Strange Ties--Percy Jackson/Harry Potter

Chapter Thirty-Two

"Don't worry, I'd make a terrible Dark Lord," Percy replied with a grin. "Way too much stress and not enough snacks." He took a bite of the chocolate, finding it easier to relax.

August tilted her head, squinting at him with a playful expression. "Wait, did you get taller?" she asked, leaning in to get a better look. "You seem taller. Is this what happens when you spend a whole month locked in a castle? You grow like a beanstalk?"

Percy laughed, shaking his head. "I don't think that's how it works," he replied, amused by her observation. "But maybe you're just standing in a weird spot, or you're slouching more than usual."

August frowned playfully, then straightened her posture, rising to her full height. "Slouching? Me? Never!" she declared dramatically, but then laughed and slouched again, her natural posture more relaxed. "Beanstalk! That's your new nickname! But don't worry, I'll only use it when I need to get your attention. You know, like when you're too lost in your own head to notice anything around you."

Percy chuckled and nodded, "Fine, if that's what makes you happy" he said, his tone warm. He settled into his desk chair, leaning back as he listened to her recount her Christmas break.

"Okay, so get this," August began, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "My dads went all out this year. I mean, they really went for it. We had this huge Christmas tree, like, I swear it touched the ceiling, and the whole house was decorated with tinsel and lights. It was like living inside a Christmas card."

"Sounds like they went big," he replied.

"Totally," August agreed. "We even had a family talent show on Christmas Eve. My dads did this hilarious skit about a wizard who couldn't remember his own spells. You would've loved it. I was the judge, and I gave them both ten points for creativity."

Percy chuckled at the mental image, "What about you?" he asked. "Did you perform anything?"

August shook her head, a playful grin spreading across her lips. "Nah, I prefer to be in the audience. But my cousin did this insane dance routine. I don't know where she learned to move like that, but it was pretty cool. She almost knocked over the tree, though, which would have been a disaster. We also went sledding, like, every day. There's this big hill near our house, and we spent hours out there. My dad had to drag me inside because it was getting so cold, but I didn't care. It was awesome."

"Sounds like you kept busy," Percy managed to comment between August's rant.

August nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, and in new years we saw fireworks. My dads know a guy who puts on a huge show every year. It's like a tradition now. We all went out and watched from the back porch, and it was amazing. You should've seen the colors—it was like a rainbow exploded in the sky. My little brother was jumping up and down the whole time."

Percy listened, feeling a mix of happiness for her and a sense of longing for the kind of family gatherings he used to have. It was nice to hear about someone enjoying the holidays, even if his own experience had been less than ideal.

August continued, "But yeah, that's pretty much it. A lot of family stuff, a lot of food, and a lot of snow. I missed you, though. It wasn't the same without you around. I was telling my dads all about Hogwarts"

Percy smiled, feeling a warmth in his chest at her words. "I'm glad you're back," he replied. "It's been pretty boring here without you"

She nodded, "Yeah I can imagine. Anyways cmon! The welcome back dinner probably started already!" She stood up from his bed and headed towards the door.

Percy followed her confused, "Wait, they do that?"

August glanced back at him, her eyes bright with excitement. "Of course! It's like a mini-Feast to kick off the new term. There'll be loads of food!"