Percy Jackson and Harry Potter Halfblood Heroes (Book 6)

Chapter 5

For the rest of the week's Potions lessons Harry continued to follow the Half-Blood Prince's instructionswherever they deviated from Libatius Borage's, with the result that by their fourth lesson Slughorn wasraving about Harry's abilities, saying that he had rarely taught anyone so talented. Neither Percy nor Ron nor Hermione was delighted by this. Although Harry had offered to share his book with both of them, Ron hadmore difficulty deciphering the handwriting than Harry did, and could not keep asking Harry to read aloudor it might look suspicious. Hermione, meanwhile, was resolutely ploughing on with what she called the'official' instructions, but becoming increasingly bad-tempered as they yielded poorer results than thePrince's. While Percy acted on his own, making his own instructions that seemed to challenge the prince's

But in potions, Professor Slughorn can't stop but peer at his work ever since he took the sixth year's lesson. Slughorn was very impressed and when he heard that Percy wants to pursue an aurora career or a magizoologist and said that he would send a message to Rufus Scrimgeour and Newt Scamander's. The author of Fantastic Beasts and where to find them and one of Percy's favourite writers.

"Or herself," said Hermione irritably, overhearing Harry pointing some of these out to Ron in the common room on Saturday evening. "It might have been a girl. I think the handwriting looks more like a girl's than a boy's."

"The Half-Blood Prince, he was called," Harry said. "How many girls have been Princes?"

Hermione seemed to have no answer to this. She merely scowled and twitched her essay on The Principles of Rematerialization away from Ron, who was trying to read it upside down. Harry looked at his watch and hurriedly put the old copy of Advanced Potion-Making back into his bag.

"It's five to eight, I'd better go, I'll be late for Dumbledore."

"Ooooh!" gasped Hermione, looking up at once. "Good luck! We'll wait up, we want to hearwhat he teaches you!"

"Good luck," said Percy eating a chocolate cookie his mum sent.

"Hope it goes okay," said Ron, and the three of them watched Harry leave through the portrait hole.  And they went back to their homework, from time to time, Ron tried to copy Percy's and Hermione's essay of rematerilisation but they either slapped him on the head or threatened to hex him. So when Hermione went to get her knitting  pack, Ron had a interesting chat with him.

'So when are you asking her out.' Ron said abruptly

Percy was so startled that he fell from his chair.

'What- who- I-" Percy stammered.

"Ginny told me." said Ron grinning from ear to ear. "So when are you going to ask her ut."

Percy stared at him for a while before signing. "Don't know. With the whole Voldemort thing- Oh stop whimpering Ron-  I was planning on the next Hogsmeade visit but I don't it." he said gloomily.

"Oh cheer up." said Ron. "You'll get your chance. But I still can't believe you fancy-"

Percy covered Ron's mouth as Hermione came back.

"Who fancies who?" Hermione asked. 

"Nothing." Percy said quickly. "We fancy no one. Right Ron?" he added menancingly.

Ron vigorously nodded.

But Percy couldn't speak with Hagrid. With more homework, sword training and constant revision for N.E.W.T.s, it was insane. And the trio's enormous workload and the frantic hours of practising nonverbal spells wasthat Harry, Ron, and Hermione had so far been unable to find time to go and visit Hagrid. He hadstopped coming to meals at the staff table, an ominous sign, and on the few occasions when they hadpassed him in the corridors or out in the grounds, he had mysteriously failed to notice them or heartheir greetings.