HARRY POTTER

The next class Harry shared with Percy Jackson was Potions. Now, Harry absolutely despised Potions with the Slytherins. Class with Malfoy and Snape? He'd rather serve detention with Filch.

But Potions with Malfoy, Snape, and Percy Jackson?

That was a whole different story.

Malfoy came in with a sling on his arm. After Buckbeak had gotten him with his claws, Percy Jackson had laughed at him so hard that his face had turned bright red. "How dare you laugh at me, Jackson! I am injured!"

Percy had raised an eyebrow. "Oh please. That's barely a papercut."

Malfoy, although very embarrassed in the moment, wasn't deterred during Potions class. He had a great time ordering Harry and Ron to cut up his ingredients for him. His fun was ruined, however, by Percy making snarky comments under his breath the whole class.

"Awwww, does wittle Mawfoy not know his way around a blade?" he whispered cheekily, a glint in his eye. "I suppose you might not have much experience."

Malfoy's pale face turned red. "W-well it's not like you're doing much better, Jackson!" he hissed, pointing at the uncut pile of daisy roots on his worktable.

Percy raised an eyebrow, then turned to his partner, Neville. "Hey, Nev," he asked kindly, "I know we said you'd cut the roots, but would you mind if I did it? You can stir, if you want."

Neville blushed as Percy spoke to him. "Yeah, that would be fine," he said shyly.

Percy smiled at him. "Thanks, man." The kind expression dropped off his face as he turned back to Malfoy. "Watch and learn." He drew his knife, and quickly and impressively cut the daisy roots into clean, even strips.

Percy smiled cockily at Malfoy, but his smile slipped off his face as Snape appeared behind him. "Well, Jackson, if you have time to chat, you have time to cut Malfoy's roots and your own. You can join Weasley and Potter in helping Malfoy with his potion."

Percy narrowed his eyes at Snape, but didn't argue. He picked up the knife again and began to slowly and precisely slice the roots, staring into Malfoy's eyes with a slightly frightening look on his face. Malfoy paled, avoiding his gaze. His eyes darted around the room and landed on Hermione, who was working with Parvati Patil on their picture perfect Shrinking Solution. He smirked, his obnoxious arrogance returning to his face.

"Patil," he sneered. Parvati looked up, startled. Malfoy usually didn't talk to her. "How does it feel to need help from a mudblood?"

Parvati's jaw dropped open at the slur. Hermione bit her lip and averted her eyes, trying not to cry. Harry and Ron both jumped up with cries of outrage. But Percy's reaction was the most interesting.

"Draco," he said quietly, "that was not okay."

Malfoy's contemptuous smile faded away. "Oh."

"Yeah." Percy sighed, and for a moment Harry thought he saw fear flicker over his face. "You should say sorry to Hermione."

Ron scoffed at the very idea, but then the room went silent as Malfoy looked at Hermione and quietly whispered "Sorry, Granger."

No one moved. This was absolutely unprecedented.

Malfoy glanced at Percy, as if searching for his approval. Percy nodded at him. "Thank you, Draco."

The class remained silent until the end, everyone half focused on their potions and half marvelling at the thought of Draco Malfoy apologising to a muggleborn. Finally, Snape came around to check the potions.

"Well done, Draco, as always." Malfoy gave a weak smile.

"Adequate," was all he said to Hermione and Parvati's perfect potion.

He didn't even deign to comment on Harry and Ron's potion, scoffing at its light pink shade instead of the green it was supposed to be because they had to spend their time helping Malfoy instead of working on their own.

When Snape stopped at Neville and Percy's potion, a brief flicker of surprise ran over his face before it returned to its regular impassive expression. "Well," he said after a pause, "I'm not surprised that it took a Slytherin to make Longbottom's potion… satisfactory." He looked at Percy and nodded. "Ten points to Slytherin."

He went to move on, but Percy spoke up. "Wait, hold on. Neville made this with me. He should get points too."

The room burst into noise, the Slytherins yelling at Percy for asking to give points to their rivals and the Gryffindors agreeing with him. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, appreciating Percy's efforts.

"Quiet," Snape muttered, and despite the low volume of his voice, everyone obeyed. He glared disdainfully at the green-eyed Slytherin. "You think to tell me how to teach my own class?"

Percy shrugged, holding the professor's gaze. "It's only fair."

"Fair," Snape sneered. But as he stared into Percy's eerie sea green eyes, almost glowing in the darkness of the dungeons, his own black eyes seemed to cloud over, then soften. "Ten points to Gryffindor."

He then stalked out of the classroom before anyone could react. And react they did.

Neville's eyes teared up, and he stared at Percy for a moment before throwing his arms around him and burying his head in the green-eyed boy's shoulder. Percy looked surprised for a moment, then softened and brought his arms around Neville, patting him on the back. The rest of the Gryffindors burst into raucous applause.

"The first time Snape's given a Gryffindor points!" Ron crowed, "and to bloody Neville, too! Who would've thought?"

"Oh, Neville! I'm so proud of you!" Hermione cried, beaming. Neville, who had finally taken his head out of Percy's shirt, leaving behind a damp spot, blushed so red Harry was slightly worried.

Harry felt a grin stretching across his face. Even the darkness of the dungeons felt brighter. The Slytherins were all standing still, still shocked by their Head of House's sudden change of heart. Surprisingly, instead of the rage that Harry had expected to see on their faces, only Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson really looked mad about what had happened. Most of the other Slytherins looked somewhat… relieved.

Harry shrugged it off. He was now quite excited for his next class: Defence Against the Dark Arts.