Brothers (pjo/hp crossover)

Jingle bells, jingle bells...

It is now Christmas and the grounds are white with snow. The great hall has the biggest Christmas tree I've ever seen with warm coloured lights and baubles and ornaments that I am sure are made of real gold. I never used to like Christmas as it mostly consisted of tonnes of extra chores (and I mean a LOT, like cooking the turkey and putting up the lights on the house so it looks like the best in the neighbourhood). But the worst part was watching Dudley act bratty for the whole holidays and his incredibly loud screaming when he doesn't get everything he asks for. If I'm being honest, Christmas for me is the WORST time of year. But this year, I have higher hopes as I won't be with my aunt, uncle and Dudley, instead I will be with my best friend.

I had expected Annabeth to go to her Dad's for Christmas, but she explains that she really hated staying there because she is treated unfairly.
"I would have run away... I had thought about it many times" she says to me "but the right moment to do it just never came".
"I wanted to run away too" I reply "but Harry was too scared to do it and I didn't want to leave him alone at the Dursley's".

And it's true, I did want to run away. But where would I go? To an orphanage where I'd most likely be until my adulthood because nobody wants to adopt a freak like me. I could also live on the streets but that option is just as bad as the first, at least at the Dursley's I get food (admittedly not as much as I should get) and roof over my head. So even if Harry also wanted to run away, I don't think we'd ever have done it. Sometimes I wonder, if we ran away would Harry have still ended up treating me this way? Would we still feel like family? Would I even have found out that I was adopted? But asking questions you'll never know the answer to, never helps anyone. Maybe it could've gone differently but it didn't and there is nothing I can do about it now.

We both now sat in the great hall while we watched people saying there goodbyes for the holidays, until Hermione Granger came up to us.

"Don't tell Ron and Harry I'm talking to you now, but I found out something else that'll help us find out what that 3 headed dog is guarding" she said quietly "I found out quite a bit ago but it turns out that it has something to do with Nicholas Flamel".
Annabeth looked puzzled for a second.
"I've heard of him..." she said trying to recall who he is "when I was younger, my dad had me read many books about famous witches and wizards but I can't remember what he is famous for...".
"Well, if you find out. Be sure to tell me!" Hermione said quickly "anyway, I must go talk to Harry and Ron... so bye!".

And that was the end of our conversation with Hermione Granger.

The days went by quickly and soon it was the morning of Christmas. Only a very small percentage of the Slytherins stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas as they all come from rich families that go to big Christmas parties. Not me or Annabeth though. We both come from families we would rather stay away from.

I had made Annabeth a silver owl necklace that when she touches it with her hand, it becomes a small letter saying:

'I'll always be by your side

From,
Your best friend,
Percy'

Pretty short, I know but I wanted to make something special even if it's cringey. I wanted to show my appreciation to my best friend who has been there since the start of this wizard stuff.

I wasn't expecting to get any gifts but I was very excited yet surprised when I walked down to the common room early that morning to find Annabeth already there saying "I got you a present!".
"Same!" I said exchanging gifts.

I unwrapped mine first... it was a mirror?

"Look watch this" she says taking a similar mirror out her pocket "Philoi"
The mirror went ice cold in my hand.
"Say what I said" she tells me.
"Philoi" I say and Annabeth's face appears on the mirror, with her pulling the exact same face as in real life...
"It's let's us talk to each other from any place on the earth or even space... it will get colder in your hand until you respond" she explains.
"Now that's cool" I say putting my mirror in my pocket.

She unwraps hers now.
"Oooo" she says as it transforms into the letter.
Please work. Please work. Please work.
It works and the letters appear and she reads them.
"That is so cool... how did you do that! Teach me!" She says excitedly.
"Maybe later but now... SNOWBALL FIGHT" I say and we run to the grounds with my Slytherin scarf wrapped around my neck.