I run into trouble and tickle it to the ground
JASON: As a student who was starting his sixth year at Hogwarts, you think I'd be used to the school's endless surprises. It wasn't rare to walk down the halls at night and find yourself in a new passageway you weren't familiar with or even come across a new talking portrait or two. On more than one occasion I'd found hidden corridors, strange dungeons, and even some things I'd rather not talk about. (One of those things being the time I walked in on Filch when I swore he was whispering sweet nothings to Mrs. Norris.)
Still, none had been as strange as when I ran into Nico Di Angelo.
He literally appeared before me out of thin air, holding a cap in his hand.
"Listen, I overheard two kids in my house around that corridor. They're going to try to pull a prank on you. Have your wand ready, okay? When I give you the sign, turn around."
"W-What?"
"Just be ready! They're coming!" The second the cap returned to his head, Nico was gone.
I continued walking, not knowing was else to do. Just as he had said, there were two Slytherins students coming my way. I didn't have any reason to trust this kid, but I also didn't have a reason not to trust him. So of course, I listened. My hand slipped into my pocket around my wand.
"Ready?" Whispered his disembodied voice. Okay, now I was freaking out. "NOW!" He whispered harshly.
Immediately, I turned around. Sure enough, the girl had a wand pointed at me.
Two ropes emerged from her wand, quickly approaching. I immediately dodged them and uttered the only spell I could think of at that moment.
"Rictusempra!" I boy shouted. Draco suddenly fell to the ground in laughter.
Before the girl could react, I disarmed her.
"Hey!" She shouted.
As she looked at me, her anger seemed to double, as did my embarrassment as I recognized her. Piper McClean, popular Slytherin, also known as the girl I knocked over in the halls this morning.
"You're the boy who knocked me over in the halls this morning!" She pointed out.
Draco had finally stopped laughing. He tried to stand up, but I cast the same charm on him again. Draco fell to the floor again, in a fit of laughter.
"Piper!" Draco gasped, in between fits of laughter. "Deduct some points already!"
"Right. Um, I am a prefect! I should be treated with respect! As your higher authority, I deduct ten points from Gryffindor house for your need to be a nuisance."
I shook my head and turned away without a word. There was no point in fighting back. Slytherins would never give up, and I wasn't a prefect. It's not like I could deduct any points for what they had done.
"Ahem!" She shouted, I turned around. "Give me my bloody wand, you idiot!"
I stood and stared blankly. My mouth moved, but I couldn't form any words. I really need to work on my social skills.
"Are you going to stand there and stare like an idiot, or are you going to hand my wand?!"
Draco was finished laughing now, the charm had worn off. He marched towards me in fury. Then as it had before, something strange happened.
He tripped. He tripped, over nothing!
Wait--not nothing. Nico? Perhaps...
"HAND ME MY WAND!"
I listened, almost automatically. It was as though I were in some sort of trance; I did it without thought.
"G-Go away before I hex you! Leave, you idiotic--" She stopped herself, looking down at our hands to realize that she had been gripping my hand since she'd handed me the wand. She was digging my nails firmly into my hand. I was terrified. I hated confrontation. She released my hand. The second she did so, I took off.
I ran. I ran for ages until I was sure there were no other students around. Once I was sure I was far away enough, I sat down against the wall, catching my breath.
"Man--You're in good shape--apparently, I need to work out more." Nico, who had apparently ran by my side, took off his hat. He was visible again.
"W-What--How?"
"Don't waste your breath. I don't fucking know, that's the answer." He laughed as if this were some sort of inside joke I wasn't catching on to.
"Let me explain, hold your questions until after the explanation, thanks. I overheard a conversation, and in that conversation, the students suggested hurting somebody innocent, you being that somebody. Because I'm a decent enough human being, I thought I'd warn you. I got to trip that stingy blonde--so that was a bonus. So yeah, end of story. Now, all I ask is a favor from you--"
I interrupted.
"Wait--I jus-"
He interrupted my interruption. I was used to being interrupted and overlooked, I wasn't much of an extrovert, of course; so I usually never argued back and I tried to do it to others as little as possible. Still, I was overwhelmed. When he interrupted my interruption, I took that as a sign to shut up.
"You're a Gryffindor," he noted. "Harry Potter is a Gryffindor. I need to speak with him. I just need the password to your house is all. Help me out?"
As I often was, I was speechless.
"B-But you're new here, and you're Slytherin. I don't think you know how this school house thing works. Our houses, Gryffindor and Slytherin, are supposed to hate each other."
He scoffed. "Yeah, I noticed. I find it a bit stupid. And if you haven't noticed, I've just saved you from getting tied up by that girl. You owe me something."
"Uhh, fine. I'll take you to the common room. But only if you answer me one thing."
"Yeah?"
"Where can I get a hat like that?"
He laughed and shrugged, shoving the hat into his robe's pocket.
"If I knew, I'd tell you. Long story. If I find out, maybe I'll find you?"
I nodded. Something about him seemed familiar. His dry humor, his sarcastic tone, and those dark eyes...
Perhaps it was because of all of the prophet articles I had seen him in. He'd been on the front cover of many of them lately, after all. Not that I believed the ministry's rubbish, of course. Most of the garbage they publish is completely scurrilous, and not even true. Ever since Lupin had left the school because his secret had been let out, I had developed a strong disliking for the ministry and most of the students and staff at this school. Shortly after the situation, the ministry felt he need to publish an article on Werewolves. Naturally, it was untruthful and offensive, much like most of the ministry's 'most respected' officials.
A bit reluctantly, I guided Nico to the Gryffindor house.
"I wasn't with the house when we were told the password," I recalled. "I don't know the password, but I can find somebody who does I'm sure."
"Great," Nico mumbled, putting his hat back on his head. "Better hide."
I wished more than anything that I could simply vanish whenever I pleased. That would be a huge advantage, especially on full moons. I wouldn't have to deal with students out late, roaming the corridors, questioning why I was out as well. I wouldn't have to deal with professors nagging me to wake up after a bad night's sleep. Best of all, I wouldn't have to deal with Jackson.
Jackson...
Great. Here he comes, right on cue.
Nico had put his hat on right on time. Right after he did so, the door opened and Percy emerged.
"Jason!" He exclaimed. "How's it going, man? Uh...Sorry about the feast! I should probably train myself to be less obnoxious!" He said, obnoxiously.
"It's...fine. Hey, you wouldn't happen to know the password, would you?" He nodded.
"Of course! It's Chimera. Some Greek thing the fat lady went on and on about. Truthfully, I lost interest in the description."
"Thanks, Percy." I was hoping he'd move out of the way so I could get in, but he stopped me by holding his arm out.
"Not going anywhere, are you?"
"If by anywhere, you mean our dorm, then yes. Why do you ask?"
He shrugged.
"I need to speak with you shortly if that's okay. Uh...Just give me a minute, and I'll be right up."
Before I could question it, he rushed away down the halls. Percy Jackson...couldn't he leave me alone for one day?
I said the password. The lady nodded lazily, and the door opened. She didn't seem particularly excited for this school year. I wasn't either, so I didn't blame her.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I saw no one standing there, I assumed it had been Nico. I scanned the room.
"Harry isn't in here, he's probably in his dorm."
"Well, can't you take me there then?" Nico whispered back, "I need to talk with him."
"Okay, okay. Fine. I guess I could take you up to the dorms...you promise you aren't like the other Slytherins?" He scoffed.
"Sure. Now, can you stop stalling and take me there. I haven't got all night."
He scared me, but not in a way where I felt threatened by him. I know he's been through a lot, you could see it in his eyes. He scared me in more of a please, take care of yourself and make good choices sort of way, if that made sense.
"Okay. Let's go, this way." I realized that to others I probably looked pretty strange, talking to somebody who appeared to not be there. I proceeded up the stairs to the dorms, not saying more to Nico. I assumed he was following behind me.
I led him up the stairs and pointed towards the fifth year dormitories.
"Harry's should be somewhere down there, look for his name on the plaque. Uh...Good luck?"
I felt Nico walk by me and heard his steps get further and further away. It wasn't rare for new students to want to see Harry. I felt guilty, suddenly. Harry had been through a lot as well and if the rumors about last year's maze were true, he'd been through even more than I thought. The boy probably rarely found moments of privacy, and I may have just destroyed his chance at having any now. Then again, Harry and Nico had both been through a lot. Perhaps it was best for them to talk, exchange stories.
I made my way to my own dorm, remembering what Percy had said earlier. He'd already angered me earlier with his constant prying in on my life. I swear, if he even thought about the word 'tryouts' around me, I would hex him in an instant.
It took a few minutes, but Percy finally did arrive. He was usually late to classes by a larger amount of time than this, which was curious. Percy was only on time for things he cared about, such as meals, practices, and the occasional date with another girl he's flirted with at Hogsmeade.
The fact that he made a point to arrive to this meeting-whatever it was-on time, showed that he cared strongly about whatever it was.
"What is it?" I asked, taking a seat on my bed. Percy stood up from his own bed and began pacing the floor to the point where I'm surprised a hole hadn't formed in the earth beneath him.
"It's silly, really! But, earlier in the carriages, you were joking, right? Because I haven't stopped thinking about it..."
I thought back to this morning when we were on our way to the school. I hardly remembered our conversation. All I could recall was Percy, babbling on about something that was probably irrelevant, and me, ignoring him as usual.
"Kidding, about what?" I asked, honestly not having the slightest bit of recollection.
"The horses! Every year, the carriages have driven themselves, but this year there were these big, dark horses! You saw them too, right?" He had a desperation in his expression that I had never seen from him. Usually, he was laid back, sarcastic, or just plain annoying. Right now, he was persistent and anxious. Though I strongly despised him, I would be lying if I said I wasn't the slightest bit worried.
"Percy, there were no horses. I promise."
He stood up and put his wand in his pocket in a rush, heading for the door.
"Wha--Where are you going?"
"They were there, I know it! I know on not the brightest, but I've never been surer of anything in my entire life! I'm going to find them."
I sighed, following him out of the common room. He walked all the way down the stairs, out the common room, and into the halls. For some reason, I was still following him. Hadn't I learned enough from leaving my room today? Nothing good happened. I was best left sitting alone with my studying until the full moon.
"Where are you going? This is ridiculous, honestly. Just go back to the house and-"
"I saw them, Jason! The horses pulling the carriages, they were right in front of us!" Percy shot, suddenly mad. "I know it. If this is some sort of prank, this is your last chance to tell me."
"Percy-"
"Three!" He interrupted.
"Honestly, just go back to the dorm--"
"Two!"
"Please, this isn't funny Percy!"
"One." And he left.
I would've continued following him, but I didn't fancy getting more points deducted from my house for being out late. Instead, I took my own advice to Percy and returned to the common room. All I could do was worry about tomorrow's lessons, and stress over the upcoming full moon on Saturday.