A Half Blood Against Time | A Percy Jackson AU

Chapter 4: "Did you just quote star wars?"

Hecate handed Percy a stack of paper, "Write down all the formulas you know along with the first three sets of basic rune structure."

Percy took the paper and sighed as he readied his quill and ink, "You know, had I known magic involved this much work I would have just stayed hidden in the mortal world instead."

"That must be the fifth time you told me that this day Jackson, stop complaining, it's not an attractive quality," Hecate summoned a glass of wine for herself as she sat down in front of Percy. "Begin."

Percy nodded as he quickly looked over the question sheets and began to answer them as best as he could. He didn't wear the blood band, a magical band that Hecate had gotten him on their visit to Diagon Alley which was supposed to increase his knowledge in exchange for some of his blood, which he did every time Hecate tested him. The goddess wanted him answering these questions without any outside help.

Percy hummed as he tackled the arithmancy problems first. Like Hecate said when he first started they were similar to his number tables. He didn't have much choice but to mug them up, they were the basic concepts of arithmancy, he needed to learn.

"Let's see, formula for a twist motion? (M x 4) + number of inches in wand length. Flick, (M x 2) + number of inches in wand length. Shit, hm...well I suppose that's a tricky one..."

And like that Percy went on for the better half of the morning. At around noon he sighed and put down his quill handing the goddess the completed exam paper.

The goddess cast her grading spell on it and smiled as the number '87%' came up.

Percy grinned, "Am I good, or am I good?"

"Don't get cocky kid."

"Did you just quote star wars?"

"Yep!" Hecate grinned triumphantly, "and Iris said I wasn't in with the younger kids."

"Right," Percy said unsure with what to say. He cleared his throat, "Anyway, I'm done with runes and arithmancy right? Does that mean I can get a wand now?" Hecate had refused to get Percy a wand until he mastered the parts of magic that did not require the use of wand at all.

She had already turned Percy into a master of potions, a deal done with a lot of difficulty and creative ways of teaching so that Percy actually remembered how ingredients worked and what each of them did.

"Not so fast kid, you're not nearly close to being done. This was just the theory part, you still need cover the practical area."

"Cool! Will it be like potions?"

"Yes, it will. I think you are going to enjoy it quite a bit actually," Hecate smiled, "Now, shall we begin?" She snapped her fingers and vanished the question paper and quickly sent the books Percy's was studying away.

"But wait, how am I going to practice all of this practically?"

"Well you can't really do arithmancy practically just yet, you need to be a lot more experienced to even think about creating new spells. And that means you need a wand, which you aren't going to get just yet. So for now we'll skip that bit. But, we are going to do a rune carving session, which I think you will enjoy."

Hecate snapped her fingers summoning a giant black bag about 2 feet tall and a wooden bow that was decorated with runes. Percy recognized a few of them, there were runes for protection, for safety, for comfort but there were also many that he had no clue about. Percy groaned, "Hecate, why don't I recognize some of these runes?"

"Hm? Oh, well you aren't that advanced yet Percy. Essentially you just learn your ABC's, these runes are practically a whole new language, but don't worry, I'll teach them soon enough. Now, go ahead, open the box."