When Wand and Sword Collide || Percy Jackson/ Harry Potter

I Fail at Becoming Smarter

"Late as usual, Mr Potter."

Maybe it was just me, but why was it that every teacher in the whole wide world picked on me? Even when I'm pulled into some new place, not remembering a single thing about myself, I feel like a little ant about to be crushed by the boot of a superior adult. It really sucked.

I opened my mouth. I'm not Potter. I'm new. I don't really care if I'm late because I don't want to be here anyway. Hermione stopped me by grabbing my arm and shaking her head. Why wasn't she singled out for being late? What about Ron, a guy who might actually deserve it?

I filed in behind my two new acquaintances, slipping onto the stool and dumping Harry's bag on the desk. Hermione was next to me, and Ron was next to her. I had a feeling that this would be the usual arrangement from now on.

"Sorry, Professor," mumbled Hermione, sounding a little weak as the teacher approached us. "We were with Professor Dumbledore."

He strode over to us, chin in the air. His greasy black hair stuck to his face in contrast with his black cloak that breezed behind him. The Potions classroom was a perfect match – creepy, weird and dark. The tables were dotted with cauldrons, the torches on the walls were alit with eerie green fire, and the numerous bottles on the shelves were chock full with eyes, spleens, and insect legs. It was like mad scientist laboratory.

The teacher sneered. "Proof?"

Hermione paled. She glanced at Ron and I before she whimpered, "We don't have any notes, sir."

Greasy's lower lip rose on his face. "Fifteen points from Gryffindor. I don't tolerate tardiness in my class." He drawled out the last word with an intense slyness that it riled me where I sat.

"Why don't you ask Dumbledore, then? He'll back us up," I said.

All eyes in the dungeon turned to stare, like I'd publically announced I picked my nose. The teacher's eyes glittered with a temper and bore down on me, livid.

"Don't talk back to your superiors, boy. Ten points from Gryffindor." There was a resounding grumble from the other kids dressed in the same uniform as me, but the professor narrowed his eyes, clearly only just taking in my Not-Harry appearance. "You're not Potter. Who are you?"

I refrained myself from mocking his grating voice. "No, I'm Percy Jackson. Nice to meet you, Prof."

"That's Professor Snape to you." Even his name sounded like snake. No wonder he was all slimy and gross. "Where is Potter, then? Decided he didn't want to show up?" Hermione and Ron exchanged worried glances, but luckily Professor Snape continued, "Not that I care. Potter brings the average grade down for my class."

I didn't even know this guy, but I did know the dig was uncalled for. I just stared at the teacher, trying not to let the anger show through my eyes.

"I dare say that boy was a troublemaker anyway." Professor Snape whirled around. "Now then, turn to page three-hundred-and-ninety-four."

Snape clearly did not like Harry as much as Hermione and Ron did. Without much enthusiasm I followed his orders and flicked to the correct page, as the rest of the Gryffindor house (plus the unfortunate schmucks stuck with us, the Hufflepuffs) robotically obeyed too. Snape began to lecture then, in the same voice, and I tried hard to listen, but after about half an hour of drivel that I didn't understand I almost fell asleep. Look, reading is hard, all right? I tried my best to absorb the book in front of me, but all of the words just floated around the page, trying to tease me with their endless moat of nonsensicalness. I had to stare for the longest time before even the first sentence made sense. And that was only the words, let alone the context.