Percy muttered stubbornly.

Sally gave her son a look. "Do you really not?"

Percy averted looking her in the eye and tugged at the sleeve of his shirt.

"No." He said. It was a simple word, but even the one syllable held a slight quaver.

"Then explain all those weird things that have always happened to you."

Percy thought back to the aquarium. The way the floor had disappeared... He knew he hadn't hit into a lever. Looking up into his mom's blue eyes, she was able to see the belief in his green ones.

"I know it's hard to accept, but I'll call up an old friend to take you into Diagon Alley to get your supplies." Sally said. "I'll also have you stay somewhere until the school year starts up again in September."

Percy, with a confused look evidently displayed on his face, was going to say something, but was interrupted by another shriek.

"SALLY!" The pair heard coming yet again from the inside of the house.

Sally heaved a small sigh.

"We'll talk more tonight. I promise." She said, then placed a mother's kiss on top of her son's head before returning inside.

Ψ

It wasn't until late into the night when the rain had stopped and the clouds broke to make way for the twinkle of the stars thousands and thousands of miles away. At this time Gabe had gone to bed and Sally rested gratefully on the smoke scented brown couch in the living room. Today had been more tiring than usual despite not having work.

Percy crept out from his room when he was sure he was in the clear. Gabe's obnoxious snoring could be heard echoing from all the walls in the house.

"Mom?" He called out when he saw his mother's figure sitting on the couch.

Sally opened her eyes to see her son standing only a little behind her. She patted the seat next to her.

"Come, sit." She said with exhaustion laced in every word, every breath.

When Percy did sit he tried not to gag on the overwhelming scent of cigarettes. There was a faint trace of a stain where he sat, probably from spilled beer. Gabe had really left his mark on everything.

"You said that we would talk."

With a small nod she began, "Yes I did."

The way she trailed slightly at the end indicated there was more to say. Percy knew his mother too well not to catch this. Sally knew her son too well to know he didn't miss it.

"What is it?" Percy asked carefully.

"I only know so much, which is not a lot." It sounded a little like a surrender, but what she was surrendering too, Percy did not know.

"You said something about Diagon Alley? And spending the rest of the summer somewhere else?"

Sally gave her son a shake of her head.

"Let's not start there. I need to explain some things first."

"Okay." He said looking down. Still he tugged at his sleeve in a nervous manner.

"In this world there's another world, the wizarding world."

"With witches and stuff, right?"

"Yes, with witches and stuff." Sally laughed lightly. "There's also schools to teach young wizards, like yourself, and witches the different aspects of being a wizard. I don't know much about these schools, though Hogwarts is one and that you are not allowed to magic outside of school until you are of age."

Percy gulped. Would he get in trouble for the aquarium? The candles? He hadn't even started school and already he did something to screw up.

"Percy, there's something else..." Sally looked terribly nervous. Percy saw the way she was biting her lip and picking at the skin around her thumb.

A fragile silence fell between the two. One wrong word and everything would shatter into sharp shards of broken glass.

"It has to do a little bit with your father again."

Percy's insides grew hot as a raging forest fire. His lips drew themselves into a thin white line. His jaw clenched tighter than he knew possible, tight enough to cause an almost overwhelming sense of pain. He did nothing to loosen this. Still he did not cry out in rage as he did previously. The sight of him was almost frightening, an eleven year should not be capable of such a controlled form of anger.

"He's not my father, he abandoned us." He said eerily calm with only a trace of bitterness.

"Percy, please. I'm trying to explain to you." Sally tried to catch her son's gaze, but he wouldn't allow himself to look at her.

"I don't need explaining to know he's not here."

"You have to understand, Percy. Not all wizards are good." Sally's voice was growing weary, she only wanted to help her son understand.

When silence responded to her, she just continued. "Poseidon, your father, he's a very powerful wizard. He works in the Ministry of Magic, a very high place to work indeed."

Percy finally snapped, if just a little. Hotly he said, "I don't need to know of his success!"

His breaths started to come a little too fast, a little too ragged. Sally placed a calming hand on her son's shaking, tense shoulder.

"Him and other wizards have helped to bring down some of the darkest wizards, but there are still others. They hate your father. If they were to ever know of you or your parentage..." Her voice broke. She couldn't imagine her son anyway but living.

Percy's breath started to even out a little more. In a quiet voice, almost as small as a whisper, he said, "So he really was just protecting us?"

"Yes."

"But what is 'Diagon Alley'? And you were talking about sending me away before school." Percy's eyebrows knitted in perplex.

"Diagon Alley is in the wizard world, it's where you'll get all your supplies. As for sending you away... Well you have to understand it's not going to be safe for you to be here with your powers developing. Especially with Gabe around."

Percy was about to point out that it wasn't safe with Gabe around period, but thought better of it. Instead he asked, "Where would I go?"

"I'm going to call up a friend. Chiron."

ψ

An hour later Percy had his bag packed and was waiting by the front door to be picked up and leave his mom until the next summer.

"Are you sure I can't come home for Christmas?" Percy looked at his mom pleadingly.

Sally just sadly shook her head, "No, Percy. I'll have everything sorted out by summer, but if Gabe's still here you know you can't."

Percy glumly nodded his head. He understood. He really did, but that didn't make it any less disheartening.

The minutes ticked by filled with only mundane idle talk. It was nearly one in the morning when a hesitant knock came from the door.

Before he opened the door, Percy looked back at his mother.

"Do I really have to go right now? Why can't I just wait till the end of summer?" Percy asked desperately, after all he was just a kid.

Sally gave him a look filled with love only a mother could give.

"You know it would end bad if you did."

Another knock came and this time Percy did open the door. In front of them stood a boy about a year older than Percy himself. He had a hint of a scraggly beard on his chin. He wore green robes and a... Rasta hat? Brown, wild curls poked out from underneath the cap.

"Hi," The boy said nervously.

Sally gave him a confused look.

"I'm sorry," She said. "But we were expecting someone else."

"Oh!" The boy exclaimed as if he just remembered something. "I'm Grover. Grover Underwood. I'll be in my second year at Hogwarts this year."

Sally didn't look any less confused.

"That's nice..." She said unsure.

"Oh!" Grover exclaimed again. "I came in place of Chiron. Since it was such a short notice call he wasn't available." He then looked right at Percy. "I'm guessing you're who I came for?"

Percy replied with a nod.

"Well we better get going then! We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow and we'll need all the rest we can get." Grover exclaimed enthusiastically.

Percy turned to his mom to give her a hug.

"I guess I'll see you at the end of the year." Percy croaked.

"It'll be different next year. I promise." Sally replied, hugging him even tighter.

"I'm ready." Percy said, turning to Grover.

With that the two young wizard began their walk down Percy's street and to the train station. It was a short walk, but felt like an eternity. In just one night Percy's life had been flipped inside out. He hardly noticed Grover's babble about enchiladas.

CHAPTER 3

Tomorrow seemed to come in a heartbeat for Percy. He wasn't sure where he was, only that he'd be staying at the peculiar place until September 1st.

The place was creaky. Dark wooden floors covered what appeared to be an inn. All of the walls were painted a chilly, stone gray that caused a weariness most commonly seen on a retired soldier. A musty old smell, such as the one of ancient books filled the place with a surprisingly pleasant aroma. The whole building seemed to have relaxed itself into a slumped position on top of the hill it was founded on.

Yet strangest of all was the clientele. People in purple, pink, and green robes sat at uneven tables. Women and men in pointed hats could be found drinking mugs of a particular frothy drink.

In the dark, dewy inn Percy couldn't help but feel something so utterly whimsical that being a wizard didn't seem like such an absurd idea anymore. Grover stayed in a room opposite of him and woke him up just as the sky was sparking reds and yellows.

"Uhhhh..." Percy groaned as the older boy shook him awake.

"Come on, Percy. We've got a lot to do today." Grover whined, shaking Percy harder.

"Five more minutes, mom." Percy mumbled as he buried his face into the lumpy pillow and snuggled further down into the quilt.

Grover laughed in response. It was strange, almost like a goat's bleat. That was when Percy realized his mistake, his mom definitely did not bleat.

Bleary eyed, Percy turned on his side to see the same curly haired boy who had been at his front door just last night. Grover didn't even pretend to not notice the disappointment in Percy's eyes.

"I know I'm not your mom and that you're probably missing her, but we really do have a lot to do today." Grover said a little bit nervously.

Sensing Grover's anxiousness, Percy slowly got out of the bed. It was the least he could do.

Grover sighed in relief. He had already started to worry about not being able to get everything done today. It was already dangerous as it was having Percy going freely into the wizard world, but if they had to do it twice... Well Grover already knew what happened to the children of powerful wizards and Percy was a clear relative of Poseidon.

"I'll just leave you to get ready." Grover said somewhat awkwardly before leaving the room, now bathed in the early rays of sunlight.

Percy glanced around the room looking for the suitcase packed with his clothes, toothbrush, and blue plastic hairbrush before remembering he had put it under the bed the night before.

Tugging the brown thing by its worn out leather handle, Percy brought it out into the daylight and unlatched it open.

Inside he pulled out a basic green tee and a pair of fading blue jeans. Taking off the nights previous clothes, he found the new ones refreshing and a soft reminder of home.

Home.

He wouldn't be there again until next summer. It'd be his first Christmas without his mom. His first Christmas not making cookies in their cramped kitchen. His first mother's day without bringing his mom flowers or making her a card in school.

As he pulled on his sneakers, he brushed a stray tear from his face. So much had happened in the past twenty four hours that it all became a little too overwhelming.

Not realizing that quite a bit of time had past, he was surprised to hear a knock at his door and a muffled voice shortly followed.

"Percy, it's been twenty minutes. Are you almost done?" Grover asked from outside of the room.

"Yea, just a minute." Percy shouted back.

He raced to brush his teeth in the bathroom conjoined to his bedroom and tried, ineffectively to brush his hair down.

In another two minutes Percy was out the door and facing Grover. Grover eyed Percy's attire in slight distaste.

Thinking he had a stain on his shirt or something of the sorts Percy asked, "What? What is it?"

Grover shook his head.

"Nothing... You just look a little out of place." Grover replied, now eyeing the jeans.

Percy then noticed how Grover wasn't wearing normal clothes, but instead had on a funny yellow robe and a hat to match. In fact, he almost looked a little formal in the get up.

"Oh well, I'm ready to go..." Percy trailed off, suddenly conscious of just how ridiculous he looked in the old, mesmerizing inn with his much too modern attire.

Grover perked up a little and said excitedly, "Right! Off to Diagon Alley. Lots of supplies to get."

Percy, still confused as to what Diagon Alley was, followed the other boy out of the inn and through various twists and turns of roads. Percy couldn't tell you which way they had gone as he didn't so much as pay a lick of attention as to where they were going and the twists they were taking.

Like magic, the boys were now standing on a street bursting with colorful people and even more colorful shops.

He saw signs for all different stores... Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Flourish and Blotts. It was stunningly amazing, as if a page from a storybook had been brought to life. The street they were on had lived up to it's name, it truly was diagonal!

Store windows were filled with all different kinds of wacky objects and oddities. An ad was sponsoring the new Firebolt 3000. In another cauldrons were artfully displayed in beautiful rows of coppers, golds, silvers, and brass. One particular shop had a window so filled with a series of vibrant candies that Percy's mouth watered just glimpsing at it.

Grover seemed unfazed by the sight and even slightly annoyed at the others going about them. He was looking at the supply list that came with Percy's letter.

"I think we should go to Ollivanders first." Grover said looking at Percy.

"Ollivanders?"

"To get your wand." Grover said it like it was the simplest and obvious thing in the world.

"Right..." This magical nonsense was starting to give Percy a headache.

"Follow me. I'll take you there." Grover beckoned Percy with a motion of his hand.

A few minutes later and lots of shoving past people, the two boys arrived in front of a narrow, shabby shop. Nothing appeared to be significant about it except a faded gold sign reading "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."

"This is the best place to get your wand. I got mine here." Grover said with a smile, before pulling out what appeared to be a wooden stick

Percy saw that the wand was made of a lighter shade of wood with an intricate design on it. Grover beamed at it as if it was made of solid gold and encrusted with diamonds.

"Chestnut wood, eleven inches, unicorn hair." Grover said proudly.

Percy scrunched his eyebrows together, unsure what Grover was talking about.

"My wand." Grover said as if that explained everything.

Seeing Percy's still perplexed face, Grover elaborated.

"You see," Grover started. "Every wand is made with a different wood and core, and are different lengths. The wood types very all over the place from apple to oak to elm. Then there's the core of the wand, which is generally unicorn hair, dragon heartstring, or more uncommonly phoenix feather."

"Oh...okay." Percy nodded as if he understood all of what was just said.

Grover nudged Percy towards the rickety door.

"Well go on." He said with a hardly contained grin.

What was so great about getting a wand? It wasn't as if Percy had won the lottery and was now collecting his millions.

"You're not going with me?" Percy teetered on his feet, shifting his weight back and forth.

Grover shook his head.

"Nope. I'm going to get you your books. It might take you a while in there."

"Oh, well thanks. I guess."

"Yea of course. I'll meet you back here when I'm done."

Grover headed down the twisted street. Before he could get far, Percy shouted out to him.

"Wait!" He said.

Grover turned his head around, to see what was wrong. Percy's face had tinted itself a delicate shade of pink and his hands were shoved into his front pockets.

"I... uh..." Percy stammered as he face turned a bright shade of red.

"Yes?"

"I don't have any money." Percy mumbled almost inaudibly.

Grover bleated.

"Hey! Don't laugh. It's not funny!" Percy fumed, crossing his arms over his chest in a defensive position.

Grover walked over to the red faced, inked hair boy.

"No, no. That's not what I meant by it." Grover said with a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Well it sure sounded it." Percy said tersely, arms still crossed in front of his body.

"No, really. Your money wouldn't do squat here."

Percy's confusion deepened.

"Here." Grover said handing Percy a fistful of metal coins.

Hesitantly taking the strange coins, Percy asked, "What are these?"

"Money!" Grover said with that same grin, but no longer as stupid than it was friendly.

Percy started to think that Grover was a real loon.

"See, these ones," Grover said pointing to a sparse few gold coins. "They're called galleons. They're the most valuable."

Percy nodded, understanding a slight more.

"And these," Grover continued, now pointing to the silver coins. "These ones are sickles. 17 sickles make one galleon.

"And the bronze ones are knuts. Knuts are the least valuable. Twenty-nine of them make one sickle and 493 make one galleon."

"Um, Grover." Percy said.

"Yea?"

"How am I gonna pay you back?" Percy's face started to pale instead of reddening this time.

Grover dismally waved a hand and said, "Don't worry about it. Professor Chiron gave all this to me to help you buy your school stuff. I mean, we weren't exactly expecting you to have just a bunch of galleons on hand." Grover finished with a light chuckle.

"Oh, thanks." Percy shot him a sheepish grin.

"Well I better be off then!" Grover said waving good bye and continuing on his previous path.

Percy was left all alone now. Sure, there was the occasional person dressed in indigo that passed by the small shop, but there was no one truly with Percy. He heaved a breath then made his way towards the door.

Upon opening the door, a chilled breeze came from inside the shop and swept over Percy, messing his hair even more. The room he stood in was brimming with narrow boxes set everywhere and anywhere. It appeared that there was thousands and thousands of these boxes. The only thing that there was more of than the boxes was dust. Dust seemed to coat the store like a finish on a wooden table. Percy himself could feel the dust already starting to cover him.

A person of tall height stood behind a teetering desk, back facing towards Percy. He could see that the person was most likely a woman. She had long, billowing hair that shimmered in the small waves of light coming from the windows. It was dark, dark hair the color of ebony and blacker than the deepest depths of the ocean.

On her she wore a fantasizing white robe, webbed with silver designs. Percy suspected she was a very attractive lady.

"Hello." The woman said in a surprisingly scratchy voice.

Her voice sounded almost as old as the inn Percy was staying at. It did nothing, but create an unease in the pit of his stomach. This woman was not what she looked like.

"Hi. I'm here to get a wand." Percy said innocently enough.

The dark haired woman turned herself around. Percy could now see her face.

Her skin was as pale as death and looked as if all warmth had been drained from it. Her eyes were the color of coal, not allowing her pupil to be easily seen. Her lips were a surprising pink. They were light as a fresh spring blossom.

"Oh, are you?" She sneered in her horrid scratchy voice.

Now, Percy was feeling impatient. It'd been a long night and even longer day. He barely remembered the difference between a knut and a sickle and he still was trying to comprehend that magic existed. He didn't have the patience for this rudeness.

"Just let me get a wand so I can get out of here." He snapped at the woman.

But now she was no longer dark haired or even wearing white robes. Now the lady had honey blonde hair, set in a ponytail and wore a sleeves black gown that pooled off her like ink. The only thing that remained were her soft pink lips, dark eyes, and that unsettling pale skin.

The woman smirked as Percy blinked to see if he was seeing right. Unfortunately, he was. Had he just imagined the black hair and white robe? No, he was positive that's what she looked like when he walked in. Was it a different woman? No, that color skin could not belong to anyone else.

"Now, child," She said almost sinister, voice echoing off of itself. "Weren't you taught to respect your elders?"

Although she gave off a frightening aura, Percy didn't so much as feel a little shaken. He was now just more annoyed.

"Cut with the crap and give me a wand." Percy said, walking over to a spindly chair in front of the desk and sat down.

Rage flashed in her black irises, but quickly vanished.

"One moment, please." She said icily cool.

The woman walked carefully around the shop inspecting all of the narrow boxes before choosing one. In it she pulled out what must have been a wand. The wood of this wand was dark like the lady's hair when Percy had walked in. It was big contrast to Grover's light wooded wand.

She walked over to Percy, still sitting in the chair.

"Here try this." She said handing the stick over to Percy.

He felt that it had lots of bumps near the top and was perfectly smooth at the bottom. There were no intricate patterns as there had been on Grover's chestnut wand.

"What do I do with it?" Percy asked, holding the wand still in his hand.

The woman sighed, clearly irked by the boy's ignorance.

"Just give it a wave."

So Percy did. It sent dozens of boxes across the room and into the wall.

Hecate shook her head.

"Blackthorn is not for you. It was close though." She said taking the wand back and looking for another one to give Percy.

This time she gave Percy a wand that was a lighter shade than the first. It was slightly longer with whorls and swirls going down it.

Percy felt a tingling warmth as he held it. A slow smiled crept onto the woman's face.

"Give it a wave." She said in command.

He did. This time the boxes of wands gently eased themselves back into their previous places.

A huge grin transformed itself onto Percy's face. He had done magic. Actual real life magic.

"What kind of wand is it?" Percy asked, looking expectantly at the shop's owner.

"Cypress, a dragon heartstring core, 11 and ¾ inches." She stated

He noticed that the woman was looking at him curiously.

"What?" He asked, suddenly nervous.

"It is said that a wizard or witch owning a cypress wand will die a heroic death. These wands like people who are bold and brave, self-sacrificing."

"That doesn't sound bad." Percy said, but then why was he suddenly so stricken with fear?

"And dragon heartstring," The lady continued. "Can be very powerful. Although, it can be easily turned to the Dark Arts."

Her voice sent shivers all the way down Percy's spine.

"With a wand like that," She said, each syllable a dagger on Percy. "I'd be very careful, Percy Jackson." The woman shrieked at him.

Her hair was once again the long, dark one Percy had seen first. She wore her white robes. And in her eyes was something unrecognizable. Not hatred. Not evilness. It was far scarier than that.

Percy leaped from his chair.

"How do you know my name?!" He demanded.

The woman cackled. She came close to Percy's face. He could now see where her pupil was and that her eyes were a dark brown, not black.

"That does not matter." She hissed at him. "Be careful young wizard. You're going to face a great evil in your time."

"Who are you?" Percy shook the words out of him.

"Hecate Ollivander." The woman said pulling herself away from the boy. "I'd advise you to remember my name, I will be more of a friend to you than most. Now go!"

Percy didn't have to be told twice. He went out of the shop with his wand, not even bothering to pay for it.

The sunlight nearly blinded him. He hadn't realized it was so dark in the wand shop.

The events of the previous minutes flashed rapidly in his mind. What had happened in there? How did Hecate know his name?

Sighing in a bit of defeat, Percy slumped against the building and waited for Grover to arrive once more.

CHAPTER 4

The next days passed dully. After the trip to Diagon Alley, Grover had forced Percy to stay inside at the inn for his remaining time.

Percy didn't tell Grover of his experience at Ollivanders wand shop. If he did, he suspected that he wouldn't be leaving anywhere anytime soon, least of all the inn.

In his time before school started, Percy had made friends with the inn keeper, Pia Plumington. She was a short and plump woman with graying hair and rosy cheeks. Her face always bore a cherry red smile and her hair was always put out of her face in a bun. Percy found her very grandmotherly. He never had a grandmother.

She spoke in a high, sweet voice, but could make demands like no other. The few workers at the inn held her at a high respect and loved her dearly, as if she was their own family.

Percy had learned a great deal about Pia Plumington as she loved to talk. She told him of stories from when she was young and first tried to fly on a broomstick before falling face first into the mud. She told him how she too went to Hogwarts and was a prefect for the Hufflepuff house. Most of what she told Percy was gibberish to him, yet he couldn't help feeling content by the nonsensical tales.

Tonight was the last night Percy would be staying at the inn. The next day him and Grover were to board on a train at Kings Cross Station to get to the school. Percy swore Grover had said they'd need to go to platform 9 ¾ but such a thing didn't exist. Or so Percy believed.

Pia Plumington sat at one of the inn's tables, Percy on the opposite side of her. She passed him a ceramic mug filled to the brim with steaming hot chocolate.

The scent of the piping drink wafted its richness into Percy's nostrils. Just the look of the drink created a pleasant warmth of home in him that he hadn't felt since he left his mother.

"Thanks." He said, sliding the mug over to him.

"Anytime, dear." Pia Plumington said affectionately.

Percy took a cautious sip of the drink, unsure if it had cooled down enough. The heat bit his tongue in a burn, but did nothing to ruin the taste of the creamy drink. It tasted like a campfire would feel. Comforting.

"What house do you think you'll end up in, dear?" Pia Plumington asked politely, clasping her hands together on the table.

"Houses?" Percy asked, wiping away a bit of his drink from his upper lip.

Pia Plumington chuckled to herself.

"Oh, I always forget! You were raised in the muggle world." Her pale, aging eyes sparkled in amusement.

The word "muggle" baffled Percy, but didn't keep him from conversing.

"What are the houses you were talking about?" Percy asked, taking yet another sip of the hot chocolate.

"Oh you see, dear," Pia Plumington began. "At Hogwarts all of the students are sorted into one of four houses based on the founders of Hogwarts. Each house values different traits of character. There's Gryffindor, the bold and chivalrous. Then there's Hufflepuff, the house I was in. Hufflepuffs value hard work and loyalty." She gave a proud smile as she mentioned Hufflepuff.

Percy felt this house fit Pia Plumington perfectly. The only other person he knew that worked as hard as her was his mother, Sally Jackson. Maybe Sally would have been a Hufflepuff.

"Also, Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw is for those who value intelligence, creativity, and wit."

Percy didn't believe he'd ever be in Ravenclaw. He was constantly reminded by Gabe just how dumb he was. He might have been smarter if it wasn't for his stupid dyslexia and ADHD.

"The fourth house now," Pia's face had gone a little darker, a little more grim. "The fourth house is Slytherin. The house for those who value cunning and ambition."

Why had her cheery little voice given out into something more serious?

"You say Slytherin as if it was bad thing." Percy stated.

Pia looked hesitant to respond, weighing her options.

"Well there is a bit of a coincidence that many Slytherins turn to the Dark Arts." Pia's face grew almost fearful.

"So Slytherins are the bad guys?"

"Oh no! Slytherins are most certainly not bad. Merlin himself was put into the Slytherin house. In fact my husband, Peter Plumington, had most of his family in Slytherin and they were all very kind." Pia hurriedly said.

Percy never knew the inn keeper had a husband.

"But you said many turn to the Dark Arts." Percy said, feeling as though Pia was contradicting herself.

"You have to remember, Percy, that with valuing a trait such as ambition comes a grave need to succeed. The Dark Arts are a cheap and evil way to further one in this world. It is one of the many reasons why a person who is in Slytherin is much more susceptible to these ways. Though that does not make them all bad. They're just more likely to turn bad."

With the way Pia described the Slytherin house he could not imagine that someone nice would be put in there. They seemed deceitful and untrustworthy. Although, it did make him a little uncomfortable that such prejudice was held against a house with only kids in it. How bad could a group of kids be?

"I think that's enough talk about Hogwarts for the night." Pia said, ending the discussion. "After all I'm sure you'll be able to find out more if you read those books your friend got you." Pia gave Percy a pointed look like the one his mother gave him when he tried to sneak a cookie before dinner.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yea, I probably should read those books a little before school starts." He grinned sheepishly.

"And you've got so much time to do that." Pia said sarcastically before chuckling in a good humored way.

The rest of the night Percy spent talking with Pia Plumington. She taught him a few more things of the wizard world that Grover had yet to inform him on and he told her stories of growing up with his mom. It was a nice and uneventful evening, even despite the part where Percy spilled his drink accidentally onto Pia's lilac robes.

Ψ

Percy once again was woken up by Grover. The golden rays of the sun streamed into his room as Grover pulled back the dusty, deep colored purple curtain. Percy groaned into his pillow, upset at his loss of sleep.

"It's so early." Percy complained.

"Come on! Get up!" Grover's voice was high and childish and Percy knew without even looking that a gleeful grin was plastered on his face.

Percy grunted in sleepy protest, but got up anyway. Despite it being summer the floors were icy cold and chilled Percy from the bottoms of his feet to the top of his head. He'd miss this peculiar place and it's jolly owner.

He rubbed his eyes, desperately trying to get the tired feeling out of himself. Meanwhile, Grover looked like a kid that ransacked a candy store.

"Why are you so happy to be up so early?"

"We're going to Hogwarts today, Percy!" Grover let out a cheerful bleat.

"Ah yes, school." Percy snorted sarcastically.

Grover shook his head in amusement.

"You'll like this school."

"Yea well I can't like it if I don't get there. Now get out." Percy shooed away Grover in the same silly amusement as Grover had shaken his head.

Quickly as possible, Percy got dressed and ready. He didn't even bother to try and brush his hair. It would only ever be a hopeless cause to tame that atrocious mess.

Before exiting the small, cozy room he grabbed the beaten up suitcase from under the rickety bed. It barely held itself together after years and years of use, but Percy couldn't help love it. It was a simple reminder of home and his mom. His mom who worked so hard, yet couldn't even afford a new suitcase.

He breathed a sigh. It'd only been a few days since he left and and he was already homesick. It was ridiculous really, he'd been to boarding schools countless ties before. He shouldn't be aching for home this much already.

Stepping out into the hallway, Percy met Grover with a grin.

"I'm all ready."

"Great!" The older boy replied.

When the two boys arrived down stairs, Pia Plumington was there waiting to bid farewell.

She took Percy into a spine crushing hug. It was slightly awkward, Percy being a good five inches taller than the older woman.

"I'm going to miss you, dear." She said warmly with a smile traced with only the slightest of sadness. "You better visit me, boy." She said, faking a threatening voice.

Percy laughed.

"Of course I will."

And he meant it too. Pia Plumington had provided him with a maternal figure that he had been missing for the past few days. She was terribly kind to him.

"Now you get on, you two." Pia said gently pushing the boys out of the wooden doorway. "Don't want to miss that train, now do we?"

Percy and Grover waved goodbye to the woman. Her baby blue robes faded into the distance as they made their way further and further from the shabby inn.

The departure was so similar to the one just a short while ago. It had the same essence of sadness intertwined with the excitement of the unknown and soon to be found out. Saying goodbye was always a hard thing when a person became important to you. Especially if the importance came from giving care and showing kindness.

Ψ

Kings Cross Station had less people than usual. It was usually bustling about with people wanting or needing to get here or there. Hardly ever was it so quiet and empty.

"Alright, of to Platform 9 ¾!" Grover said with a rush.

"Um, Grover?" Percy said cautiously, trying to keep up with Grover's almost running pace.

Grover stopped, too sudden and abrupt for Percy not to run into him. He mumbled an apology to the older boy.

"Yea?" Grover asked after telling Percy not to worry about running into him.

"There's no such thing as Platform 9 ¾." Percy blurted bluntly.

Grover gave that strange bleat of his.

He shook his head and humorously said what sounded oddly like "muggles".

"There's a Platform 9 ¾, trust me." Grover told Percy.

Not wanting to argue, Percy simply followed Grover.

That was his mistake. They arrived at a brick wall between platforms nine and ten. The wall was clearly solid, but Grover was looking at it expectantly. Percy knew magic was a thing. After all he had a wand in his suitcase to prove the point.

The wand... He really should tell Grover what happened at Ollivanders Wand Shop. The lady there knew his name and said things that didn't seem normal, even for the wizarding world.

Out of his thoughts, Percy heard Grover talking to him.

"So like I said. Just run right through it." Grover finished.

"Run right through it?" What was Grover even talking about?

Grover sighed tiredly.

"You zoned out, didn't you?"

In response, Percy gave a small smile and rubbed the back of his neck. Oh well he zoned out. He had ADHD, it wasn't like he had tried to ignore what Grover was saying. But then again, he didn't try to listen either.

"So what do I have to do?" Percy asked.

Grover pointed to the wall.

"Run right through there."

Percy eyed Grover suspiciously. It was one thing for a Platform 9 ¾ to exist. It was a whole other thing that to get there he had to run into a brick wall.

"Here, I'll show you." Grover said before taking off.

Right when Percy was expecting to hear a sickening sound of his head hitting the bricks, Grover disappeared. Just like that he was gone. He had run through a brick wall. A brick wall. These wizard things were way too weird.

Percy shrugged to himself. Why couldn't he run through a brick wall? He began running, sneakers gripping the floor. He was proud to say that he'd only hesitated a little when nearing the wall.

Then he was there. On the other side of the wall. At Platform 9 ¾. It was a miracle really. Grover stood there with yet another grin on his face.

Percy saw lots of other people too. A family with a girl about his age stood off to his right. The daughter had long blonde hair, curled like a princess. Her mom was a scary sight. She was a witch with perfect posture, impeccable gray robes, and shiny brown hair held tightly in a bun. The dad was only slightly less intimidating with the same blonde hair as the young girl.

The girl stood proudly. Her demeanor was parallel to her mother's. Not even a single crease was in her navy blue robes. Percy thought he wouldn't like it too much if they were in the same house. She didn't look the type to put up with him or his trouble making tendencies. Even if those tendencies were all accidental.

"Let's go, Percy." Grover said, tugging Percy onto the train.

As they boarded the train Percy took notice that everyone had their luggage and an animal with them. There were owls, frogs, and cats. Was Percy supposed to get an animal? He vaguely remembered something like that being on the supply list. And all the bags everyone had... Percy only had his ratty old suitcase. Grover had told him a house elf (whatever that was) had already taken all his books and other things to Hogwarts already. To minimize problems, whatever that meant.

They both sat down in an empty cart and Grover handed him something made of black cloth.

"Here put this on. I forgot I sent all yours to be held with Professor Chiron until you got to school". Grover told Percy.

It was the robes that all the witches and wizards wore. Percy had gotten fitted for his, but these didn't fit quite as nicely. They weren't bad though and he appreciated Grover lending them to him for the time being.

"Thanks."

"Oh! I almost forgot!." Grover exclaimed, leaping from his seat.

The older boy ran down the aisle. When he returned he held in his hands a cage with a cream colored tarp over it. Percy swore he heard a hoot coming from the cage.

"It's a gift." Grover said, adding hesitantly, "From your father."

Percy was reluctant to take the cage and whatever was inside. He stomach turned in repulse from accepting a gift from the same person that abandoned not only him, but his mother too.

But... Percy couldn't deny that he felt a sense of affection that his father had thought enough of him to give him a gift. He'd never had gifts before that weren't for a holiday and when he did they were very small. Nothing that could be put in a cage.

After the small battle in his mind on whether to take the present or not, Percy slowly took the cage and put on his lap.

His heart pumped in anticipation. His fingers tingled with curiosity. Another hoot came from the cage. No way did his father get him an owl. It'd be too good to be true.

Percy lifted the tarp off the cage and tossed it haphazardly to the ground. Inside was the most beautiful creature his green eyes had ever seen.

Sleek, inky black feathers encased the owl's medium built body. They gleamed in the light, displaying small rainbows in each one. Her eyes were dark as the night sky and twinkled like the stars themselves. She looked absolutely soft and silky.

Percy brought out his hand to pet the owl. She nudged his hand with her head and made a sound of content affection. She was more than he could wish for.

"She's beautiful." Percy said, still in a stunned awe.

"What are you going to name her?" Grover asked also staring at the dark beauty.

Percy took in her color. The way all the different shades of black meshed together from her beak to her feathers to the talons she used to perch herself.

"Blackjack." He said with finality.

It was a suiting name for the owl.

"She'll carry letters for you. Like a postman." Grover told Percy.

Percy nodded and put the cage on the floor.

During the time between receiving the owl and then naming her, the train had left the station at Platform 9 ¾. Kids had bid farewell to family and friends through the windows and settled down with others they knew. Percy was more than appreciative that Grover stayed with him even though he was a year younger and Grover probably had friends he would've rather sat with.

"So Professor Chiron, you talk about him a lot. Is he the headmaster?" Percy asked.

Grover laughed for a good two minutes. Percy could feel his cheeks warm and reddening from embarrassment. What had been so funny about the question?

When he was done laughing Grover told Percy, "No. Professor Chiron is the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. Professor Dionysus is the headmaster. And probably the worst one yet." Grover snorted.

The two boys spent most of the time talking. Percy asked questions and Grover explained. Grover provided a great deal of new information to Percy. He wasn't sure that he'd remember it all.

Soon a lady came to where they were sitting with a candy trolley. She asked the boys if they would like to purchase anything.

Grover politely declined, but Percy's mouth was watering at the sight of all the sugar made products. He reached into his pocket and felt that he still had the money that was meant for the wand. It was seven galleons, surely that would be enough to buy a few treats.

"What do you have?" Percy asked.

The lady rattled off various names of various candies. Not wanting to spend a lot, Percy asked for two chocolate frogs and a package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Percy handed the lady (hopefully) the correct amount of money. She started off down the aisle again and Percy handed Grover one of the chocolate frogs.

"Thanks!" The older boy said.

Together they unwrapped their candy and ate together like old friends would.

Once their candy was gone both of them were exhausted from the day and previous days. It was no surprise to Percy that the boys fell asleep.

Ψ

Percy was awoken by a rapping on the door to his and Grover's cart. Blackjack gave a hoot of disgruntled disgust from being woken from her own slumber.

Standing there was the girl he had previously seen with her parents at Platform 9 ¾. She was now wearing black robes like everyone else and her blonde princess curls were frizzing. There was also an obvious scowl on her face.

It appeared they had arrived at Hogwarts. The girl's striking gray eyes pierced into him like the sharp blade of a sword. What was her problem? It's not like he did anything to her.

The girl's gaze softened a fraction when she saw Grover also waking up from his nap.

Percy was expecting her to say something such as "We're here" or maybe "You need to get up, we've arrived to school."

But instead the scowling girl said directed to Percy, "You drool when you sleep."

She walked off down the aisle, robes swishing behind her.

Percy stared at her incredulously, but stood up anyways and collected his suitcase and new pet.

CHAPTER 5

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.

CHAPTER 6

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 chalkboard. 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 aahing 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 at 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.

CHAPTER 7

Snow enveloped the grounds in a gloss of white glitter. The air was frigid with the rasping of winter's brutal winds. Frost crept its way onto each window in crackling, intricate patterns. Fires roared in homes all around and the skies rolled in dreary, lifeless grays.

Trees were barren and a soggy brown as if the blooming life they held that summer had been washed away in the temperature drop. The sparse evergreens sang with the only breath of color in the outside. Their dark greens bowed in December white.

Christmas break would be starting in just a few days. Christmas would be here in a week. It would be Percy's first Christmas without his mother. He wouldn't be making blue chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen or listening to "Jingle Bell Rock" on their cheap plastic radio. He didn't think that it would really be Christmas this year, not without Sally Jackson at least.

She had sent him a letter through the mail. Blackjack had held it tenderly in her beak and cooed when Percy took it from her. Sally's loopy scrawl was on the front and Percy didn't even bother trying to read it, he knew the inside writing would be easier to read. Sally only ever used her formal penmanship on the outside of the envelope and Percy could always recognize it from a mile away even if he couldn't read it.

The envelope was crisp and cream with a small, red Santa hat sticker holding it closed. In her normal script on the envelope read in bold letters "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL XMAS". Percy had smiled to himself when he read that. Back when he was only five years old his mother had hidden presents in her bedroom closet. Percy had stumbled upon them a week before Christmas Day and being as curious as he was opened them right there in the room leaving a trail of snowman clad wrapping paper scattered everywhere. From then on everything that had to do with Christmas was always marked with a "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL XMAS" in Sally's handwriting.

The envelope smelled like home as weird as that was. It didn't smell like Percy's home with the cigar smoke everywhere and the beer stains on the rug. No, it smelled like a proper home with warmth radiating throughout. The envelope lingered with Sally's rose perfume that she bought when she had extra spending money (which wasn't often) and with the baking of cookies in the oven. Percy sighed to himself in self pity. He really missed home. He missed his mom's voice and smile. He missed her reassurance that everything would be fine. His house might have not been good by itself, but with Sally Jackson it was just fine. Hogwarts didn't hold the same right feeling.

Of course he loved Hogwarts, but it just wasn't the same. He didn't grow up here. Sally Jackson didn't live here. There was few memories here, good or bad. He finally had made some friends at least. Grover was his best friend, despite being in different houses. He was ecstatic when he made the Hufflepuff quidditch team as a chaser. Grover was going to his Uncle Fernidad's for Christmas this year. Travis was another one of his good friends. He had a little brother, Connor, and would be going home too. It seemed everyone was going home for Christmas, even Luke who always avoided the topic of home. Silena would be with her dad and they'd make chocolate together for Christmas as they did every year and her mom would send in some meaningless present. Everyone had a place to be and a tradition to uphold except Percy.

The only thing that Percy truly loved about Christmas at Hogwarts was the decorations. The teachers spelled the halls in jolly decor. Magnificent trees of gigantic size held themselves upright in the already grand dining hall, their branches dressed in strings of garland and sparkling ornaments. Each tree was decorated in different colors that represented the houses. One was all royal reds and handsome golds, while another held deep, mystic greens and startling silvers. Two more had entrancing blues and mechanical bronze, and a summer's yellow with the deepest, darkest black. There was one more tree besides these four, the greatest of all of the. It's tip tickled the faux sky that the ceiling bestowed. The decorations were kept simple on it, all white and sparser than the others. It was dazzlingly beautiful. Percy never saw a more divine Christmas tree, not even the one in New York City.

Percy wrote his letter to his mom trying to describe each menial detail to her. He knew she'd love to hear about it, she loved Christmas and the Christmas spirit. It took a painstakingly long time to write the letter. His ADHD didn't want to cooperate and every little distraction was magnified by ten. His dyslexia made the letters scrambled together like alphabet soup. Nevertheless, he got it done and sent it away with a cooing Blackjack in a shiny, white envelope.

Percy managed to sneak Blackjack a few donuts from the kitchen for her Christmas present. She always loved to peck at his during breakfast and to put it frankly, it was getting a bit more annoying than it was endearing.

When Christmas finally came Percy was surprised to wake up to a few presents by his bed. He only ever got something little from his mom, but presents were never the main focus for Christmas in the Jackson household. Christmas had always been about family. Luke had left him a card, the Shoewing 2000, was a present enough. Silena sent him a small box of chocolates from her father's bakery. They were a little too hard and a little too bitter, but Percy loved them nonetheless. Grover gave him a Rasta cap like the colorful one he owned and even Travis left him a small key chain that said Bermuda (no doubt stolen from some poor, unsuspecting soul. Travis really lived up to his last name).

Dinner was going to be that night. Percy never had that special of a dinner for the holidays. His mom tried, but they just couldn't afford a turkey or a ham, mashed potatoes, and pie. However, they did manage to always go out for Chinese food on Christmas. Percy would order lo mein with sesame chicken and Sally always got pork egg rolls. It wasn't a traditional Christmas meal, but it was something they could afford.

To say the least, the Christmas feast at Hogwarts blew Percy's mind. Only a small group of students stayed over break, so only one table was in use. A large red, embroidered table cloth was draped over the dark wood. Piles and piles of plates lined the table with every possible food imaginable. There was pumpkin pie, pot roast, cranberry jam, and so much more. Percy could feel his eyes going to the size of saucers. He tried to hide his embarrassment when Professor Chiron let out a small smile at his childlike excitement.

Percy had not expected to see Annabeth sitting at one end of the table looking positively lonely. Her face sagged in grumpiness and she seemed to be terribly bitter. Percy couldn't imagine why, even he began to enjoy himself, despite being away from his mother. He felt bad for her, he even thought of going over and sitting by her. After that afternoon in the woods they hadn't talked much, in fact not at all. Annabeth didn't even insult him any more, just avoided his presence altogether. He decide against sitting by her. It would be awkward after he witnessed her outburst and besides, she would hate his pity. She wasn't the type of person that took any form of pity well.

His mom's voice nagged in the back of his head. She was telling him it was not gentleman like to leave a lady like that. Percy repressed a sigh and took the seat across from her. He really hated that voice in his head.

"Hey Annabeth." His voice shook a little. What? He couldn't help it with the way she glared at him with those intense, knowing eyes.

"What do you want?" Her tone was pure rudeness with a splash of bitter. What had he even done that made her resent him so much?

"Uh, just to eat."

To make a point he grabbed a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes. She rolled her eyes dramatically in response.

"Whatever." She flipped her blonde curls behind and pointedly ignored him.

The thick silence between them was physically painful. Percy's ADHD was going nuts, he couldn't keep himself quiet. His leg bounced up and down without any rhythm and a thousand words were buzzing on his tongue. He just had to do something else than just sit there and be quiet.

"Your wand is really cool." Percy could slap himself for saying something so stupid, but it's not like he was lying. Her wand was just resting on top of the table a few inches away from her nearly empty plate of food. It was made of light wood, glossed over in a shimmering silver. A few rings wound their way around the tip and a couple more around the handle. It was simple and elegant. It was a lot like Annabeth.

"Thanks. It's elm wood with unicorn hair. I got it at Ollivander's" Annabeth picked the wand up and smiled at it proudly. Her mood washed away in the simple, if not idiotic, question.

Percy thought back to Ollivander's, back to Hecate Ollivander and her strange message. He meant to tell Grover about it or at least someone, but never did. The way her looks changed in the blink of an eye and how she knew his name was chilling. A shiver ran its way down his spine.

"Are you okay?" Annabeth asked, blonde eyebrows furrowed.

Percy shook his head as if to physically dispel of the haunting memory.

"Yea, fine."

Annabeth didn't seem to believe him and still held a quizzical expression on her young face.

In an attempt to clear the air of the conversation Percy asked, " So, why are you staying here for Christmas?"

Annabeth's body went rigid. Her fork froze in midair on the way to her open mouth which she promptly clamped shut. It took another whole second for her body to loosen from its tenseness and for her to chew and swallow the turkey on her fork.

"You don't have to say or anything if you don't want." Percy quickly said, easily seeing Annabeth's discomfort with the subject.

"I know I don't." She said coldly before getting up and exiting the dining hall.

Ψ

Percy lied in his bed, drumming his fingers against the nightstand to his right. His room was empty except for himself. Usually there were three others in the room with him- Travis, Ethan, and Alabaster, but tonight and for the next 10 days it would just be him. Ethan wasn't supposed to go away over break, but something had come up last minute, or at least that's what Ethan said. His demeanor had been odd the few days before he left and his actions a little shady. Percy decided to just shrug it off. He barely even knew Ethan anyways, who was he to decide Ethan was acting strange?

He got up and made his way to the common room. Percy didn't love the Slytherin dungeon all too much. It was too dark and too creepy to ever feel like a home, especially when it was empty like this. The lighting was too low and cast an eerie green shadow along the stone walls. It looked and felt like a cold place. It was so much different than the Hufflepuff common room. Grover had taken Percy there once. Inside it was worm and comfortable chairs were everywhere including sofas and beanbags. Almost everyone was merry and a roaring yellow fireplace was in the back wall. Percy absolutely loved it, but the other students couldn't even look him in the eye when he was there. It was as if wearing Slytherin's colors branded a person for life as cruel and malicious. Percy hated it.

He slumped on one of the leather couches, letting his robes spread out around him. Only two other Slytherins were staying for the holidays and they were both 7th years, too old for Percy to actually hang out with. He had no clue how to occupy himself. Christmas really did not feel like Christmas this year.

His eyes started to creep closed and Percy found himself dozing off when a shock of a book slamming to the floor caught his attention. In that moment his heart stuttered to a stop and his body jerked up in surprise. Standing in front of him was none other than Annabeth Chase.

"What are you doing here!" Percy shouted at her, still freaked out from the leather bound book now resting on the floor.

She didn't say much right away. He noticed her eyes were rimmed with red and her cheeks flushed from their normal rosy color. She looked like she had in the Forbidden Forest; she looked as though she had been crying.

"Annabeth, what are you doing here?" His voice was a little more gentle.

She shook her head as if she was confused herself as to why she was in the Slytherin common room.

"Never mind, I'll just be on my way." Annabeth said, quietly shuffling towards the door.

"Uh, okay." Percy said clearly unsure about the whole situation.

Annabeth stopped and hesitated before her tan hand clasped the door knob.

"It's just what you asked about me staying for the holidays. I've been thinking about it a lot." Annabeth said, her curls glinted in a faint tint of green from the spooky fire. "When I was seven I ran away from home. I went into the muggle world, away from my family. My father... he was having an affair and my mother only focused on her job. She's an auror and that seems to be all she cares about. I-I haven't even really talked to my parents in years. I hardly ever see them at home." Her body was still facing towards the door, but her fingers no longer reached for the knob.

"When I ran away my parents didn't even notice. Only my friends did- Thalia, Luke, and Grover. Thalia, she... went down the wrong path. She started to practice the dark arts. She's dead now." Annabeth's voice was near a whisper. Percy still didn't fully understand the story with its big gaping holes of no detail or even why she was telling him this, but he still couldn't help feel sorry for her. It didn't seem to have anything to do with why she stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas.

"Annabeth..."

She turned around towards him and gave Percy one of her wicked glares.

"If you tell anyone I'll kill you. I'm not afraid to use the death curse." With that final she left the room. Percy could hear her steps echoing on the stairwell.

His mind wandered to the missing parts of the story. Annabeth hadn't told very much, only a few details really, but she had mentioned Grover... Maybe he could ask him when the break was over. That girl Thalia that had gone down the path of dark arts, what was her story? More importantly, what was the rest of Annabeth's story?

Chapter 8

"Get your filthy butt over here, Jackson!" Clarisse snarled like a wild boar across the yard.

Clarisse was a second year Gryffindor, brash and feral, strong and threatening. She was built to carry a thousand pounds or pull a car across the country. Her stringy mouse-brown hair clung to her sweat ridden forehead as if it were glue. Her crooked teeth showed in just the slightest, just enough to give her an even more fearsome look.

And she was after Percy.

"I-I swear I didn't mean to!" Percy shouted, barely suppressing the laughter bubbling in the back of his throat. He raised his hands in mock surrender, but the hilarity of the situation gave them a slight tremor, not unnoticeable to Clarisse. She grew even more infuriated with the eleven-year-old.

So Percy may have been 'practicing' his magic, but he swore that he hadn't meant to hit the Gryffindor bully with a hex. At least, that's what he told Professor Tantalus, when he was roughly grabbed by the collar of his robe and brought into the teacher's room for a punishment. Luckily, Percy got off with only two nights of detention. It was worth it to see the sight of Clarisse in front of him.

From her head, two horns sprouted and made her look like a crazed beast or maybe even the devil himself. They were a slightly lighter color than her hair and just as thick as her meaty arms. A group of kids started to gather around the two young wizards, snickering at the sight of Clarisse and her horns. Oh, what a wonder Anteocultia could do.

A good 20 feet remained between the two, but Clarisse inched her way forward in short angry stomps.

"I. Said. Get. Your. Butt. Over. Here. Jackass." Each word flung from her mouth was punctuated with another stomp.

Percy finally released the giant laugh growing inside of him. The horns made the scene all the more comical and despite Calrisse's four inch height advantage and bulk, Percy didn't feel a speck of fear from her. That was until she grabbed him into a headlock so tight he struggled fro breath.

"Let me go Clarisse!" Percy struggled against her grip, gasping for breath. He tried desperately to pull her arms off of his neck.

By now they had drawn quite a crowd. Percy saw the kids looking upon the scene with mixed stares; some were frightful, but others were... pitiful? He saw more than just a few looking at him in pity and concerned.

Among the crow Percy spotted Grover teetering nervously. His hands wrung in anxiousness. Percy could tell he wanted to interfere as Percy kicked and twisted within Clarisse's grip, but he proved to be too fearful.

More surprisingly, he saw Annabeth. Not only that her usually cool face matched the ones with the rest of the crowd. Why did everyone look so scared for him? A sudden cold fear chilled Percy's blood and bones.

"Clarisse stop!" Percy yelled when she started to drag him across the grass. He pounded on her thick and calloused skin with his more wimpy fists.

"What's that, punk? Begging, are we?" Her gravelly voice was more animal than it was girl. Honestly, Percy wouldn't be surprised if she was part animal. Or mostly animal.

She continued dragging him and he continue to struggle. Where were teachers when you needed them?

The feuding duo approached the daunting iron doors of an entrance back to the school.

"Clarisse! No, stop it!" A girl's voice called out.

Percy strained to turn his head a fraction of an inch to see who the owner of the voice was (despite him already knowing). Annabeth Chase was standing only feet away from them, her eyes frantic in defense for Percy.

"Shut it, Chase. If Percy wants to be funny then he can face his own consequences like a man."

Annabeth despaired back into the crowd, sending a look of sorrow Percy's way. Now, Percy was truly scared. What could be so bad that even Annabeth Chase would keep him from? Him and her were practically enemies at this point. Their dislike for one another had grown into a deep set hatred over the months. In fact, their last civil conversation had been that strange, almost vulnerable one on Christmas day three months ago.

Percy continued to fight against Clarisse hopelessly all the way she dragged him down the gray, stony hallway.

His eyes widened in the approach of the girl's bathroom door. He had heard the stories of this particular bathroom. He heard of the toilet. The toilet that had been hexed 30 years ago by a gifted student so it could never be cleaned. A practical joker, a boy seeking revenge on a girl. A hex so complex that even the teachers were unable to lift it. The toilet festered over time, becoming more and more disgusting each year, each day, each minute. No one ever used the bathroom as the smell was so retched no one could stand it. Percy understood now why the students had given him looks of sympathy. He wanted to give himself a look of sympathy.

Clarisse must do this to anyone that ticks her off.

The door ominously creaked open. The pungent odor of the room immediately assaulted his nose. He felt the rise of bile in his esophagus. All Percy wanted to do was sprint away from this face and never turn back.

"See this is gonna teach you lesson Jackson!" Clarisse bitched. Her face just inches from Percy's, aggressiveness radiating from every pore in her skin, all the way from her inner, rotten core.

The terrible scent and fear encompassed Percy's mind. He felt his thoughts go blank, it seemed over exaggerated for all he was about to be given was a swirly, but it was much more than just a swirly. It was swirly in a grimy toilet with 30 years worth of collected dirt and germs.

A pleasant tingling sensation filled his fingertips. A buzz droned its way through his body. His heartbeat raced skyward a the speed of light. Lines of white sprang up in his peripheral vision. Percy's fear dissipated away, replaced with a lively energy of anger and irritation. Clarisse would not humiliate him like this.

She was a bully and he had schooled her. When she decided to pick on a girl in his grade for not being able to mount a broomstick, Percy just had to make her look like her personality did. He delivered her justice and he wasn't about to let that all fall.

The sensation he felt burst out of him like a grenade. A monotone, ear-piercing buzz filled his ears. Percy didn't know what happened, but when he found himself a safe distance away from Clarisse. And Clarisse... She was drenched in a brown, murky sludge. An offensive odor emitted itself from every fiber of her being.

Her face was pure rage and disgust. She roared in fury and Percy scrambled his way out of the bathroom, running down the hallway. He turned to return outside knowing Clarisse would follow and she'd create a fool of herself in front of the whole school. There would be whispers for days about Clarisse and her unfortunate instance with the hexed toilet.

A giddy laughter fell from Percy's laugh. He felt amazing. He felt liberated; like all the troubles vanished in that one instance.

He opened the door upon hearing Clarisse call out his name like a death sentence, but his delight remained flourishing inside of him.

Percy was watching as Clarisse made her way down the hall way like a grotesque oaf.

He was just about to exit, that is until Professor Tantalus stood in the door way, looming like the grim reaper.

Percy's big, goofy grin fell from his face placed with outright fear. Tantalus' thin face showed complete and utter disaproval.

"Mr. Jackson, what is the meaning of this?" Tantalus tsked, peering at Clarisse dripping in questionable liquids. She crossed her arms over her body and a smug smirk displayed itself on her lips. She knew he was going to be in trouble.

"Come to my office, Perseus."

Percy gave a defeated, resigned sigh and followed Tanatlus as he beckoned him down the hallway.

"See you later, Jackass." Clarisse tauntingly whispered as Percy passed her and her foul smell.

He shot her a glare, hopefully worthy of Annabeth.

At least he wasn't the one that smelled like garbage while sporting animal horns.

Ψ

"So, Mr. Jackson, you are telling me that you did not use the water-making spell, Aguamenti on Clarisse La Rue this afternoon? You do realize that she was covered in toilet water, right? And I highly doubt she would do such a thing to herself." Professor Tantalus interrogated Percy about the day's previous incident.

"I swear, Professor! I've never even heard of that spell. I was just scared and this feeling washed through me. Then, what do you know, Clarisse is covered in gross toilet water." Percy claimed in his defense. He wasn't lying either, he never cast a spell or intentionally did that to Clarisse. Not that he was very disappointed with the outcome.

"Yes, what do you know." Tantalus said with the hiss of a snake. "Well, Mr. Jackson, all things considered I'm afraid you will have to account fr today's happenings. Clarisse is making a claim against you and she has been a fine student here at Hogwarts. Hardly ever in trouble, while you tend to show difficulties Mr. Jackson. In fact s student once reported seeing you in the Forbidden Forest once. Now, there was no basis for this claim so we dismissed it, but this will not be so easily shooed away"

Percy slumped in the uncomfortable dark oak, school chair. Of course he had been seen! It was just his luck.

"For your punishment, I will have to rather unfortunately take 30 points away from Slytherin and see you in here for two nights of detention. Consider this generous, Mr. Jackson, I could have been much more severe, but seeing as this is your first time to misbehave we will not be so harsh. Now, please leave my office and go back to your dormitory."

Percy grumbled a undeserving thank you and exited the damp office. Despite the punishment he still felt a sense of pride. Even if he really hadn't meant to cause the toilet explosion on Clarisse it was still quite a sight to see. Two days of detention wasn't too bad and 30 points could be made up. A faint trace of a smile made it's way to Percy's rosy lips.

Ψ

"Hey G-Man! Big game tonight, right?" Percy greeted Grover happily.

His last day of detention was over and Percy was excited to see his best friend. Grover had made the position of chaser on the Hufflepuff quidditch team and their game against Gryffindor was the next day. Gryffindor was notorious for a brutal and amazing team that played hard and almost always won. Hufflepuff was an excellent team too with training every chance they got, but unfortunately the best players had graduated from Hogwarts the previous yer and Hufflepuff's notability in the sport was falling.

Grover gave a nervous smile and a small bleat-like laugh. His curly brown hair poked out from his signature Rasta cap and his yellow and black tie was slightly rumpled.

"Yea, I guess as ready as I'll ever be. But how can we be ready when Gryffindor has Beckendorf and Clarisse as their beaters? Have you even seen the size of their muscles." To emphasize the point Grover's eyes got comically wide and he shook his head in somewhat phony fear.

Percy clapped the older boy on the back.

"You'll do great! You've won against Slytherin and we fight dirty." Percy encouraged his friend.

"Thanks, Perce." Grover said and after a moment of hesitation asked, "Do you think I could borrow your Shoewing? I- I know it's a lot to ask, but I want to have my best performance and those brooms are just terrific."

"Yea, no problem at all!"

"Really?! Thanks so much, Percy you're the best!" Grover's lips spread into a wide grin and Percy gave one right back in response.

After all it wasn't like he could use the broom anyways, he was only just learning to fly.

Ψ

The rain splattered hard on the crowd in big, plump drops. The wind howled through the early spring air like a ghost of the recent winter. Students pulled their scarves tighter around themselves trying to preserve what little warmth they had.

The game didn't start out pleasant and the overcast weather presented a depress feeling over the school, mellowing out the joy and excitement for quidditch, though it did not keep Percy from cheering for his best friend like a rowdy child. His hands and fingers were numb from the freezing temperatures but he kept on clapping anyways.

Silena was beside him decked out in red and gold. She was cheering for her boyfriend, Beckendorf, and her best friend, Clarisse. It still amazed Percy how a person as sweet as Silena could befriend someone as crude and barbaric as Clarisse. When people say opposites attract, they really aren't kidding.

Hufflepuff was in the lead after a penalty knocked Gryffindor down. Clarisse had made a face shot towards another beater on the Hufflepuff team. The girl she knocked down was petite with a long caramel braid flowing down her back in grace. She didn't appear to be beater material, but she showed her determination and strength in the game and was a fierce competitor. The girl was now lying in the infirmary with a bloody, possibly broken nose.

A small break in the clouds allowed a sliver a sunshine to dawn on the fliers just as Grover was about to throw the quaffle into one of Gryffindor's gold hoop.

When the keeper dodged to keep the ball from scoring, anxiety built up in Percy, he wanted so badly for Grover to win. When the keeper missed he couldn't contain his gleeful shout. Hufflepuff was winning and all they needed to do now was catch the snitch. It was easier said than done.

The Hufflepuff seeker had the small winged ball just within her grasp, but the fast flier flew out from her fingertips at just the last second. A collective 'aww' rang out from Hufflepuff supporters, but did not inhibited their enthusiasm for the rest of the game.

Travis provided commentary for the game along with a few sly, subtle marks that could easily go unnoticed by attending professors.

It was nearly ten minutes after the seeker almost caught the snitch that something odd had happened. Gryffindor scored three more goals and Hufflepuff one, putting them at a tie when Grover stared jerking in the air. At first it appeared he had just lost his balance for a second but after a few more moments the jerking of the broom continued and it was apparent it was not his doing.

The crowd stared in stunned silence, waiting for Grover to regain control. Even, the players halted a little, but continued playing, only with a little more weariness. Teachers were mumbling if they should do something, but ultimately decided it would be interfering with the game and therefore, cheating.

This decision proved to be bad one as Grover yelled, "HELP!" and tumbled off the broomstick.

A collective gasp rang through the crowd and all the players stopped as the boy fell to the ground. The professors were scrambling to do something, but in those precious seconds it wasn't the adults that were the saviors.

Percy rushed forward, adrenaline pumping in tsunamis throughout his body from the fear of his friend's endangerment. He pushed his wand dramatically out in front of him, robes swishing behind his back from the sudden arm movement and shouted with the force of a hurricane, "WINGADARIUM LEVIOSA!"

Grover stilled in the air, levitating only inches from the ground. The broomstick plowed itself into the ground, instantly breaking apart. Panting, Percy gently lowered his suspended friend to the ground. The crowd was shocked into silence. Yes, a young wizard could perform the levitation spell, but none were powerful enough to use it on a person especially in such a spontaneous fashion.

Murmurs filled the desolate air, even the wind died down in the powerful event. Friends whispered to friends and teachers whispered to teachers, but none took their eyes off of Percy Jackson. He stood there awkwardly unsure what he did to astound the crow, unsure what to do now. He caught the eye of Luke, but his eyes were dark and his facial contracted into what looked like anger, or neatly confined rage. Luke looked away, his blue eyes still sparked with that oddity.

Percy gulped, he felt his Adam's apple bob in and out. His hands started to shake slightly, he didn't like this kind of attention. Some students even looked afraid of him. By now Percy had gotten used to some nasty glares when wearing his house colors, but never had he'd seen a person look like a deer in headlights because of him. And it scared. It scared him much more than he'd like.

He felt someone grip is his elbow and felt a harsh whisper in his ear.

"Come to my office right now, kid. Professor Chiron is already waiting there."

It was the headmaster himself. The purplish black curls on his head were dulled in the gray light, all sunlight had disappeared from the scene. Percy, still shell-shocked, followed Professor Dionysus in a daze. He couldn't remember walking back in the school. He couldn't remember Dionysus speaking the password to enter his office. He barely even knew he was sitting in a seat until he felt the sleek leather beneath him.

"What kind of games are you playing kid?" Dionysus glared at Percy.

At this point Percy was just annoyed. The confusion and shock washed away in an instant with the headmaster's words. He was used to this, teachers always blaming him for everything. Teachers always playing him out as the bad guy. He wouldn't take it anymore. Not this time.

"I believe I just saved my best friend from near death while the professors here stood around like mindless bimbos." Percy spat.

Chiron shot Percy a look of warning mixed with concern.

"Listen, Peter, you won't talk to me like that. You've got serious powers, but it's probably just because of your daddy. You know I know Poseidon, in fact I talk to him on a weekly basis. And he hasn't asked about you once. Don't disrespect me, kid, because I can do so much more." Dionysus' watery blues eyes blazed with internal fire. For a man no taller than five foot, he seemed to take up the whole room.

Percy felt his blood boiling with the hot fire of red anger. He didn't even bother to correct his name from Peter to Percy, instead he leaped from the smooth char and brought his face just a centimeter away from the man's.

"Don't you dare talk about my father! Besides I don't give a crap about him, he abandoned me and my mother a long time ago. He can go to hell for all I care. And may I remind you that I'm only eleven years old and I can perform magic more powerful than fourth years!" With that Percy left the office, unafraid of any consequences. The only reason he didn't want to be kicked out was he wanted to have one year to not disappoint his mom. Well, at least if he got kicked out he wouldn't have to deal with that old sot, Dionysus.

The last thing Percy heard leaving the office was an exhausted and overwhelmed sigh from Professor Chiron before the heavy thump! of the wooden door.

Ψ

Percy was walking back to the Slytherin common room, still fuming over the recent events. He hadn't even been able to see if Grover was all right. At least he wasn't dead, Percy thought.

Grumbling and mumbling Percy made his way through the corridors when something outside the window caught his eye. Curiosity brought him to look out and see. There was nothing there. Percy shrugged to himself, it was probably just paranoia. He was a little on edge after casting that spell.

"What are you looking for?" A low voice asked, startling Percy.

Percy, with hair still standing on the back of his neck from the surprise, turned around to see Luke. He sighed in relief to see his good friend.

"Oh, hey, Luke. I wasn't looking at anything, just though I saw something. Must be all the nerves from the game." Percy gave him a sheepish smile.

Luke clapped his hand on Percy's shoulder and gave him a proud smile. His scar was almost nonexistent when he smiled, it was shadowed out in the blinding light of Luke's pearly white teeth. This look was so much different from the one Percy saw at the game, he wondered what that was about.

"That was really awesome, what you did today. You're a real hero, Percy." Luke said.

Percy beamed, but was also slightly bashful. He really looked up to Luke and for him to compliment him like that was really awesome.

"Thanks, but it was really nothing. Just spells we've been learning in class."

"Nothing!" Luke exclaimed. "I couldn't even do that. Say why don't we go out to the Forest and have ourselves a little party? I smuggled in some muggle soda." Luke gave Percy an impish grin.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know, Luke. We really shouldn't go, it's off limits to students."

"Nah, it'll be fine. I go there all the time and besides we don't want other people taking our stuff." Luke said at ease, not an ounce of worry of getting in trouble.

"Yea, okay, I guess so then." Percy said.

The boys walked down to the edges of the forest, merrily talking. Luke didn't mention the fear of the audience after Percy showed his powers and he was thankful for that. It was good to just get his mind off recent events. Everything was slamming into Percy. He just wanted to be normal, he never wanted to be a wizard.

"Here, just follow me." Luke said as they entered the foreboding, dim forest, finger like trees lining the path.

For some reason the path felt familiar to Percy, as if he'd been the way before, but... he'd only been in the Forbidden Forest once. What were the chances he'd go down the same path? Very little.

"So, where'd you get the soda from? I haven't had a coke in ages." Percy said, eyes wandering around the breath-taking scenery. The forest was eerily beautiful.

"Oh, just around..." Luke said not fully concentrating on Percy.

They walked further into the dense forest until Luke came to a stop.

Percy recognized the area. It was where Annabeth went and slumped against a tree and cried, and cried, and cried. Luke seemed particularly interested in that same tree too.

Percy started to turn towards Luke.

"Luke, what are we doing..." Percy didn't get to finish what he was saying when a fist connected with his jaw.

Luke threw a solid punch and Percy was knocked fully backwards onto his bottom.

"Stupefy!" Luke yelled, pointing his wand towards Percy.

Percy felt all his limbs, all his muscles, all his cells lock into place. He couldn't move. Panic clouded his thought. What was Luke doing? Why was Luke doing this?

"Now listen close." Luke growled.

"I have a story to tell." His words were full of malice. "You see this tree." He gestured towards the tree Annabeth had been wallowing over. "This isn't just a tree. This is a horcrux, Percy. What's a horcrux?, you say. Well, Percy. A horcrux is one of the darkest forms of magic. My best friend created this horcrux." Luke sneered, his scar was the epitome of evil, glistening with malevolence.

Percy wished with all his might that he could move, at least shout for help.

"But I'll start from the beginning." A chaotic grin crossed the blonde's face. "My father is Hermes, he works as apart of the International Magical Trading Standards Body. Hardly ever home, that bastard. He left me to grow up with my mother. I loved my mother, more than anything else." Luke seemed genuine about this, for a quick second sadness spread on his face, but was quickly vanquished. "But she has... disabilities. She was born with the gift of prophecy, but it drover her mad, seeing the future does not do well on the mind. She's in St. Mungo's now, a good place for her.

"I raised myself, Percy. My father didn't give two shits about me. Then, I found others just like me, ignored and abandoned by their parents. That includes Annabeth and Grover, but they're not important. What's important, is Thalia. Thalia Grace was the daughter of our, dear Minister of Magic, Zeus Olympus. Quite a scandal that girl was. Zeus cheated on his beloved wife, Hera, with a mere mortal. A Hollywood superstar in fact, Beryl Grace."

Percy wondered why Luke was telling him all this, why any of it mattered.

Luke continued on with his story, tauntingly waving his wand carelessly around, asserting his power over Percy. Yea, like he really needed to do that, Percy couldn't even move.

"Thalia's father treated her even worse than mine. Sure, mine didn't pay me any attention, but Zeus constantly told her how she was a mistake. How he wished she was born a muggle so he wouldn't have to care for her. He treated her like she was worse than the filth on the bottom of her shoes.

"Her mom wasn't any better. She cared more for an alcoholic beverage than her own daughter. So, Thalia rebelled. She went to the Dark Arts, It was little things at first, torturing bugs, but then it got a bit larger and finally they sent the dementors after her to take her to Azkaban. She was only 14 at the time. She knew beforehand what she was getting into so she created herself a horcrux.

"Now, Percy, a horcrux is created through murder and splits the human soul in two. Do you want to know who she murdered Percy?"

Percy really wanted to shake his head no.

"She murdered her mother. She hated that woman and used her life to save her own. This tree," Luke said patting the bark of the tree gently, "Is her horcrux. After making her horcrux she jumped off a cliff and killed herself. And using this, I'll resurrect her." He fiddled his wand like a blade. His shoulders were relaxed, but his arms were tense. He was trying to create a persona of cool, calm, and collected, but Percy could see the tension and rage building up in him.

"To resurrect a person from a horcrux, you need a few ingredients including... the bone of the father." Luke pulled out a plastic bag with a small fragment of an ivory solid inside. "You don't even want to know how I got this from Zeus." Luke shook his head and let out a small laugh like this was all some type of joke.

Percy shuddered on the inside. He couldn't fathom that this was the same Luke he looked up to. This Luke... this Luke was insane, a maniac parading in a sane person's clothing. Percy couldn't even believe that these events were true; magic was easier to accept as real.

"And then we also need flesh of the servant. That's a little hard to come by, but still I managed. It's just too bad it left Ethan without an eye." Luke devilishly smirked.

That must have been why Ethan was acting so funny the week of Christmas break, he must've formed an alliance with Luke then. Come to think of it... Percy hadn't seen his roommate in a while. He hadn't even noticed the boy's absence.

"And finally we need blood of the enemy. That's where you come in, Perseus."

Out of a pocket in his robe Luke pulled a gleaming gold dagger. Inscriptions were made all along the handle, it was an ancient rune in itself.

Percy really wouldn't mind being able to move at this point. His blossoming thoughts of terror bounced back and forth against the walls of his skull. Luke crept towards him like a cat on its prey.

"Now, please hold still." Luke grinned, his canines particularly pointy.

The knife dragged along Percy's skin in jagged movements. White hot pain gripped Percy's heart and if it weren't for the Stupefy spell Percy would have cried out in agonizing pain.

Luke cut through more skin than necessary, letting the blood roll down his body in iron scented streams. He cut along his collar bone and his left arm.

Luke collected the droplets in a small vile.

Satisfied, Luke closed the vile shut and gave one last jab at Percy with the dagger.

"Thank you for your compliance Percy. This would have been a lot easier if you were on that broomstick of yours. You know I cursed it and gave it to you so you'd fly on it and kill yourself. That was my original plan anyways. I'd just collect the blood from your dead body. But then you gave it to Grover so that was a no go." Luke stared right at Percy in the eye and Percy was forced to stare back. Percy really wanted his mom of all things. He was just a kid, an eleven-year-old and he was absolutely, purely terrified.

The intense pain blurred Percy's senses. He could faintly hear Luke's voice sprouting incantations. He could hardly notice blooming lights and colors. He just detected the slight shake of the earth beneath his body.

Percy knew he would die soon. He would die scared and alone in a strange place. It was horrible ending.

The wounds become too much to bear and his conscience began to slip through his grip. Just as black consumed all his vision and he was sure death was to greet him, a feminine voice rang through his ears.

It sounded like Annabeth.

Ψ

Percy woke up with a pounding in his head and aching, agitated throb throughout his body. He felt as though a bulldozer ran over him. Repeatedly.

Muffled voices began to invade his hearing.

"Yes... Thalia...No... in the Gryffindor..." A gruff man's voice said. It appeared to be Professor Chiron.

Percy strained to hear more.

"Will he be alright?" This one was Grover.

"He'll be fine, that stupid Seaweed Brain." Oh. Annabeth was here.

Percy tried to hear more, but fell back into his deep, peaceful slumber.

Ψ

Percy awoke fully three days later. He was greeted by Madame Hygenia and given a letter from his mother, telling him how worried she is and wanting to see him so badly. Percy pretended not to see the tear stains.

A few hours after waking up, Professor Chiron along with Professor Dionysus and Annabeth came to greet Percy.

They talked about what happened in the woods just days ago. Percy told all that he could remember and was informed that Annabeth had followed the pair after Luke had been acting suspicious. Aurors were now after Luke as he posed a very dangerous threat.

Percy finally told Chiron about the occurrence at Ollivander's Wand Shop.

"Percy, there's something you need to know." Chiron said, obviously in dismay. His wise old eyes would not meet Percy's lively sea green ones.

"There was a prophecy told of you many, many years ago. It was one of the many reasons you had to grow up in the muggle world. It stated you'd bring down a great evil."

"M-Me?" Percy asked shocked, everything was too overstimulating. All the new information too much to process.

"Yes, but let's not talk about that now. We're sending you home early this year. I'll ask for you to stay at my place this coming August to discuss more on this particular matter, but for now we will not let it trouble you. You have already been through too much stress."Chiron informed Percy.

"I can go home?"

"Yes your mother is expecting you in a week. She wanted me to tell you that she's safe, that he's not around any longer. I suppose that means something to you."

Percy internally beamed, he could go home and best of all, Gabe wouldn't be their to ruin it.

"So you didn't catch Luke?"

"No, Percy we did not."

"What about the Thalia girl?' Percy thought back to his conversation with Annabeth on Christmas. It was no wonder she didn't want to discuss her.

"Let us not worry about that now. Like I said in August we will discuss this more. Until then please try to not think of it. Or the events that took place in the Forbidden Forest. It is best to forget about those for now, at least until we can form a plan of action. For now, rest, Perseus Jackson." Chiron left the room, leaving Percy with a thousand questions. Questions that wouldn't be answered until August- months and months away.

But that didn't matter. Percy was finally going home.

Chapter 9

Percy was angry. He'd been angry since the moment he arrived home. He was angry that the house still carried the stench of Gabe and his ungodly cigars. He was angry that that stench still made his stomach quiver despite all danger being gone. He was angry that his mother was keeping him in the dark about what happened to Gabe, how she got him to leave. He was angry his father still hadn't contacted him, despite Percy being inaugurated with the wizarding world for months. Most of all, Percy was angry at Chiron.

All summer he simmered over the fact that he wasn't allowed to even think of the wizard world. That he couldn't let his mind wander to his near death experience. His emotions of rage were an endless whirlpool right in his heart. He was much too mad for a boy who had only another month to turn twelve.

Sally tried to help him. She'd brought him to anger management classes, tried to keep him distracted, but nothing was working. So, Percy stewed and grumbled and mumbled and kept to himself, waiting and waiting for August to come. Waiting till he could vent everything out towards Chiron.

He knew it was unfair to his mother to act like this, but he just couldn't help it. He wanted to be able to know what was happening. What happened to the Thalia girl? Where did Luke go? What was Annabeth up to? Why did she care to save him? They didn't even like each other.

He had only two weeks to go until August 1st. Only two weeks until his return to magic. Two more weeks and he'd free every last drop of anger, rage, and fury. Two more weeks till his questions were answered. Percy already hated being told what to do, but telling him not to even think of something so drastic and important was beyond ridiculous.

Ψ

When August 1st arrived and Percy had his bags packed, anxiously awaiting Chiron's arrival with Sally sitting on the couch beside him, he realized he wasn't just mad at Chiron. He was furious and upset with Luke. Luke had been a role model to Percy. Luke had been one of his first friends. Percy had trusted Luke to great extents, and Luke only took that trust and snapped it in half like a twig. Percy did not like his trust being abused, people only got a one shot chance with it and Luke wasted his. Percy thought he might just have to ask Annabeth about that killing curse she spoke of, that is if she wasn't going to be annoying as she normally was.