"Up!"
His voice rings out across the field, more commanding than he intends it to be. The broom is one moment on the ground and the next in his hand, which stings from the sudden impact. A hushed silence falls over everyone as they turn to stare at him. Even the teacher. He stares at it with wide eyes.
Um. Brooms didn't normally just jump into your hand when you told them to. Right?
The professor commands everyone to keep going before making her way over to him. She stands in front of him with her head cocked to the side slightly. "Who are you?"
He doesn't know what to do except answer her. "Percy Jackson. Uh... Professor Snape put me in this .. class."
She nods as if this is all the info she needs. "I'm Madame Hooch. I take care of flying courses and of course Quidditch here at Hogwarts. That's a powerful voice you have on. I wonder if it translates to your flying as well."
"Exscuse me?" Percy asks with a very undignified squeak. Him and flying don't exactly get along. And what in Hades is Quidditch?!
But Madame Hooch had already walked back to where she was standing before. She tells everyone to climg onto their broom and lift off the ground just slightly. She threatens that is they lift off higher than a foot that they'll loose thirty points for their house whatever that means.
Again Percy watches everyone else do it. They all seem to have relative success, although many keep shooting him looks as if just waiting to see what the holding will do. He imitates them by climbing on the broom. He closes his eyes and imagines himself floating just above the ground. When he opens his eyes he realizes that it worked.
He grimices, wondering if Zeus will strike him down even on a broom or if he will simply laugh. Knowing how cruel Zeus can be he will probably broadcast it to all of Olympus and grab a bag of popcorn to sit back and watch.
Then Hooch gives the cammand to fly around the goal post (a set of three very tall rings) at the end field and back. He lifts farther off the ground and tilts farward focusing on what he is about to do. Then he is off, the wind rushing past his face as he overtakes the others. A yell of excitement rips from his troat and lashes out behind him. It is thrilling to move forward on nothing but a broom. Doing this he feels like he can do anything.
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He had flown!He had actually flown! And the sky had remained a crystal clear blue the entire time. Okay, so maybe he doesn't really remember much of it, the whole fear of getting struck down by the king of the gods really worries a guy, but the point is that is was somehow exhilarating. And Madame Hooch seems beyond impressed, insisting he join the Quidditch(whatever that is) team.
He now follows the fast paced Professor down a lot of hallways and even some stairs until they come to a large wooden door. She pushes it open without knocking and Percy follows her in.
Snape is sitting at a large desk, seemingly lost in thought. When they enter his head snaps up and his eyes narrow. "Yes?"
Madame Hooch grins. "You have a natural here Snape. I would even venture to say he's as good as Mr. Potter."
Snape seems to ponder this for a second. "What is it you are suggesting I do Madame?"
"Well put him on the team of course! Friday's match is against Gryffindor. It will be the perfect time to test his skills."
"I have a full team already. I can't just put him in."
Madame Hooch's grin widens. "Make him the Seeker. Mr. Malfoy has been doing quite poorly anyways."
Both Snape and Percy grimace, thinking of the overly pale boy. Percy simply does not like him especialy after their conversation at lunch, while Snape knows kicking Draco off the team will result in a confrontation with his father. Then again he doesn't really care what that stuck up man thinks. He nods.
Madame Hooch, quite pleased with herself, turns on her heel and leaves.
Percy turns hesitantly back to Snape who is studying him like he is some kind of frog about to be dissected. Which is to say that it looks like Snape thinks Percy is going to make an interesting experiment, but that he also smells. "How did you manage to fly?"
Percy shakes his head, "No clue, but it was pretty fun."
"Demigods can't use the enchanted items witches and wizards use. The don't have the magic. So how?" Snape seems perplexed and not at all happy about it.
"So you do know about me." Percy accuses.
Snape dismisses this with a wave of his hand. "Of course. I could always see through the mist and one of my acquaintances was a child of Apollo."
"Oh."
"The point is no demigod, not even a child of Hecate has been able to use enchanted items like a broom or even do magic like a wizard." He gives Percy a curious look. "Unless your is magic comes from your human side......"
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Percy sits alone in an abandoned girls' bathroom. Snape said no one would bother him here. The mist from the hot water and the fading light of the evening sun create a gentle rainbow as he holds on tightly to his only drachma. With a sigh he tosses it into the mist.
"O Fleecy do me a solid, show me Sally Jackson in Manhattan."
See Percy had met Iris back on his quest with Frank and Hazel and he also met her assistant Fleecy who seemed to do all the real work. So Fleecy had sort of given them her direct number. Works like a charm, because in the next moment Percy is looking at his mom and Paul quietly talking over plates of spagetti. The air around them is heavy and Percy thinks he hears his name mentioned.
"Mom."
Sally turns around and when she catches sight of him her eyes light up. "Oh Percy, there you are. We've been so worried."
He smiles back hesitantly and then glances at Paul, who seems to get the idea. He picks up his plate and mumbles something about a shower. Percy feels bad, but he already is nervous about the whole witches and wizards thing without bringing in his stepdad, who honestly doesn't need anymore crazy thrown his way.
Sally seems to realize Percy's hesitation because she asks, "What is bothering you sweetheart?"
He sighs and looks her straight in the eye. "Mom have you ever heard of witches and wizards actually existing? A place called Hogwarts?"
When her face pales he knows that she has and his stomach seems to turn to stone. At first she doesn't move just struggles to take in air as panic sweeps across her features. Percy suddenly feels guilty, but before he can tell her to forget it, she speaks. "Yes I have." Her eyes fall pleadingly on his. "But Percy, honey that is in my past. I left behind a long time ago."
"Are you a witch?" he asks quietly.
She nods as tears dot the corners of her eyes. Percy shifts uncomfortably. "I was. I am. I went to Hogwarts when I was younger, but sweatheart I left when I met your father."
Percy sucks in a breath. She left to be with Poseidon. She left one crazy world just to hop right into another one. "I'm at Hogwarts now."
The words leave his mouth before he can stop them. Sally's head snaps up to gape at him. "Why? How? Oh Percy you have to leave."
He frowns. "I don't know how I got here, but Mom why do I have to leave?"
"It's not important,"Sally says and she gives him an intent look. "Just promise me you will leave the first chance you get."
Percy gulps and nods before swiping through the message, unable to bear the look on his mother's face any longer.
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Sally sits alone in the kitchen, waiting for Paul to return. She realizes she left Percy with more questions than anwers, but it can't be helped. He has to leave before it's too late. He can't get involved in another war. He just can't. If he finds out what they're struggling against he will try to help and Sally can't bear to see her son get hurt anymore. If he gets involved he will definitely meet that man.
And he cannot meet Voldemort.
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Sorry it took me so long to update. Let me know if you thought this chapter went too fast or was too short. It took me awhile to write, because I'm working on my other stories at the same time.
Sally Jackson is a witch. :) What house do you think she was in and how involved with the wizard world is she even after all these years? I bet you want to know.
Anyway please please please comment vote and follow. Then while you do all that amazing stuff please check out my other PJ stories. You know you want to.
~ Halie :3