Strange Ties--Percy Jackson/Harry Potter

Chapter Eleven

"I don't know they just can't" he said.

"Huh" she said simply, making her way out of the kitchen.

"I said, would you like to have some" Valerie finally said.

"Nah I'm good" he laughed. The plate was almost empty but it was nice of her to ask."You really like those don't you?"

"They're my favorite, Liz has been making them since I was a baby." 

Enjoy it while it last, Percy thought. 

She smiled and took the last piece. "Hey now that I think about it, I've never seen you eat before"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I never see you in the dining hall for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I just never seen you actually eat something"

"I don't like the food at Hogwarts"

"Why not?"

"Because its not usually what I eat"

"You mean like you eat muggle food?"

"Yeah"

"You know I never asked you, I know you're from America but where exactly?"

"New York"

"Do you like it there?"

"Sometimes"

"Do you miss it?"

He thought about it for a minute. 

"Sometimes"

The door opened suddenly, "Mom's calling you for dinner" it was one of Valerie's brothers, Percy didn't know which one, he couldn't tell them apart. When he left Percy noticed Valerie beginning to shake.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"That mean my father is here" she said. "Can you do me a favor? If you can't answer honestly the questions he asks you, please lie."

"Okay"

He has gotten real good at lying these days, it would be a piece of cake. 

They headed towards the dining room everyone was waiting for them there. Valerie's father stood straight, his eyes pierced at him with a deadly look, he obviously was trying to intimidate Percy but it didn't work obviously. 

"Percy Jackson. We finally meet, please take a seat" he said. Percy took a seat next to Valerie, he noticed that he didn't say hello to her. He figured their relationship was bad but not that bad.

They took a seat and ate in silence. They ate, Percy pretended.

"So Percy, what brings you to Hogwarts?" the man asked.

"Better education"

"Where did you study before?"

"A private school in New York"

"You're from America?"

"Yes"

"Is it your first time in Europe?"

"No, my mother has family in London"

"What about your father?"

"He's from a lot of places"

"Like where?"

"Greece"

For a minute he seemed like he was satisfied and Percy thought the questioning was over. 

"Where did you meet my daughter?" he asked. Percy took a deep breath trying really hard not to answer with where do you think, Alaska?

"Potions class"

"Are your parents together?"

"Divorced"

"Which one do you live with?"

"My mother"

"But the daily prophet said she was dead"

"She's not"

"And what's her name?"

"Jennifer Jackson"

The man took a mouthful of food and nodded; he didn't ask any more questions, although Percy saw in his face he wanted to ask more. The dinner was short and dull, Valerie's brothers were talking with each other and sometimes Audrey would chime in. When dinner was over, Valerie showed Percy the room where he was staying in. In total the house had 18 bedrooms, 9 on the west side and 9 on the east. The west side were for family and the east for visitors. You can take a guess which side Percy was staying in. The room was so big it was the same size as Percy's old apartment in New York.

"Okay so if you need anything just let me know" Valerie said. She was already walking towards the door when Percy stopped her.

"What's the Sandhurst ball?" he asked.

"About that..." she took a seat in the chair near the bed and motioned Percy to sit too.

"So first of all, I really forgot it was this weekend if I knew I wouldn't have brought you here I swear. The Sandhurst ball is an annual ball that my family host every year, last year they couldn't do it because of Voldemort and stuff. Basically, only the 'best' people as my mom calls them are invited, I just call them snobby rich people who come to show everyone how much money they have. My mom is kind of famous in the muggle world and the muggles know about the dance but none of them get invited obviously, my father in the other hand is really known in the wizarding world so he's the one in charge of inviting everyone. Its tomorrow. I do have to warn you though, everyone important will be there and they're going to be kind of shocked that you're going. The press would go too, except they don't let them pass so they just stay at the entrance."

Percy didn't say anything at first, he hated dancing but he didn't have much of a choice.

"Okay" he said as he stood up from the chair. Valerie looked puzzled but she left the room without saying another word.

It was another sleepless night for Percy. He was starting to get used to it really. In his head it was better to use the nighttime to do things rather than wasting it doing something as useless as sleeping. One thing Percy liked most about not sleeping was the peacefulness, when the world around him was asleep he could feel the silence of the night and he would see how alone it was, and realize he wasn't the only one.