Falling Through Portals

Hogwarts

Chapter 35

Percy Jackson was in Hogwarts.

The thought pulsed through his mind and he was jubilant. He had never been so excited about a dimension that he had gone to. His mind whirled with thoughts of Quidditch, wands, and the four houses. Percy wondered absently as he stared into the full great hall if he would have been a Gryffindor or if he, like Harry, would have been almost put in Slytherin. He craved to go into the hall and partake of what smelled like some really good roasted chicken and baked cakes. Percy ignored his rumbling belly.

The door in which he peered out of was on the right of the risen platform that held the teachers and from the color choice of the students at the table directly in front of him he assumed that they were Slytherin. His heart raced.

For a moment he was able to escape. For a moment he could pretend that everything was alright. He could pretend that he was not being hunted at every moment and that his girlfriend could be in danger and thought that he was dead. For a moment he was able to glimpse into his beloved childhood full of magic and wands. He didn't have to think about how horrible his life was, he could bask in the wonder of this other place. That was why it meant so much to be there. Because it brought relief.

Through the crack he could see that Hermione had returned and the real Harry Potter was at the table waiting for her to join him. Excitement flowed through him as he saw THE Harry Potter. His circular glasses framed Percy's face-

Harry really did look exactly like him. Percy could hardly believe it. He looked like Harry Potter. If Percy just wore glasses, had a scar on his forehead under the bangs that hung over his forehead, and an inch or two shorter than they would have been identical. Percy looked down at the robes he was wearing, they looked exactly like the wizard robes.

Hermione sat next to Harry and began a very irritated conversation that Percy couldn't hear over the din of the Great Hall. Harry looked confused and from Hermione's expression she seemed to give up and change the topic. Percy looked at the Gryffindor table in search of the ever present Ron Weasly who was Harry's best friend. He spotted him down the table sitting almost in the lap of one of the other Gryffindor's. Percy tried to remember who she was. He vaguely remembered that there was a girl that Ron became obsessed with. Was her name Lilac? No . . . Lily? No . . . Lavender, that's what it was. Percy smiled, it was incredible. He couldn't believe that he was really there.

The room was filled with all of the Hogwarts students. The tables were overflowing with food even though it was obvious that it was the end of the dinner based on the idleness of most there. The ceiling that showed the sky was a deep blue matching the night sky and was dotted with the floating candles that lit the room.

Percy stared into the room and couldn't believe he was there.

Percy heard one of the teachers dismiss everyone. There were the ear piercing sounds of kids moving the benches back and carrying their conversations out into one of the main hallways. Not knowing what he was doing, he left the door and raced down the hall he was in. Percy called for the Mist to gather around him and was slapped in the face. He literally stumbled back as the sheer amount of magic hung thickly in the air. Percy had a feeling that he was invisible. This dimension had the most magic of any dimension that he had ever been in. it was incredible. It was like wading through an ocean and calling water to envelop himself. He wished that his home had more straight forward magic like Hogwarts seemed to.

Percy listened for the herd of kids as they raced towards their specific house chambers. He barely made it in time to see the last of the Gryffindor kids turn around a corner. Percy rushed to keep up with the other students and fumbled at their familiarity of the halls. Percy needed a map or something. All the kids talked amongst themselves, most complained about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Percy wondered who was teaching it this year.