I recognize a girl with a similar strange symbol on her arm and the author forgets about it until way later in the story oops
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JASON: My day had already gone off to quite a bad start. I hadn't meant to start the feud that went on in the common room. I was only reading this morning's prophet, having assumed everyone else has already received it. I didn't even believe the rubbish it said about Harry in it! I thought he was a decent kid who had gone through a lot. Of course, I only knew my day was going to get worse. It was Saturday, the full moon was tonight.
I didn't have much of an appetite at breakfast. The other few students who decided to wake up on this Saturday morning didn't have the same attitude as me. The morning people piled dollops of butter on their toast and continued to take helpings of the eggs and pancakes on the table before us. I felt myself getting queasy looking at all of the food. All except for the large pile of bacon in the corner. I'd never been much of a meat eater, but the bacon was calling to me. I could almost hear it calling my name...
"Uh, Jason?" Unfortunately, I was mistaken. Instead of the bacon calling my name, it was Percy. "You with us?"
I yawned and sat up in my seat. I had apparently daydreamed to the point of closing my eyes.
"Everything okay? You dozed off. I would've let you rest, but you sort of, um, sort of dozed right into my toast."
Huh, so that's why my elbow felt kind of sticky.
"Sorry," I mumbled. He handed me a napkin and I brushed away the crumbs and butter from my arm in embarrassment. After I cleaned up, I found my eyes wandering to the bacon. I was transfixed, I barely heard what Percy said next.
"Want a piece? There's plenty to go around. Hardly anyone goes to breakfast on the weekends." Percy offered.
"No, I'm fine." I didn't even like bacon that much, why was so eager? Wait. Werewolf. Meat. Duh.
The morning owls flew into the room, dropping letters, newspapers, and packages all across the room. Percy seemed disappointed having not received a letter.
Suddenly, Percy's expression lit up. An owl perched its feet right on the edge of Percy's drink. It then dropped the letter on the table, in front of me, and dropped a little something special in Percy's drink.
"That's it, I'm not eating breakfast again." He complained, pushing his owl feces filled goblet aside. "I'm assuming the letter is for you." He complained.
Sure enough, the letter had my name printed on the outside in handwriting I recognized from a year of having attended his classes. I didn't even have to open the letter to know it was from Lupin.
"Jason,
Good luck today, son. Remember that you can write to me anytime you need anything or have questions. Though, you know tonight is not the best night for both of us to meet. However much I do wish I could be by your side tonight, it will only cause more trouble for the both of us.
Here's just a reminder that you're going to have urges today. You're going to present more wolf-like traits. You're going to feel a bit dazed. You can't lose yourself, don't forget who you are. That is the number one thing to remember! If you have a more stable state of mind before the transformation, your form will be less aggressive. It will take focus and practice, but I know you can manage this.
Remember to allow yourself to live, Jason! Make friends and memories, enjoy your time at Hogwarts! Stay safe, and don't isolate yourself!"
I found it strange that my own mother wasn't writing to me. She had been helpful during this summer when I got bit. I figured she'd at least think to write to me.
I couldn't get angry. She had a lot on her mind, I suppose.
"Ugh," Percy buried his head in his hands.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked, hoping to take the attention away from the letter in my hand. I stuffed it into my robes' pocket hoping he'd forget about it. He was probably itching to ask questions about it, he was always itching to ask questions about my life.
"I have try-outs, and a detention today! Even worse, they're scheduled at the same time. It's awful."
"Wow, your life is simply unbearable," I mumbled. I don't think Percy caught the sarcasm. He continued complaining.
"I know, right? Even worse, my mum hasn't written to me all week!"
"So, what? She's fine. She's probably busy, you know."
He shot me a glare.
"I know she's busy, it's not that I'm worried about. If you haven't noticed, there are not-so-decent people in the world--" I was tempted to add, 'and you're one of them,' but Percy said something that actually caused me to pay attention. "--my step-father is one of those not-so-decent people."
"Is he?"
Percy swallowed back his words, looking away like he hadn't said anything at all.
"You're right, she's probably fine. I need to get to the Quidditch field. I really how McGonagall will find it in her heart to let me try out, I might as well prepare just in case she does."
I then did something that was equally surprising and possibly regrettable. I stood up and followed Percy out to the field.
"I'll go with you. To help you practice, I mean. I wouldn't want to miss a chance to witness you fall off your broom."
Lupin had advised me to stop the isolation. I'd been isolating myself all week; It was unbelievably boring. I figured I might as well try the whole being social thing.
Percy seemed bothered, I noticed immediately. I sat in the stands pretending to read, but in reality, I was really paying attention to Percy on his broom. I'd always known he was quite talented on the field, and his talent wasn't lacking today. There was no doubt that if he would be allowed to attend tryouts, he would make the team. Still, he seemed distracted, like his heart and mind weren't at all into what he was doing. Despite the fact that he was flying, his head was quite literally in the clouds.
"Jackson," I shouted. He immediately hovered in place. He flew over to where I was in the stands.
"What's up?" He asked.
"I was about to ask you the same thing; you're off your game. What's up?"
He sighed and hopped off of his broom, standing beside me in the stands now.
As if he'd been waiting for me to ask this question, he lifted his sleeve and showed me the tattoo, the same one we had noticed last week.
"Mine hasn't gone away. Has yours?" He asked.
I sighed. I hadn't thought about the stupid marking all week, I'd had more alarming things on my mind. Truthfully, I'd forgotten completely about the tattoo. I did the same and lifted my sleeve.
"It's still there," I answered.
"I've tried every spell, it won't go away. I've been forced to cover it all week, but it's still there at the end of the day. Any clue as to what it means? I don't think it's a prank. I think it's---something more."
"Jackson, I've depicted you as a lot of things," I admitted. "I've never thought you to be someone who overthinks things. I've always thought you were more of a 'whatever' kind of guy."
"I thought I was that way myself," he admitted. "But this has been gnawing at me all week! I'm so...confused, I guess. I don't know! I just think that we--"
"Slow down. You're going to give me an even worse headache." I complained. My head had been pounding since breakfast. I could feel myself losing control of my emotions. I was getting more impatient every second, I hated it!
Relax, Jason. It's just the moon. You know it! Just calm down. If you can manage to have a civilized conversation with Jackson in this state, then you know you haven't let that stupid moon win.
"What else is bothering you. You've been acting off since that first day of school when you went on and on about the horses."
He shook his head, then looked off towards the forest. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"Merlin, there she is!" Percy hopped back onto his broom, then gestured me to get on behind him.
"There who is? Where are you going--"
"LUNA, WAIT UP!" He turned towards me with a wild, reckless expression Godric Gryffindor definitely would have been proud of. "If you want answers about why I've been acting off, follow me."
Not having anything better to do, I hopped on the broom.
My gut instinct was telling me to flee. I knew this was a bad idea. Then again, wolves acted upon instinct. If a wolf's gut told them to do something, they didn't hesitate. That is exactly why I didn't listen to what my instincts were telling me.
***
"Introductions: Luna Lovegood, Jason Grace."
Luna bowed in my direction. She had a crazy look in her eye. The difference between her and Percy's look was that he had expression beyond the look in his eyes; she looked just plain crazy.
"It's great to meet you, Jason Grace. I have heard of you about the school."
The fact that the girl I had heard to be called 'Loony Lovegood' had heard about me concerned me.
I followed the two into the woods. I didn't quite understand where we were going. Every time I asked, Percy would respond with: "you'll see." Luna would look at me and giggle, which made her seem even more insane.
"You're the Gryffindor boy who sits alone in the library often," Luna explained. "A lot of the girls in my house think you're quite attractive."
I felt my face redden. Percy let out a guffaw.
"Oh, really? What do you think of him, Luna?" Percy smirked.
"I think he's merely satisfactory."
Percy laughed even harder.
"What do the girls say about me, Luna?" He grinned as if expecting praise.
"They think you're cute but obnoxious. Especially Annabeth Chase. She finds you quite obnoxious. As for me, you aren't my type." Luna answered. Percy's head deflated like a balloon.
"Not your type?" Percy shrugged. "Ouch. But backing up, Chase thinks I'm cute?"
"Slightly. She says your annoying personality overpowers your looks, making you a less than average decent human being."
Now I was the one laughing. Percy punched me in the shoulder.
"Hey, I'm satisfactory. You aren't her type." I reminded him. "I think you should remember that before you punch me again."
Percy hung his head in defeat and I continued following them to whatever it was they were leading me to.
It took about ten minutes of endless wandering in the forbidden forest before Percy and Luna stopped in their tracks.
"What is it, why are we stopping?" I asked. Percy shushed me.
"Hey, that's rude! I have a right to ask."
"Shhh!" Luna and Percy chorused. I rolled my eyes. This was ridiculous. I was tempted to pull Percy's broom right out of his hands and fly out of the forest, back to the school.
I then accepted the fact that they were both completely insane when Luna started petting the air and Percy stared at the invisible force she was petting in awe.
"Jason, have you ever heard of thestrals?" Percy asked.
I remembered now, I'd heard it from an assignment we'd had years ago. My first year, in fact. We had to do essays in defense against the dark arts for extra credit. Each student was supposed to choose a lesser-known creature in the wizarding world. When I was making my decision on which creature to do, I had come across an interesting article about a creature that could only be seen by an individual who had witnessed death. I had ended up choosing some fish-like creature similar to a mermaid, whose name I cannot even recall. However, I still remembered he thestrals. I had found the article interesting, at the age of eleven, wondering just how lonely the life as a thestral would be. I had remembered feeling envy for the creatures, wishing I too couldn't be seen by everyone.
Now, I'm in the sixth year; I still feel the same way.
"You're joking," I said, having the same expression of awe as Percy.
"Nope. Thestrals have been pulling our school's carriages for years now. They can only be seen by people who have witnessed death." He paused. "Well, that's what I thought--until I saw one."
"Wait, you've witnessed death?" I was surprised. I suddenly felt awful for all of those horrible things I had thought about Percy. I could at least give the guy a break, he'd seen someone die this past summer. That would explain why this year would be the first year he'd witnessed them.
"No, I haven't. Which is why I'm concerned," he explained. "I was wondering if anyone else at Hogwarts was having the same predicament."
"Oh." I didn't know what to say. I hadn't ever witnessed death. It was odd that Percy hadn't, yet he saw the creatures. I now understood why he was so on edge.
"I thought maybe this was connected to the tattoos. I don't know...It was a guess." Percy shrugged. He looked crushed.
"I'm sorry I can't supply any answers, but this is quite strange," I said. Percy nodded in agreement. "I'll try to help. I'll do as much research on the tattoos and thestrals as I can if it makes you feel better."
"I've tried. This is the most I've studied for anything! No results. But thanks, really. I appreciate it. Sorry for bothering you about the thestrals."
Percy faced Luna.
"We should probably head back to the school."
"You go on. I enjoy spending my weekends in solitude, it is quite nice."
We told her goodbye.
To make the trip through the woods faster, Percy and I decided to simply ride the broom above the trees and back to the school. I wondered why we hadn't just done that in the first place. It would have made this whole situation go a lot faster.
***
Percy continued practicing and I sat in the stands. He offered me one of the school's brooms, but I declined. I'll admit, I was a fair flyer. I didn't want to deal with Percy trying to convince me to join the team. That was not going to happen. The broom lay limply beside me in the stands.
"Come on, Jason. A quick fly is all I'm asking for! The feeling of flying compared to nothing else in the world." Percy announced, doing a few fancy twists and turns in the air.
"I'm not interested," I said, knowing very well that wasn't the first time Percy had heard that exact phrase. He was infamous for getting rejected by girls, it was a running joke in our house, which is why I found it even funnier that Luna said he wasn't her type. I wondered, Percy and Luna seemed to have quite a newfound bond. Had he wanted to be her type?
I could have been wrong. I was simply curious.
"Please? Take pity on me." He flew straight at me, then stopped right in front of me. Percy hovered, dangling upside down on his broom, with a puppy dog-like expression.
"Fine."
As much as I hated to admit it, Percy was right. The feeling of flying had always been like no other. I missed it more than anything, I hadn't been on a broom since last school year. My broom at home lay locked in a closet, I hadn't even thought of it all summer.
"You're a better flyer than me, Jason Grace! I'm not going to pester you to join the team anymore, but it'd be a real shame if you didn't!" Percy shouted.
The wind in my ears filled me with adrenaline. I felt myself smile, something I hadn't really done in awhile. It was like I had discovered a newfound purpose while I was in the air.
Percy and I raced each other down the field and back. We tied every time. Percy laughed, I felt myself growing more competitive.
"Last round, Jason. Whoever makes it through that center ring first wins!"
I knew it was my wolf-like instincts kicking in. Werewolves are competitive creatures. When faced with a challenge, they'll do anything to prevail. I didn't want to win this stupid race--I needed to win it.
"Three, two, one, go!" Percy had barely finished saying 'go' when I took off.
Something happened then that I couldn't quite explain, not even to myself. I felt myself increasing speed. My options were limitless. In the air, nothing could stop me. My heart was beating faster than it has ever before, I knew I had won before I even reached the ring. But when I did, I noticed I had forgotten a certain detail.
My broom.
There it was, hovering over the center of the field, starting to fall. And there I was, hovering above the Quidditch field's south end center ring, without a broom.
For once, I didn't hesitate to act upon instinct. I flew towards the broom, caught it, then back up to the ring where Percy had finally arrived.
"Man, you're so fast. I barely saw you take off--looks like we tied again."
Had he not noticed me do whatever it is I had just done? Of course he hadn't, he's Percy Oblivious Jackson.
As we walked back to the broom shed, I tried to convince myself that I hadn't just flown without a broom. The elevation at which we were flying must have been making my brain go fuzzy. After all, it was impossible to fly without a broom!
Right?
Right!
Come on, guys. I really need some reassurance here.
We landed our brooms beside the broom shed and tossed them inside. Percy had done most of the talking, as usual. I tuned in after we left the shed.
"Well, it's been fun. I have to get to detention. Wish me luck!"
Percy and I walked back towards the school. He walked a little ways ahead of me, probably almost late to his detention. I was about to split off away from him and return to the common room where I could sit and mope around until the full moon. Before I could turn the corridor, however, I was shocked to hear a thud, then a loud scream.
"Percy?" I ran back the other corridor where Percy was on the ground, wrestling some creature which was attached to his face.
"Agh! Get off, get off!" Percy shouted. I tried to help him out, but the creature was not letting up. This was the same creature from the beginning of the week, I discovered. It had leaped into Percy's pocket, stolen his pen, the ran away. Strangely enough, the pen had reappeared in Percy's pocket later that night. It was a strange situation, I had been too preoccupied with my own problems to pay it a second thought.
"Percy, the pen! Give him the bloody pen." Percy reached into his pocket and pulled it out, throwing it to the side. The creature pounced into the pen as if it were the predator and the pen had been its prey.
Percy's face was awfully scratched up. The worst part was his eye, which beat red. He wiped the blood onto his sleeve and glared at the creature.
"Bloody hell." Percy stood. I helped him to gather his things. "Why does it want this stupid pen! Take it, leave. I don't need it anyway. I don't even know where the pen came from. Speaking of which, where exactly did this thing come from?"
"Robin?"
Percy's question was answered. A Hufflepuff girl approached us. She held out her hands and he hopped into them.
"So sorry, was he bothering you two? I swear, I need to start keeping him on a leash." The girl apologized. The creature stood on her hands with its arms crossed, the pen in its mouth
"Oh, your face! I'm so sorry--did Robin do this to you? God, I'm so sorry! I promise I'll make it up to you! I-I can take you to Madam Pomfrey's or--I c-could--"
Percy held up a hand to silence her.
"Don't sweat it, kid. No harm was done. Innocent mistake. I've got to head to detention. Let's forget about this, okay?" Percy flashed her a smile then turned away.
The girl glared at the creature.
"I told you to stop pickpocketing people! I-I told you to--wait, what have you got there?" She noticed the pen in his mouth, then her eyes widened.
"No way--it's the pen." She mumbled under her breath. I don't think she realized I had heard.
"Um, excuse me. Not to intrude on whatever's going on here, but why does your pet want Percy's pen exactly?"
Her face reddened.
"Actually, that's a completely good and valid question, to which I do not have an answer to supply." Before I could say anything more, the turned away. "I've actually got detention too today, I should probably head off."
The was in such a rush, it took her a moment to realize what Robin was doing. He seemed to be playing tug-of-war with them the pen, except he was pulling against nobody. The pen itself seemed to be repelling away from Robin.
"What's your pet doing?" I questioned.
"Uh, playing. He's a strange one." She admitted.
She paid no attention as Robin lost the battle against the pen. It flew out of his grip, down the hall where Percy had gone.
the girl and I stared in awe down the hallway.
"Robin, go back to the dorm and stay there until I get back." She said calmly. Robin did just that. As she bent down to pick up her stuff, her sleeve raised up on her arm. Her robes must have been too small, I wondered if they were from last year. I then realized that her robes weren't my concern at all, it was the marking I noticed on her arm.
She had the tattoo as well.
I didn't get a chance to say anything. I just started at the girl like an idiot as she left without another word.