Percy Jackson and the Triwizard Tournament (Goblet of Fire)

Chapter 9: Stupid Hat.

Well... err... argh! Let's just get this over with.

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Percy and Thalia sat on the stairs for 2 minutes in complete silence. And for somebody with ADHD, it was pure torture. Percy began rapidly tapping his foot and simultaneously drumming his fingers on his knee, in his crouched position on the stairs. Thalia soon joined him, but instead of tapping her foot, her eyes merely darted back and forth, absorbing every detail she could.

But they both did one thing in common, stare at Annabeth with concern. Her eyes were still shut tightly, fist clenched, as she had the peculiar hat placed on her head.

"That thing is freaking me out," Percy said as he brushed his hand through his hair.

"But you have to admit, your face was hilarious..." Thalia elbowed him in the side, as her face eventually surrendered to uncontrollable laughter.

"Hey, I didn't really expect the hat to talk and just start screaming -"

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat boomed in an amplified voice, as Percy nearly jumped out of his skin for a second time within the hour.

Annabeth opened her eyes, and quickly took the hat off, her blonde hair now frizzy from static. Before placing it back on the shelf, she glanced grimly at her friends.

Thalia patted her on the back, "Well you did it Annabeth! You put on the scares-Percy-half-to-death-hat on and survived!"

Annabeth smiled half-heartedly, as Percy swung her arm around her.

"Hey, what did it say?" he asked softly.

"What? Oh, not anything we didn't know..." she bit her lip, "It's just, the hat goes through your memories to sort someone."

The three demigods shared knowing looks, before carefully propping the Sorting Hat back on its shelf, as finally Percy broke the silence, "Let's just all agree looking into our pasts isn't the best thing."

Annabeth rubbed her eyes, as Percy stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. She sobbed softly, burying her face in her boyfriend's shoulder.

"Stupid hat," he muttered.

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As Dumbledore emerged from his dimly lit office, the three began to run forward.

"Headmaster! We have something to tell you!" Harry panted, as he stopped sprinting 3 feet in front of him.

"Ah, does this have anything to do with our new guests?"

"Well..." Hermione nodded firmly, "Yes. Yes it does."

"Then say no more. They have traveled quite far, and I don't believe it necessary to pester them with questions," Dumbledore frowned, looking down at the three.

"But I skipped dinner for this..." Ron muttered under his breath, but no one took any notice.

"But, sir! I saw a tattoo on his arm which looked like the Dark Mark!"

As Dumbledore raised his hand to say something, he paused, slowly retracting his arm back towards his side.

In a few moments, he opened his mouth again, "I know you must have your suspicions, but I can assure you that they do not mean to harm you. In fact if anything, they hope to seek your friendship."

"Because they're Death Eaters and want to kill us all?" Ron spat before his stomach growled loudly.

Dumbledore chuckled, his usual twinkle in his eye reappearing, "You best head to the Gryffindor Tower, the feast has already ended. Oh and Weasley? Do tell your older brothers there will be an age-line around the goblet, so they best try not to do thing out of line."

Harry opened his mouth the protest, "But Headmaster Dumble-" he disappeared through his office doors, leaving the three in an eerie silence.

"...dore," Harry sighed, as the three started heading back towards their dormitories.

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"Harry, do you remember our first year?" Hermione broke the silence after several minutes, as the three began climbing the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Of course he remembers! That's when Quirrell had that creepy turban and almost killed him!" Ron replied, still grumbling about missing the feast.

"What if... what if Dumbledore is hiding something from us?"

"What do you mean?" Harry turned towards her, poking his glasses higher up on his nose.

"Well, just as the entire staff knew about the Sorcerer's Stone. What if Dumbledore is not telling us why they're actually here? Isn't that a little odd?"

"Hold on a minute, Hermione. They may be strange, but Dumbledore getting involved?" Ron leaned his arm against the banister as the the other two turned around to face him. Now, the trio stood at a complete halt on the stairs.

"I have to admit, it doesn't add up," Harry sighed, as the staircase they stood on began to 'rumble' and move from underneath them.

Hermione gripped against the banister, "It's best we don't let Dumbledore catch us poking our nose around. Especially now that he knows of our suspicions..."

Ron nearly lost his balance, as held both hands against the banister, practically leaning on it, "Hermione Granger keeping secrets from the Headmaster? Bloody hell what's got into you!?"

"I don't have a damn idea what's going on and I want answers, that's what," and with that, she whirled around as they continued their way up the stairs. The two boys looked at each other, confused on whether to be scared or impressed.

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Dumbledore stepped back inside, just as Annabeth left Percy's arms.

"I am quite sorry for the delay, it seems Harry Potter has grown a little suspicious of the three of you. Luckily, I cast the charm before he could inquire anymore..." he began to sit back in his desk's chair.

"What charm?" Percy frowned, as the three walked up to face him beside his desk.

Dumbledore grinned lightly, and gestured towards Percy's wrist. The three glanced, not quite sure what to expect.

Oh gods, please tell me he didn't give me fish-hands or something... Percy thought, as he too inspected his arm.

"His tattoo from New Rome, you hid it. Why?" Annabeth inquired, after she had quickly recovered from her tears a few moments ago.

"Well you see, in the wizarding world," Dumbledore leaned forward on his chair, his beard barely scraping the desk, "a dark wizards marks his followers with a tattoo on their forearm. I thought it best if you didn't attract and extra ... uhh... unwanted attention," he smiled, "No need to worry, it is still there. Only concealed... once you are ready to return to camp, I can reverse the spell."

Percy frowned and looked back down at his arm. To be quite honest, he didn't know what he would've thought of getting a tattoo in the first place if he had his memories at Camp Jupiter. But still, the tattoo showed his allegiance and sign of his "newly extended family." Shrugging it off, he sighed and looked back at Dumbledore, "So what was it you wanted to talk to us about?"

"Well, unlike the other schools, you are here solely to protect Harry Potter. So I must ask,...

Which one of you will compete in the Triwizard Tournament?"

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Word Count: 1,723