Disclaimer!

These characters do not belong to me nor do I make any money off this story. I am merely writing Fan Fiction. The characters belong to their respective authors. I hope you enjoy Joining Forces.

Percy POV:

I was placed as a Chaser for the Gryffindor team. I couldn't believe it. The lesson Harry gave me helped a lot, though I still hadn't been sure if I could live up to Harry and Ron's idea of how good a quidditch player I'd be - I mean, I hadn't even heard of the sport until recently, but my nerves washed away quickly. It was similar to flying a pegasus, just on a broomstick instead. Who knew after battling monsters for so many years, the experience would come in handy for a sport like this?

"See," Harry said, as the pitch had begun to clear out. We had just finished the tryouts. "I knew you'd be a great player,"

"Thanks!" I responded and embraced a hug from Annabeth who had come to watch the trials. Ron smiled at her, "Are you going to tell your house's team what great competition they have? Gryffindor is going to win this year, for sure."

"Our tryouts are going to be tomorrow," Annabeth replied, "I'll be sure to tell them. I'm actually trying out too,"

"Are you going to be a Chaser too?" I asked. I hadn't originally had an idea of which position I should have tried out for, but Harry convinced me during the lesson to try for it, saying he thought it'd be a good fit for me.

"Perhaps," Annabeth responded, "Cho suggested it, but I think I might try for Keeper."

"Ah," Ron said, who had the same position on the Gryffindor team. "I'm a Keeper too. How do you feel?"

"Pretty confident," Annabeth said, "I may have never played Quidditch before, but I think I can hold do well. Anyway, Percy, I have to go back to my common room. See you tomorrow," We released each other from our hug, Annabeth waving goodbye to me before she left.

We headed back to the common room where the portrait of the fat lady was, next to her was Nico, his back leaning on her the wall. "Percy," Ron asked, his voice like a whisper. "Isn't that your Slytherin friend?" I nodded and rushed over saying hello.

"Percy," He responded, looking past me where Harry and Ron had arrived, waiting for us to finish up. "Nico," Harry asked, What are you doing near our common room?"

"It's late," Ron added, "Shouldn't you be heading back to your own?"

"It's not that close to curfew yet," Nico replied. "I was here to talk to Percy, it'll be short." After a moment of silence, Ron and Harry figured out he meant by ourselves. "Go in first," I told them as they looked warily between us. "I promise I won't get any points taken," Before I got a response, Nico and I already were walking away from the portrait, whispering to each other.

"I saw your flying, nice job," Nico said. The Hogwarts corridors mostly empty as the majority of people were probably in their dorms or their common rooms. "Thanks," I responded, "I'm guessing you haven't changed your mind about trying out,"

He nodded. "I prefer to stay grounded."

"So, what's wrong? Is Annabeth coming?"

"I've already told her on my way here, thought you should know too. Today, I was in the Slytherin Dormitories and heard some noises like scratching on a wall or something similar. Did you happen to hear anything strange or like that lately?"

"Nope,"

"I just want you to know so you can stay somewhat alert. There were things from Hogwarts History that give me a bad feeling about this; the Basilisk using the pipes, Peter Pettigrew as a rat."

"I'll be careful," I said, "but, you know, it could have been just someone's regular rat and not an animagus. Though, I understand where you're coming from. Things don't usually go well for people like us," Peter Pettigrew was an animagus which apparently meant he could transform into an animal. He spent over a decade as a rat until his identity was unmasked a couple of years ago.

"It isn't just in the male Slytherin dormitories," Nico added. "When I went out, although less audible, it was still in the hallways. Some people heard it as well, but they just assumed it was another prank that Peeves was pulling." Peeves was a ghost at Hogwarts known for stirring up mayhem. "And it sounded like more than one, a group of whatever it is."

"Wait," I said, "Stop talking." I listened around the corridor for anything, and there it was, a faint scratching noise that reminded me of a rat of something scratching on metal. "I hear it."

"It's even fainter than before," Nico said, scrunching his brow. We stood in the corridor for another moment, the noise quickly softening until I doubted I heard it at all. "We should head back to our dormitories," Nico said at last. "Percy, try seeing if the sounds are in the Gryffindor common room and dorms. Annabeth's doing the same for Ravenclaw."

Harry POV:

"He still isn't back," Ron said, as he looked at the door out of the common room. "Calm down Ron," Hermione said. "It hasn't been too long, he just probably wants to have a nice chat with Nico, it must be difficult for them since they're in different houses. You said he told you he wouldn't get any points taken. Stop fussing,"

"He had just happened to want a conversation," Ron muttered. "As if. Probably wanted to sneak in, only he got foiled by us."

"He was just leaning there," I said. "And the Fat lady said he had only arrived a few minutes before us," Ron muttered under his breath again stopping quickly as Percy entered the common room. "Percy!"

"Hello," He said, sitting in the empty spot next to me. "Thanks for teaching me today Harry,"

"You got the talent, " I replied. "I just helped a bit," Percy was swift and fast on a broomstick making it hard to believe he had never played the sport before, though his reaction was so pure when we mentioned it, I didn't think he had lied when saying he hadn't known about Quidditch.

"Forget Auror," Ron joked. "Become a Quidditch scout!"

"Harry," Hermione said. "Are you going to schedule the practices the same nights as the Slug Club meeting again though?" Last time I was part of the Slug Club, I purposely made the Quidditch practises the same nights as the get-together to have an excuse to be unable to go. It was a considerable idea, but… "Should I?" I asked.

"No," Percy said, "That would kinda be troublesome for me, maybe for Ginny too. You aren't the only one who's also part of the Slug Club. I know I shouldn't question your choices about the team since you're the Captain, but if it's possible..." I sighed and nodded my head.

"Oh yeah, Percy," Hermione piped, taking out a box of sweets we let her keep in her bag. "Here, hope you enjoy. Ron and Harry let me keep them in my bag since they were playing Quidditch,"

"Thanks," He responded. "What did you choose? Though, any will be interesting."

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans," Ron stated, proud of our choice. "Though be careful. They really mean every flavour. Sure some are nice like peppermint and marmalade, but there's also some that taste like vegetables. My brother said he had one that tasted like a bogey," Percy took a jellybean from the box, his face immediately contorting after he put it in his mouth. "I get it," He managed. "Ugh, I think this is Ear Wax, or maybe plastic. I don't know,"

"So, what did Nico want to talk to you about?" Ron asked.

"Not much," Percy explained, popping another jellybean in his mouth. He offered some of them to us, I declined. "Lemon," He said after getting puckered lips. "Nico just wanted to check up on me. He did the same to Annabeth. We just talked."

"About?" Ron pressed. Percy didn't seem to think too much of it and continued without a care. "About Quidditch, he said I flew well,"

"You did," I confirmed. Percy smiled.

"Is he trying out for Slytherin's team?" Ron asked.

"No, Nico doesn't like flying so much," Percy ate another sweet from the box, this one was a shining golden colour. I guessed it would be honey, but Bertie's Beans were always unpredictable. Percy suddenly looked taken back from it, his eyes wide as he chewed softly. "What is it?" I asked.

"Warm chocolate chip cookies," He sounded, uncertain.

"I never got cookies before," Ron added. "Chocolate yes, but never cookies. Some people get all the luck, I always get things like paper, dirt, vomit, I think I got dung once!"

"Who makes these anyways?"

"Bertie Bott," Hermione answered. "It's right in the name, why?"

"Nothing," Percy insisted, closing the lid on the box after searching around in it for a short time. "I think I'll put this away. We have to go to bed soon after all."