"Hello Nico," Katie greeted as he appeared with Percy, joining the rest of the group outside the Great Hall. Percy looked at Annabeth expectantly. She returned his look with a stern gaze, and when she saw him point to Nico, she simply stared, dumbfounded.
Either Annabeth didn't care for Nico's choice of clothing, or she thought Percy was being weird and had no clue what he was on about.
"Okay..." Annabeth trailed off. She turned away from Percy and faced Nico. "Are you ready for teaching today? We just got our timetables from McGonagall, Mythology is the last lesson of the day."
"I'm ready, I guess. Although, Percy wouldn't stop rambling about my clothes."
Everyone looked at Percy, and he raised his arms up. "It's just- ugh, never mind. Nico, drop it already!"
Nico smirked. "I'm starving. Time to eat."
Harry growled frustratedly to himself. Everyone in his dorm had long fallen asleep.
Everyone with the exception of Harry.
He had fallen asleep at first, mostly due to his fatigue. Then, in the middle of the night, he woke up.
He didn't know why, which was weird to him. He had simply woken up and had not been able to fall back asleep.
"Why- can't- I- sleep," Harry muttered under his breath, banging his head on his pillow with every word he said.
"Maybe it's because you don't feel safe with Travis around."
Harry frowned at the voice in his head. It didn't sound like his. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I feel safe?"
The voice sighed. "Ah, Potter. Innocent, how cute. Are you already forgetting the distrust you felt when you met them? Did you not question their identities?"
Harry furrowed his brows. "I mean, sure. But that's over. I trust them now."
"So quickly? Are you sure there isn't suspicion within you? Not even a tiny bit?"
Harry gulped. "Just a bit, but it doesn't prove anything."
"How wrong you are. What have they done to earn your trust, Harry? They have merely talked to you! They have never shared secrets, when they are so very secretive."
"No, I can trust them," Harry said firmly.
"You're foolish, Harry. They are dangerous. Do not associate yourself with them," the voice warned.
Harry blinked. He slid deeper into the duvets, feeling uneasy.
"Who was that?" Harry wondered as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep, much like he was experiencing the past summer.
Harry wanted to fling himself out a window.
The first day of lessons, and he was late. He absolutely loved his luck.
To make matters worse, he had Transfiguration for first period. He doubted that like other teachers, McGonagall would tolerate it just because he had defeated Voldemort. He knew he was in for it, muttering things like "Why didn't Ron wake me up?!" and cursing under his breath.
He turned the corner, finally finding the Transfiguration classroom. He supposed being out of school and on the run made simple problems like being late for class actual problems he was afraid of. Then again, McGonagall wasn't one to be underestimated. If he was late, she would send him to hell and back.
Harry bent over, his hands on his knees, panting heavily. He certainly hadn't been prepared to run so quickly just to get to class. He regained his posture and barged into the classroom.
He winced as McGonagall looked at him sharply. "How nice of you to join, Mr Potter, I was afraid the Boy Who Lived wouldn't be here today."
Harry gulped, looking to Ron and Hermione, who was shooting apologetic looks his way while the other had her eyebrows raised. He could hear snickers coming from Draco and his gang.
"Sorry, Professor. I overslept."
"If you wish to oversleep, Potter, I suggest you do not sleep at all," McGonagall chastised. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Take a seat."
Harry nodded, muttering apologies as he made his way to sit behind Hermione and Ron.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Harry whispered, directing his question more to Ron than Hermione.
However, Hermione answered instead. "Sorry, Harry. I wanted to have breakfast with Ron, so I told Travis to wake you up. I guess he didn't."
Harry's eyes darted around the classroom until he found the troublemaker. Travis was already looking at him, grinning sheepishly. Harry sighed and faced the front.
"I have to talk to you guys about something later," he told Hermione and Ron, immediately making them curious. Hermione nodded stiffly and brought her attention back to the lesson.
"Mate, I think you're going mental," Ron said with a bewildered expression on his face.
Harry smacked his hand over his face. "I think so too, Ron, I really do."
"Shouldn't we find out who this voice is?" Hermione chimed in, her lips pursed.
Harry had just told them about the voice inside his head the previous night, and though he and Ron said that it was just him being crazy, they knew that it was way more than that.
This was going to stir up some trouble, exactly what Harry did not want.
"We'll head to the library to find out. It could be a possessive spirit, or maybe a ghost trying to contact you?" Hermione suggested as she rubbed her temple, racking her brain for more information of voices in people's head.
"Yay me," Harry said dryly. "I've always wanted to be possessed."
Before Hermione could force her friends to the library to do research, Percy, Annabeth, Travis and Katie sped pass them, laughing merrily.
"What's their deal?" Ron asked with an eyebrow cocked.
"Dunno," Harry grinned, pushing himself up from the window seat he had been sitting on in the corridor. "But let's find out."
Apparently, it was not a good idea to follow them.
They ran quickly, but even the Golden Trio couldn't keep up with their friends as students swarmed in the corridors. They could make out a vague shape of four students in the distance, fooling around near the Black Lake, so they decided to head there as well.
What they didn't expect to see, however, was Percy laying on the grass, his hands propped up under his chin, the Giant Squid waving its tentacles and hitting the ground as if he had just said a joke.
The rest of them, Annabeth, Travis and Katie, had their feet dipped into the lake, laughing at Percy's translation of what the squid was saying.
The Golden Trio stopped dead in their tracks. With their eyes wide, they tried to retreat. This didn't look like a moment they were invited in.
Like always, things didn't go the way they wanted. Katie glanced up, spotting them instantly.
They tried to escape her vision, but even with all the trees around, they failed to hide behind one. Katie nudged Annabeth and pointed at them.
Annabeth regarded them, and for a split second, her eyes were brutal and fierce, judging them with a powerful intensity. Then, the look was wiped off her eyes, replaced by a friendly glint. She smiled and beckoned them over.
Hermione didn't waste time in asking questions. "Is Percy speaking with the Giant Squid?"
Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks, debating on how much to share. Percy sighed, realising that the situation in front of him could not be denied. He was talking to the Giant Squid.
"Yeah, I am. New spell."
"Oh, that's cool. What is it?"
Travis cleared his throat. "Annabeth just figured it out. We'll try to improve it, then maybe we can give it to you?"
Harry nodded. "How long will it take?"
It would've been quite funny really, but the Golden Trio were too stunned to appreciate the moment.
At an attempt to answer Harry, all four of them responded at the same time, but with different answers.
"Two weeks."
"A month!"
"Two months, maybe?"
"Three weeks at most."
Silence followed. No one was sure what to do except stare.
Perhaps they would've continued to stare if it wasn't for the laughter coming from behind them.
"That- That was absolutely golden!" Ginny exclaimed, howling with laughter. "All f-four of y-you!"
Harry cracked a smile at his girlfriend, but immediately went worried as she started to hiccup, sitting crossed-legged on the grass with a dazed look on her face.
"Gin?" Ron called out. He flailed his arms dramatically, trying to get his sister's attention.
Ginny looked up with a serious look on her face, only for it to be wasted as she burst out laughing once again.