Harry Potter and Percy Jackson half-blood heroes (Book 5)

Chapter 2

There was a lot of commotion in the house. From what he heard Fred and George had bewitched their trunks to fly downstairs to save the bother of carryingthem, with the result, that they had hurtled straight into Ginny andknocked her down two flights of stairs into the hall; Mrs Black andMrs Weasley were both screaming at the top of their voices.

"— COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOUIDIOTS —"

"— FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSEOF MY FATHERS —"

Hermione came hurrying into the room looking flustered. Hedwig was swaying on her shoulder, and she was carrying a squirming Crookshanks in her arms. Percy was putting on his trainers; Athena was safe in her cage and Kelpy in her basket.

"Mum and Dad just sent Hedwig back" — the owl fluttered obligingly over and perched on top of her cage — "are you ready yet?"

"Nearly — Ginny all right?" Harry asked, shoving on his glasses.

"Mrs. Weasley's patched her up," said Hermione. "But now MadEye's complaining that we can't leave unless Sturgis Podmore's here,otherwise the guard will be one short."

"Guard?" said Harry. "We have to go to King's Cross with a guard?"

"You have to go to King's Cross with a guard," Percy correctedhim.

"Why?" said Harry irritably. "I thought Voldemort was supposedto be lying low, or are you telling me he's going to jump out frombehind a dustbin to try and do me in?"

"I don't know, it's just what Mad-Eye says," said Hermionedistractedly, looking at her watch. "But if we don't leave soon we'redefinitely going to miss the train. . . ."

"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW, PLEASE!" Mrs.Weasley bellowed and the trio set off downstairs. After a quick breakfast, they scrambled outside. Percy followed Ron, Hermione, his mother and Mr Weasley while Harry with Mrs Weasley, Sirius and Tonks.

It took them twenty minutes to reach King's Cross by foot and nothing more eventful happened during that time Ron and Hermione filled him in with more Order business. Like how they're protecting a weapon you-know-who wants. Once inside the station they lingered casually beside the barrier between platforms nine and ten until the coast was clear, then each of them leaned against it in turn and fell easily through onto platform nine and three quarters, Harry, Mrs Weasley, Sirius, Mad eye and Tonks were there, with a trolley loaded with trunks. They almost unloaded Moody's luggage cart when Fred, George, and Ginny turned up with Lupin.

"No trouble?" growled Moody.

"Nothing," said Lupin.

"I'll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore," said Moody. "That's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable asMundungus."

"Well, look after yourselves," said Lupin, shaking hands all round. He reached Harry last and gave him a clap on the shoulder. "You too, Harry. Be careful."

"Yeah, keep your head down and your eyes peeled," said Moody, shaking Harry's hand too. "And don't forget, all of you — careful what you put in writing. If in doubt, don't put it in a letter at all."

"It's been great meeting all of you," said Tonks, hugging Hermione and Ginny. "We'll see you soon, I expect. Oh and Percy, remember those ideas yeah?"

Percy grinned. "Sure Tonks. I'll use them at Filch."

Tonks laughed. A warning whistle sounded; the students still on the platform started hurrying onto the train."Quick, quick," said Mrs Weasley distractedly, hugging them at random and catching Harry twice.