Heroes at Hogwarts

eight | jokes and juries

percy

Percy wadded up another piece of parchment and tossed at Vincent Crabbe's hooded robes again. He landed it right in the hood.

Ron Weasley snickered next to him. "That's six," he muttered as Sprout continued talking about the differences in certain vines.

Percy smiled and handed him a small ball of parchment. "You try."

When Ron missed by miles and almost alerted Hermione of their game, Percy had to stifle a chuckle. He was glad he'd played basketball with the other kids on his street growing up. Ron Weasley hit strange balls into hoops from brooms, Percy shot basketballs from the ground (the solid ground).

Sprout spoke louder and grabbed Percy's attention. "Now remember, students, it's Thursday. We're almost two weeks into the school year and this is your first assignment..." Percy droned out again. Another prospect of being a 'wizarding exchange student from America'- you don't get homework.

On the other side of being an exchange student, he hadn't had time to call Annabeth all week, and he knew she would be driving herself crazy if he didn't call. He was driving himself crazy, too, not talking to her for so long. Ever since they'd fallen out of the 'elevator of death', as Leo called it, they were never apart. If he wasn't with Annabeth, he was with Jason or Frank, sometimes Piper and Grover, spending his time laying in the sun, playing basketball, or planting strawberries. He was so ready to go to college with her and his friends, stop being the butt of prophecies and pawns of the gods.

He scanned the room. Thursday meant joint Herbology class with the Gryffindors, which meant suspicious glances from Hermione Granger because of his green tie and sideways glances from Draco Malfoy because of his friendship with Ronald Weasley. Harry was sitting with Jason, Frank with Neville, Hermione with another boy that Percy hadn't bothered to learn the name of yet, and he sat with Ron. Draco sat directly to the side of Percy, with Gregory Goyle, a boy that Percy had learned spoke more out one end than the other.

"Zhang, Grace, Jackson," Sprout turned from the plants to the makeshift desks scattered in the greenhouse. "McGonagall would like to see you three. Her office, now please." Percy stood as Jason and Frank handed quills and notes to their desk mates. "Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, you three can sit together and work."

Percy smiled to himself as the three of them pushed out of the greenhouse's drapes and into the sunlight. It was getting colder as the months wore into winter, but Hagrid was still out and about in his garden and the quidditch pitch was filled with second years on their time off.

"Well, it's just us again." Frank threw his arms around the other two boys. "What do you suppose we're heading to the head of house for?"

Jason smirked. "Our head of house." He nodded to Percy. "How's life in the green zone?"

Percy smiled. "I don't think it's as terrible as Harry explained it to be."

Two days before, Harry had pulled Percy aside and explained his history with the Slytherins. He'd told Percy all about Draco Malfoy, Voldemort's time in school, and old Slytherin legends told by other houses.

"I don't trust most of them," Harry had said. "The brunette girl seemed nice enough, as do the others you seem to have hooked on to, but be careful."

Percy had been confused at the time, but nodded. "Why are you telling me this?"

Harry had furrowed his brows and shrugged. "Seemed like I needed to. I'm not sure."

Frank smiled again as they marched up the hill to the school. "Well, we've made headway. Harry is a great guy, Perce. I can see why Poseidon chose him."