Strange Ties--Percy Jackson/Harry Potter

Chapter Thirty-Two

Percy
After a whole month being stuck at Hogwarts during the Christmas break, Percy found himself back in his room, staring out of the window as the snow fell gently outside. The castle was slowly filling up again as students returned, but his section of the Slytherin dormitory was still quiet. He was flipping through the pages absentmindedly when he heard a knock on his door. It was a sharp, enthusiastic knock, the kind that could only belong to one person.

"Percy!" came a familiar voice from the other side. "Open up!"

He got up, a smile spreading across his face as he opened the door. There was August, her short blue hair still vibrant despite the gloomy weather. She was holding a large basket filled with snacks, her face lit up with excitement.

"August," he said, stepping aside to let her in. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be busy catching up with your Hufflepuff friends."

August grinned and practically bounced into the room, her energy infectious. "I had to come see you first!" she replied, setting the basket down on his desk. "Besides, I brought you some of your favorites. It's a 'welcome back to the world of the living' kind of thing."

Percy couldn't help but chuckle as he looked through the basket. It was filled with all sorts of treats—chocolate frogs, pumpkin pasties, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Everything he could possibly want after a long break. "Wow, you really went all out," he said, pulling out a package of licorice wands. "Thanks, August."

She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes scanning his room. "So, what did you do during the break?" she asked, plopping down on his bed without hesitation.

Percy shrugged, a hint of humor in his voice. "I mostly just wandered around," he replied. "It was pretty quiet."

August nodded, her playful grin returning. "Well, don't worry, because I'm back, and we're going to have the best term ever," she said with a dramatic flourish. "I've got all sorts of ideas for things we can do. You know, to liven things up a bit." She looked around his room again, "Why is your room so scary?"

Percy raised an eyebrow, taken aback by her comment. "Scary?" he echoed, glancing around his room. To him, it was just a typical Hogwarts dormitory—stone walls, wooden furniture, and a view of the grounds outside. But August seemed to see something different.

"I don't know," he replied, scratching his head. "It's just a room, isn't it?"

August looked around his room again, taking in the dark green tapestries, the old wooden furniture, and the dim lighting."It's like you've been living in a cave or something."

"Yeah, it's part of the whole Slytherin vibe," he replied, shrugging. "They like things dark and brooding. It grows on you after a while."

August raised an eyebrow, her blue hair catching the dim light as she tilted her head. "Grows on you? That's not exactly a glowing recommendation," she said, her tone playful. "Don't you ever think about redecorating? Maybe add a splash of color or, I don't know, some actual light?"

Percy chuckled, shaking his head. "I kind of like it this way. It's quiet, and nobody bothers me."
August rolled her eyes, a grin tugging at her lips. "Yeah, I guess it's the perfect place to plot your evil schemes," she teased.

Percy caught the chocolate frog and gave August a mock frown. "Evil schemes? C'mon, I'm not that bad," he replied, unwrapping the chocolate and popping it into his mouth. "And I'm not plotting anything... today, anyway."

August laughed, shaking her head. "Sure, sure. Just don't go turning into your granddad on us, okay?" she said. It was clear she was joking, but Percy knew that there were still people at Hogwarts who thought he was a ticking time bomb, however, August was the only person who he allowed to joke about it.