ϟ ψ ΡΣΓCY JΔCΚSΘΝ GΘΣS ΤΘ ΗΘGΨΛΓΤS ψ ϟ

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔼𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥- ℍ𝕠𝕘𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕤 ℍ𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕎𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕖

It never came.

Instead it felt somewhat like he was passing through a cascading waterfall of sorts. Cold air brushed across every inch of exposed skin, but it wasn't uncomfortable, you just knew it was happening. It felt at as if you were running through nothingness, but the shadowy outline ahead gave him some clue that he was soon to emerge. Suddenly he found his feet hammering onto solid ground, trolly wheels shuddering to a halt as he stopped abruptly, causing the contents of his trunk to shudder violently, and he tried to ignore the distinct sound of glass shattering to pieces. He just sighed, looking around and taking in his surroundings.

Before him stood a magnificent scarlet steam engine, with the words Hogwarts Express painted along the side. I'm really here, he though to himself, as groups of people brushed passed to reach the train, pushing trolleys just like his. He felt comfortable here, not sticking out as he often had in the past. That was when reality came crashing down sadly, and he remembered why he was there; another new home he wouldn't have the luxury of really enjoying. Stop thinking about that, he told himself, but the uncertain future without so much as a prophecy to guide him, or at least one regarding him, was a little daunting.

It wasn't long before the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione soon joined the crowded platform, causing a fake casual look that was far too well-practised for someone so young to emerge onto Percy's face. He shuddered slightly when Harry parked his trolly right next to his, causing Hedwig to start hooting and snapping uncharacteristically loud.

"Hedwig!" Harry scolded as the cage rattled relentlessly. "I don't know why she's acting like this, she's usually so calm." I might have an inkling, Percy thought, disgruntled, but said nothing, instead just giving a blatant shrug. He looked at Harry for a moment, sadness filling him. He may have had a hard childhood, but he was still quite a young, cheerful person, and he didn't deserve the destiny that was foretold for him, the destiny Hectate had fully informed him of in the dream the night before. Percy couldn't help but recall the empty shells he and his friends had become after the wars, just about holding it together, ghosts of their former selves. He had to help in some way- that path was caused you to fall down a spiral of self destruction and nobody deserved that.

"How come you didn't get an owl Percy?" Harry asked curiously. "It would be an easy way to keep in touch with your friends at that summer camp?" Percy almost laughed.

"Owls don't... like me that much." Percy replied hesitantly. "I've had bad experiences with them in the past, trust me on that." He could just picture Athena laughing evily from her magnificent throne in Olympus as a hoard of owls pecked him to death. He shivered just at the thought. Harry stared at him confused, but was giving up on finding any logic among Percy's madness at this stage, and carefully chose not to ask what the hell was going on in that teenager's head.

"So, youre going into fifth year with us, right?" Hermione caught up with the pair as they began to board the train, Ron trailing behind reluctantly.

"Yep, that's the plan," Percy told her. He had been a little bit relieved when Molly had told him; at least he didn't have to navigate this crazy new life alone. Percy was far behind all the rest of the students his age, so placing him in seventh year certainly wasn't an option after missing so much, and he was way too old to even consider placing at the beginning. The original consensus had been to put him in fourth year, and give him some time to adjust and catch up before the year of his OWLs. However, Dumbledore seemed quite certain that Percy had to remain with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and nobody bothered to argue with that somewhat irrational, stubborn man anymore. "I'm going to need a lot of after class tutoring to catch up, but the Order seem to think I'll manage." Even if the idea of me doing well at school is completely deluded, Percy restrained the urge to add. He had a different feeling about this year, though. For once he really was going to try. It seemed a lot of Wizarding things linked back to Latin, even if the wizards didn't always notice the connection, so being near fluent was already a little bit of a head start. Also, the winging it as he went along and asking others, mainly Annabeth, but we weren't going to think about that, for information technique wasn't going to work anymore when he had so many secrets to keep safe. He had to push himself; there was no excuse now.