December 1994, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Perci and the twins rushed to the common room determined to avoid anyone asking her out. Since, the Yule ball had been announced, almost everyone from first years to seventh years and gryffindors to slytherins has asked her out. She turned down everybody and few names are to be listed like - Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory and countless others from all the schools that was participating in the Triwizard Tournament.
She even had few encounters with love potions and other stuff like that. The twins had been acting as her bodyguards checking everything that comes near her. She isn't happy being banned from chocolates because of 'safety purposes'. Because of these problems, the trio has been at work nonstop. Pranking everyone and especially the ones who tried trick her into having a love potion.
Meanwhile, a certain redhead was having a internal battle in his mind on whether he should ask his best friend for four years out or not. He was freaking out. He didn't want to lose his best friend for just a stupid ball. 'What if she said ok?' 'What if she says the friendship is over?' 'What if she didn't like me?' Countless what ifs swam through his mind. And having a really annoying (but awesome) twin didn't help at all.
Perci noticed Fred zoning out countless times that day. He seems jumpy when she is around which is all the time. She also noticed that he was nervous about something. She decided to ask him after the study club.
Yep! Study club, presided by none other than the Perci Jackson. People in the other world would faint if they heard this. In Hogwarts, it was perfectly normal. Perci Jackson, the best of her year helping people from first years to seventh years despite the differences. It all started when a particularly nervous Neville Longbottom asked her help in potions. And that's how a study group of three became four, five, six and so on and so forth. Everyone loved it as it wasn't as strict as McGonagall's or as boring as Binns. They had fun through learning. Soon Perci had her own class.
The study club as usual came to an end at six'o'clock in the library. Everyone went to their respective common rooms after thanking Perci. She was explaining Angelina a particularly tough topic on the way to the Gryffindor common room but her mind was somewhere else. She wanted to find out what was bothering her best friend so much. She was determined find out and do whatever she can do about it. She knew it because he didn't even pay attention to potions. It was his favorite subject. Without Snape and with the guidance of a better teacher, he could score one of the top scores if Snape for once was generous to award the students marks.
The trio were the only ones remaining in the common room in their usual favorite places at thirty past seven. They were doing their essay on astronomy when George announced he was going to bed.
Perci didn't notice how George wished the other twin luck and how he winked before climbing the stairs. No, she didn't. Perci is smart, true but she is still the oblivious Perci.
"Fred?" She asked.
"Yeah?" He replied.
"Is something bothering you?"
"Um—no?"
Perci sighed. She kept her finished astronomy essay away. She crept closer to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"It's nothing Perce, it's just a simple thing" He was thoroughly touched by her concern. As if he didn't have enough reasons to like her.
"What is it?" She isn't going to leave it just like that.
"It is really nothing!"
"Fred..." She used her stern mother tone.
Fred knew he can't escape if she used that tone. He sighed in defeat. Perci smirked at her obvious victory.
"It's about the ball,"
"What is it about it?" She knew he is not person who would take these kind of stuff seriously.
"Umm—Would y-you—" He mentally slapped himself for stuttering like this.
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Would you like to go to the ball with me?" He blurted out before he could stop himself.
Whatever she had been thinking it wasn't this. She was just staring at him with her eyebrows raised.
Fred was sweating profusely. He was seeing everywhere but her eyes. He couldn't believe he had done it. He decided to apologize but Perci bet him before he could utter a word.
"Sure,"
"What?!" Was he dreaming?
"Sure. I'll go to the ball with you"
"Really?!"
"Really. For now goodnight!" She took her stuff and headed towards her dormitory not before smiling at Fred's extremely confused and surprised face.
Fred just sat there rooted to the spot can't believe she just said okay. After several minutes, he stood up and made his way to the dormitory to tell his waiting twin about this.
*time skip to the next day*
The next day classes were canceled after lunch. The gossips of who was going with whom was the main topic in school. Everyone were excited for the ball.
After lunch the Weasleys, Perci and Harry divided themselves into teams and played a heated snowball fight. That gathered a huge attention from others. The ones who didn't care about the ball much and even a few teachers played with them. Moral of the story : Never invite Professor Flitwick for a snowball fight.
Professor Flitwick enchanted the snowballs to follow the targets. None missed it's target. The only ones remaining were the troublemaker trio. They were an undefeated team. Moving as a hurricane, whatever touches them were mere dust.
Everyone returned to their dormitories just half an hour before the ball. The twins were wearing identical dress robes. Ron was mad. His dress robes was covered with laces and frills. The twins tackled this problem with magic. But poor Ron was clueless to that.
Perci entered the girls' dormitory noticing the girls getting ready for the ball for almost four hours. She went to her bed and sighed at the pink package on her mattress. She received it this morning from her Aunt Aphrodite. Knowing her she dreaded opening that package. She had to however. She slowly opened the package. Inside was a beautiful sea green dress starting from the top and slowly fading to white at the bottom. It went a little down her knees. The dress had three by fourth sleeves. She nodded in approval. It didn't have any frills or flashy stuff as she had expected.
She took a quick shower and changed into her dress. She wore the pearl earrings and necklace which was with the dress. She also wore a small plain platinum bracelet, a gift by her brother Triton.
She didn't even try to brush her hair as she knew that it will be useless. She changed Riptide into a hairpin. It was a sea green seashell shaped one. She tucked it on top of the small braid she made near her ear. She wore blue flats because never in hades she was wearing heels. There ready!
Girls gasped at her. The dress flawlessly matched her eyes and the almost invisible sea green highlights on her hair which was made into a fishtail braid. They insisted to put some makeup on. Even though, they were a bit jealous of her natural beauty, they wanted to help her.
'Oh no you DON'T!' was Perci's first thought. She knew that they have sensed her resistance too. So, she knew she had to get out as soon as possible which also means NOW! Now, makeup doesn't sound like much but Perci would rather vist her Aunt Demeter than putting on makeup.
Perci dashed to the exit weaving through the girls and their stuff. The girls with their heels and dresses and not so matching stamina as Perci, failed immensely.
Perci exited the dormitory and rushed to the boys' dormitory performing a quick vanishing spell on herself. She laughed silently to herself passing Harry and Ron's room hearing the latter's protests on wearing the dress robes. She quickly arrived at the fifth years. The boys rushing in and out putting on their robes and all that stuff. She quickly made her way to the twins who were in the back of the room.
"-George, no! I'm not doing that!" She heard Fred whisper-yelling.
'What?' Perci thought to herself.
Before George could answer, another fifth year gryffindor decided to poke their nose in. "Hey Fred and George who are you guys going out with?"
"Angelina," George answered with a goofy grin.
"You Fred? George?" He pointed at Fred.
"Perci"
"As in the Perci Jackson?!" Fred nodded.
The room became dead silent as if a 'silencio' spell was performed. Then all of a sudden as if the counter spell was performed, the room erupted into utter chaos.
"You're what?"
"The Perci Jackson?!"
"What in the name of merlin did you do to get her?!"
She was only able to get snippets of the shouting. And each one was more confusing than the other. The twins looked at each other. The message was clear 'Run'. Thus they took off to the stairs. Perci decided to follow them.
She quietly followed them still in the invisible spell. She heard George calming down Fred for some reason. For what?
They were near the stairs that led to the first floor when George muttered a reason and dashed off while the other twin yelling at him to not to leave him alone.
Fred tumbled on the stairs as he wasn't paying attention but something caught him. He was starting to freak out. Until the mysterious person revealed themself.
"Hey Fred! It's me" The voice informed. The one he can recognize anywhere - Perci Jackson.
She helped him stand straight. Atlast, he got a good look of her. He was speechless. He had always thought she was perfect. But, he proved him wrong.
"You l-look gorgeous!" He stuttered out.
She blushed at his compliment which didn't go unnoticed by him.
"You don't look too bad on yourself," She said noticing his dress robes.
He turned a deep shade of red.
"So, care to say why you used the vanishing spell?" He asked with his goofy grin, in a desperate attempt to regain his composure.
She groaned thinking about those girls. "The other girls are trying to put makeup on me. That's why."
He chuckled. They continued their way to the Great Hall. Perci tripped on the tricky stair and Fred caught her. They blushed. They may have invented a new shade of red. They let go of each other with a quick thanks. I know right? Too cliché.
"Hey Perce?" She hummed in answer.
"Don't you think it is weird to go with your best friend to a ball?"
She didn't miss a beat. "One hundred percent. And that's why I am known for doing weird stuff and the impossible!" She responded with her signature smirk.
They laughed. Ask Perci if you want to laugh.
They reached the Great Hall and waited for the champions to arrive. They caught up with the other Weasley twin and Angelina. Atlast, they entered.
Everyone took a second look at Perci. Peoples' eyes lingered on her. She got more looks than Hermione. Then they noticed her date. Each and everyone's jaws were unhinged. How come they never noticed how good looking Fred Weasley was?! With his flaming red hair, warm brown eyes, tall structure with slightly tanned white complexion.
The two however were oblivious to the stares. They were laughing at their jokes. They were so comfortable with each other rather than other awkward couples. People smiled at them.
Soon, the ball started with the champions' dancing. The others joined them soon. The stares didn't stop however. There were glances of jealousy and happiness from time to time.
"M'Lady, can I take this honor?" He asked perfectly imitating with his hand held out.
Perci stifled her chuckle and played along. "Of course. Though thee won't have any toes after the dance."
Fred didn't care about that. Percy just accepted his offer to dance! Though he was a bit nervous.
Perci laid a hand on his shoulder and he laid his on her waist. They held their other hands high in the air. Then they started dancing.
The Great Hall now the ballroom became still. The music was the only thing heard. Everyone turned to look at the center of the attention to see Perci Jackson and Fred Weasley. Everyone watched mesmerized by how they glided through the floor.
The couple however were lost in the other one's eyes. For them, they were the only ones in the room.
The other couples joined them too but their gazes were fixed on the former mentioned couple.
The song came to an end atlast after what it felt like years. The couple had finished and were jagged to the reality out of their world when they noticed that everyone were staring at them.
Perci leaned towards Fred to whisper. "Is there something on my face?"
"I don't think so" he whispered back to her.
"Uh—Awkward," Perci said aloud. Everyone snapped out of their daze and went back to whatever they were doing.
The night went just like that. The troublemaker trio got bored easily. And that was how the pranks started. They pranked and even invited Harry and Ron with them to prank.
The trio was laughing. Fred announced that he had get something from the common room when a grey owl with black streaks and volcanic black eyes swooped in. It flew to their table and perched on top of Perci's shoulder.
"Hey Nightshade!" The trio exclaimed to the owl now identified as Nightshade, Perci's owl.
The owl hooted in reply. Perci removed the letter from her feet and fed her owl some celery from the table. She quickly read the letter from Annabeth that she was needed at the camp. She became worried.
"Is something wrong Perce?" The twins asked her.
"Nothing. I'm just needed at the camp," She reassured them.
The twins pouted and said that this was celebration. She was only able to go inform Dumbledore when she said it urgent. She informed the headmaster and he agreed to let her use the portkey to get to camp after she had changed from her outfit.
She went back to their table and bid her goodbyes.
"Hey Perce! Are you going to the common room?" Fred asked her when she was about to leave.
She nodded.
"Then I'll join you." He stood up.
"Don't worry Perci, your saviour has come!" George said in a sing-song voice.
Perci rolled her eyes smiling while Fred muttered to keep his mouth shut.
"We are just going to the common room," Perci said slowly as if talking to a five year old.
"Fiiiine! As long as you both don't do anything dirty " George said wiggling his eyebrows.
"George!" They exclaimed blushing.
*time skip to the common room*
They arrived at the common room. Perci turned to her stairs still worried about the camp but a hand grabbed her. She turned to see Fred.
"Should you really go?" He asked.
"Yeah. There are have been a lot of problems for a while. So I've to go. They know to not disturb me while I'm at school. So this must be really important." At the end, she was standing in front of him.
He nodded a bit disappointed but he understood her and he was also worried for her. Each year, the scars has been increasing and the dark edges in her eyes became a bit more prominent. He knew that they were those secret sad buried memories. He didn't like those increasing.
He hugged her. "Please be careful, ok? I've been noticing the scars," he said.
Perci was a bit shocked by the observation though she smiled and nodded reassuringly. She cupped his face in her hands and stared into his brown eyes which reminded her of coffee.
"Thank you Fred for this wonderful day," she said smiling and kissed his cheek. He smiled stunned. She untangled herself from him but still held his hand in hers.
"I'll be back as soon as I can Fred."