Percy Jackson X Harry Potter

TWENTY: What's Quidditch?

Percy's POV

'SO YOU WANT ME... to get on a broom... up there.' Percy pointed up at the Quidditch hoops and stared in disbelief at Marcus, who was holding a broom out for him to take. 'Yeah, no.'

'Mate, come on. I told you I'd teach you Quidditch. You've never even played before. Who knows? You might love it, or you might break your arm, decide you hate it, and never pick up a broom again!'

Percy scratched his nose. 'Well, when you put it like that-'

Marcus must have realised what he had said. 'Oh, that's not what I meant by that, Perce.' he bumped Percy on the shoulder with the broom handle and waited for him to take it. 'Come on. Just give it a go.'

He tensed. 'Uhh, I'm not so sure about this. See, I'm not... good with heights. If I go too high, I usually end up being struck by lightning, or-'

Marcus laughed. 'I'm sorry, did you say you usually end up- How have you not died by now?'

'Eh,' Percy shrugged. 'I've had worse. But if you insist.' Percy grabbed the broom and it almost slipped out of his grasp. For a bunch of sticks and string, the broom was surprisingly heavy. It was a school broom, Marcus had told him, and Percy could see how the wood in the middle had a slight curve to it, where generations of other wizards had sat (and possibly farted).

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and a bolt of lightning slapped into Percy's hand. Uncle Z was usually in a bad mood, and clearly he knew what Quidditch was (somehow). The bolt was enough for Percy to know that this was a warning shot – and he let the broom slip out of his grasp and his face contort in shock.

He and Marcus both backed away.

'See what I mean? Always happens.' Percy shook his head in disbelief, as to not cause Marcus to be suspicious.

He looked at Marcus. 'So, in case you don't have enough brain cells to get what I mean, no. I'm good.'

Marcus hadn't said anything; he was staring at the sky, where the storm clouds were disappearing as suddenly as they arrived.

'Okaaay... sure. We should go in, though. It's getting a bit late, and Snape's going to murder me if I don't get his homework done.'

* * *

'The Whomping Willow? So that's what it's called.' Percy raised both of his eyebrows. 'I take it that isn't just a nickname.'

'That's right. You can see it from here.' His brother pointed at a gargantuan tree, which was no more than fifty feet away from them.

Harry had briefly warned him "not to go near the huge tree over there" multiple times already. Percy had never actually been told why he had to stay away from it.

When he asked Harry this, he picked up a chunky rock the size of a baseball. 

'This is why.' And he lobbed it. Harry had a good throwing arm, because the rock sailed overhead and nearly nailed one of the Whomping Willow's branches. 

Then they watched as the tree punched the stone out of existence.

'A... sentient tree.' he said. 'I've seen too much weird stuff to be surprised.'

Harry had chuckled at that.

Percy and Harry had arranged a meeting place by a tree next to the Black Lake. Most of their free periods they would spend hanging out by the lake, bar when one of them had detention or an extra-long writing assignment due the next day.

This routine continued through Percy's first few weeks of Hogwarts, and they became closer, forming the sibling bond they never had growing up.

Halfway through their fourth week, they met again, but right as they started talking, shuffling footsteps could be heard in the grass.

Percy froze.

'What, Perce?'

'Someone's there. In the bush. I heard them.'

Before they had time to react, they heard a yelp and Draco Malfoy tumbled out of the foliage.

'PERCY! I mean... I-' he stuttered, dusting the grass off his robes. 'I- Well, I need to speak with Percy. For a minute.'

Percy looked at his twin, who shrugged. 'Gimme a sec. Be right back.'

Draco stepped back and gestured for Percy to follow. He obliged, and they walked for twenty feet before Draco stopped and faced him.

'I told my... Umm, Lucius. He gave me this.' He leant down and pulled a dagger out of his boot. It was celestial bronze, with a snake carved into the hilt – a bit like Lucius' wand. The hilt was silver, and the eyes of the snake were embellished with two green gems the size of broken pencil tips.

Draco held it hesitantly, as if the blade were made of lava. 'I- I don't really know how to use it.'

'I can teach you, if you want.' Percy reassured him. Draco looked up surprisedly. 'I don't usually fight with a dagger, but I'll try.'

He nodded with a trace of a smile.

'I still hate that guy.' Harry said once he had returned. 'So, how exactly are we related?'

Percy did some quick family tree calculations – he'd become pretty good at it. 'He is your dad's brother's grandson, so you are... first cousins once removed.'

'What does that even mean?' Harry blurted.

'It means he's your dad's brother's gra-'

'Okay.' he said, laughing. 'Hilarious. I get it. You haven't changed a bit, have you.'

Percy shrugged. 'Guess not.'

'But still, what does first cousins once whatever-you-just-said mean?' he prodded.

'I honestly have no idea.' Percy shrugged. 'Over the years, I've had to figure out so many relations to many people. It's become second-nature to me.'

Harry couldn't seem to fathom a response, so he mumbled, 'Oh,' and leaned against their tree.