This story has a mix of different ideas from all the books. Some instructions from the Half-Blood Prince's potions book are present, as well as obviously The Prisoner Of Azkaban, and other stuff.

To Genevieve: Glad you like that idea, it just came to me. No spoilers though!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor Percy Jackson & The Olympians

—Harry Potter—

Ugh. I hate Potions class.

Some time before Snape showed up, Nico disappeared. I wasn't quite sure about him at this point. He seemed like a nice kid and everything, but like Ron said, something was off about him.

Suddenly, he slammed right into me.

"I'm here!" he said, panting as if he'd just run a long way and holding his head where he had undoubtedly bumped onto my shoulder (yeah, he is that small).

"Where did you go?" I whispered to him as we filed into the classroom.

"Left my Potions book in the dorm!" he said. "So idiotic of me! And now my head hurts!"

I resisted the urge to laugh. He looked really innocent at this point, pouting and rubbing his head.

"Potter, would you like to tell us what's so funny?"

Snape was standing next to my desk. I must have laughed out loud.

Nico raised his hand. Snape raised an eyebrow and looked over. I wanted to bang my head on the desk. This he not see the danger in approaching him now?!

"What?" he snapped. Then Snape frowned. "Who are you? You're not in this year, get out of my class!"

Malfoy and couple of his Slytherins snickered into their hands. Bastards.

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean, sir." said Nico. Sir? "And I'm not particularly sure who you are either, I'm new here, see? I haven't managed to find out your name yet."

Snape scowled even deeper. "Nico di Angelo, the 'little genius.'"

"I don't think so?" said Nico, frowning in confusion.

"Well, I'm Professor Snape, mind you pay attention and keep up! We're not lagging behind just because some first-year is having petty trouble! Potter!" I almost jumped at my name. "You partner di Angelo and try not to corrupt him with your terrible potion-making skills!"

Malfoy snickered again. I felt angry at all three of them. No, two of them. It wasn't Nico's fault.

Snape scratched the instructions for the Draught of Living Death on the blackboard and told them all to get into pairs.

"This is a very difficult potion," he said, "But you should at least be able to avoid melting cauldrons today!"

"Sorry." said Nico, as we were working. "I didn't mean for Snape to go at you like that, I was trying to distract him before."

I shrugged. "It's no worry, Snape always does that."

He frowned, but went back to getting the juice out of his sopophorus bean.

"Blimey, how did you get so much?" I gasped, seeing how he had loads compared to my few drops.

He looked over to me. "Oh, ah, just press the beans with the flat of a knife instead. It works much better."

I stared at him, that wasn't what it said in our books, but shrugged and tried it.

I was amazed at how much juice came out.

"Where did you learn that?" I asked him.

"A friend told me." he said simply.

I wanted to ask him more but at that moment there was a yell and a potion exploded.

Dean was at the other end of the classroom, hurriedly shaking drops of bluey-green liquid off his clothes. Neville was next to his cauldron drenched in the stuff and his skin was covered in painful-looking reddish boils. He looked terribly hurt.

"Again, Longbottom?" Snape snarled.

I had to admit, it was amazing that Neville managed to fudge up his potion every single time we had class.

Neville whimpered a little and Malfoy sniggered with his cronies. Snape snorted.

"di Angelo!" he said, pointing to said person. "Take Longbottom to the infirmary and don't hurry back!"

Nico jumped up and helped Neville out the door looking distraught and worried. Probably he hadn't had such a class where dangerous potions like these were made before. I almost envied him for that.

"What are you all staring at?" asked Snape and everyone jumped. "Get back to work!"

I looked down at Nico's book and a hastily scribbled line caught my eye.