Collision (PJO/HP Crossover)

Chapter 24

Percy

The incident in the bathroom wasn't mentioned between us and the wizards. The only acknowledgment of the event came when Hermione delivered to us enough basilisk skin to complete our potion. Annabeth and I tried to forget about it and focused on our studies. There were only two weeks left until Christmas break—two weeks until we were back in America. Two weeks until we could stop pretending to be wizards and be demigods again.

Annabeth and I were struggling. Since Christmas was so close our grades were slipping—they'd never been great anyway—and it was starting to attract attention. The teachers were beginning to notice and talk to us about it, saying things like "just because it's almost break doesn't mean you can slack off, your grades still matter, you should always do the best you can." For once, Annabeth agreed with me and didn't care about her school grades.

We hadn't figured out what we would be doing after Christmas—would we still be taking classes? Would we just be demigods hanging around and trying to get along with the wizards? Would we even stay if they trusted us? Would we leave if they didn't?

Nothing was decided, and Hecate wasn't being much help about it. All she cared about was training and making sure we could perform magic. She had apparently been spying on us during classes and noticed that we were barely using magic, and she felt that it was drawing suspicion and would not help our case later. So, our meetings each week with her doubled and she focused all of her attention on making us adequate magic wielders.

I was thrown back once again from a stunning spell, crashing to the ground. I lay there panting for a moment and then pulled myself to my feet. "Can we take a break?" I asked Hecate, retrieving my wand from where it had fallen.

As a response, she fired another stunning spell at me. I managed a weak protego, but it only lessened the impact and I stumbled back.

Annabeth got up from where she had been watching and took my place. Hecate ran her through the same trials as she had me. Annabeth was all right at the offense, like me, but neither of our protection spells were strong enough to repel a direct attack. Annabeth was tossed to the ground like I had been.

I groaned as Hecate gestured me forward while Annabeth took a break. "You said it yourself, we won't be able to do magic like the wizards can. This is the best we can do."

Hecate sighed. "I suppose you're right. You simply are unable to perform magic to the extent of a witch or wizard your age."

"So, what do you want us to do about it?" Annabeth asked, rubbing her shoulder and handing me a bottle of water while downing one of her own. "They've started to notice, but we can't improve our skills. They'll know that something is up eventually."

"Well, there are only two weeks left so hopefully you shouldn't need to worry too much. But, just in case, only use magic if you have to, and make sure it's something you can do easily, or that it won't draw attention. If the spell doesn't work, make it seem like that was intentional. Bluff your way through these next two weeks. Make everything you do seem as though you did it on purpose," Hecate said.

"Okay. I think we can do that," I said.

Hecate put away her wand and cleared the Room of Requirement. "Take out your weapons. The—"

She suddenly stopped and I immediately froze, knowing she had good reason to stop. Riptide was in my hand in pen form. Annabeth had her hand on the hilt of her sword. "What?" she asked.

Someone is watching us. Hecate's voice sounded in my head. I gave a small nod to show I understood.

I calmed my senses and listened carefully, slowly creeping around the room. At first, I didn't see or hear anything, but then I heard it. Tiny breaths. Someone was in here, watching us.

I followed the sound of the breathing. Annabeth seemed to have heard it too and we were closing in from opposite sides. The breathing became louder and I could tell where the person was a few feet in front of me. I saw Hecate raise her wand and I readied Riptide.

There was a flash of light and a man became visible in front of me. Annabeth and I rushed at him. It took me a split second to recognize the back of his head and I traded my sword for my wand just in time, reaching him and placing my wand at his back.

"Sorry! Sorry, it's only me," Harry said.

He was holding a cloak in his arms. His hair was rumpled and so were his clothes, like he'd put them on hastily. Hecate lowered her wand and Annabeth and I put ours away.

"Mr. Potter. You're out of bed after hours, and spying on a teacher and your fellow students. Care to explain?" she said, entering her super-strict teacher mode.

"Um, I was sleepwalking," he said, and from his face, I could tell that he knew his excuse was weak.

"With an invisibility cloak?" Hecate said accusingly. I glanced at the cloak in his arms and guessed that that was the cloak she was talking about.

"Uh . . . well, shouldn't they be in bed as well?" Harry gestured to Annabeth and me.

"They have my permission to be here, as well as Professor McGonagall's. And as you can tell, they are here with me. You, however, have no permission to be here or out of bed. I will see you in detention after class tomorrow."

"But—"

"Would you like it to be the whole week?" Hecate said and Harry shut his mouth and shook his head. "Good. Go back to your dormitory."

Harry began to walk out with one last curious glance at Annabeth and me.

"And Mr. Potter?" Hecate called after him.

"Yes, Professor?" He turned obediently.

"Just because you are the Chosen One and defeated Voldemort does not mean I will treat you any different. You are simply another student."

"Yes, Professor." And then he was gone.

"How much did he hear?" Annabeth asked as soon as he was gone.

"Well, I don't think we ever mentioned your parents and my family, or what exactly you were doing before you came here," Hecate said, being careful not to say anything we weren't ready for anyone to find out, just in case we were still being spied on.

"So do you think we're all right?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," Hecate said, waving her wand absentmindedly. "He must have heard that you two have trouble with magic, but I'm not sure what will happen from that. We will just have to wait and see."

I nodded and looked down at my wand. "I guess so."

A/N: Yeah, kind of short, but kind of important.

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