PERCY JACKSON

Percy's first couple days at the wizard school had been odd, although, to be fair, he's had worse first weeks. At least he didn't blow up any part of the school.

He had History of Magic, which was somehow so so boring, even though the teacher was a ghost. Herbology was pretty cool; he liked all the plants and how sunny the classroom was. Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall was also good. She was strict, but a good teacher. Percy had never picked up on a subject so fast.

His housemates were… weird. Some of them were pretty nice, like Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass, who had shown him around the first day. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott were both cordial as well. Adrian Pucey, a fourth year, had been helpful too.

And then there was Malfoy and his crowd.

Percy didn't like Malfoy. He bullied the first years, especially the ones who didn't have two magical parents. He had two henchmen named Crabbe and Goyle who were the brawn of the operation. And there was Pansy Parkinson, who draped herself all over Malfoy whenever she could.

The first night in the Slytherin dormitory, Malfoy had come right up to him as soon as he caught him alone, a sneer on his pale face. "Well then. What are you?"

Percy had raised an eyebrow, feeling panic rise inside him. Had he been found out that quickly? How could they possibly know about the mythical world already? But his face remained cool. "I'm human. What are you?"

Malfoy's lip had curled. "I'm a pureblood," he said with pride. "You can't say the same, I'm sure, given your answer. A mudblood, probably."

Percy's eyes had narrowed at the offensive sounding word. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your parents are muggles," Malfoy spat.

Percy nodded, finally understanding. "Yes, yes! My mom was a normal person, yeah."

"And your father?" Malfoy had asked disdainfully.

"I don't see how that's your business, but I don't know about him."

Malfoy had scoffed. "I knew it. A filthy mudblood, that's what you are-" He stopped abruptly, seeming to register that Percy had spoken about his mother in the past tense. He decided to double down. "And your mother is dead, because she couldn't defend herself. Muggles are truly useless creatures-"

Percy's eyes had flashed and he began to laugh, the sound sounding far more angry than amused. "Oh really! You discover my mother is dead, and the first thing you decide to do is insult her! How high class of you!"

Malfoy stepped back. The fear in his eyes made Percy feel vindicated.

"My mother," he had hissed, "is- was- a goddess among women. And I won't let a pale, scrawny, rich boy who can only defend himself with a stick insult her!" Percy knew he was going too far, he knew this wasn't like him, but something inside him, the part of him that loved his mother so much that he snapped off the Minotaur's horn with his bare hands, didn't let him stop.

"Well?" Percy breathed. "Aren't you gonna say sorry?"

Despite his obvious fear, Malfoy had bristled. "I will not-"

"Apologize!"

And just like with the kids from the alley, the word had come out in a lilting, silky tone. Percy could see the moment that Malfoy's eyes had glazed over. He knelt to the ground, Crabbe and Goyle doing the same behind him. "I am sorry," he had said, and then he said it again. "I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry…"

Percy had blinked, and suddenly Malfoy shifted to be himself, younger, sobbing apologies up at Gabe. Another blink, and the scene had returned to what it was: Percy, looming over the other boys, on their knees, begging for forgiveness.

"Oh gods." Percy had stumbled back, tears filling his eyes. "What did I do?" The boys hadn't stopped their monotone chanting.

Percy had heard footsteps down the hall, and he almost burst with panic. No one could see this. No one.

"Get up," he'd whispered frantically, forcing the feeling of power into his voice. "Stop apologizing, and forget this ever happened."

The three boys had moved robotically to their feet and slowly turned around. Their eyes still glazed over, they walked out of Percy's room. They ran into Blaise and Theodore on their way out.

The two boys gave them curious looks. "What happened to them?" asked Theodore.

Percy gave a weak smile. "I have no idea."

He had fallen asleep sobbing that night, trying to figure out how to turn off his weird Voice, trying even harder not to think about how he was turning into Gabe.

And now he had Care of Magical Creatures. He had been shoved forward by Crabbe and Goyle, who didn't seem to have the lasting effect of the Voice that Malfoy, who gave him a frightened look, had. So now he had to approach the half horse-half eagle creature.

'Fantastic,' said the hippogriff sarcastically. 'This giant man is at it again.'

'I know,' Buckbeak replied. 'Mine's polite, at least.' He had knelt down in front of Harry.

'Rude,' Percy interjected. 'I am so polite.'

Both hippogriffs' heads snapped towards him, in shock. Harry leapt backwards, and the class gasped behind them.

"Oh damn," Percy said out loud. "Sorry you guys, didn't mean to scare you. They just called me rude."

Hagrid stared at him incredulously, looking very similar to how the hippogriffs' general mood felt. "Can yeh- can yeh understan' 'em?"

Shoot. Another thing he had revealed about himself. Even among these magic people, he's a freak. "Um. Yeah. Yeah, I can."

Muttering from the peanut gallery.

'What are you?' demanded Stormswift. ''Wizards don't talk to us.'

'My dad's Poseidon,' Percy explained to the hippogriffs, no longer worried about them exposing him.

'Poseidon!' exclaimed Buckbeak. 'You're a demigod!'

"-fantastic!" cried Hagrid, beaming. "What are they sayin'? Can yeh ask 'em if they'll let you an' Harry ride 'em?"

"Yeah, sure," Percy answered distractedly, trying to keep up with Hagrid's request while the hippogriffs shouted excitedly about him being the son of Poseidon and the nephew of Zeus.

'Hey, hey,' Percy hushed them. 'I was wondering. Could Harry and I ride you two?'

'Harry is this one?' Buckbeak asked, gesturing towards the Gryffindor boy.

'Yeah, that's him.'

The two hippogriffs exchanged looks before giving their approval.

Percy turned to Hagrid. "They said yes."

"Great!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Alrigh' then, let's get you two on their backs…"

It took a bit of time, but suddenly the two green eyed boys were shooting off into the sky, laughing delightedly. Percy had never felt so comfortable in the air. He had never known what he was missing.

"This is bloody fantastic!" screamed Harry, a smile so wide on his face it looked almost uncomfortable.

"I know!" Percy screamed back.

They exchanged exuberant grins, as if all their problems had been left on the ground beneath them.