Percy Jackson X Harry Potter

TWENTY ONE: Midnight Meds

Percy's POV

PERCY MADE A MENTAL NOTE to ask Marcus to plug his nose when he sleeps.

His new friend was lying face-up in his bed, snoring with the force of a jackhammer. Percy, on the other hand, was lying face-up in his bed with his fingers in his ears.

The moonlight filtered through the window and casted intricate shadows on the opposing wall. Except up against said opposing wall was Percy's bed. Or, more specifically: his pillow.

He was tempted to take the earplugs in his drawer and shove them up Marcus' nostrils, but he wanted to keep from choking anyone for at least until half term dragged around.

On the other side of the footboard of his bed was a small desk, which was littered with foot-long potions essays and transfiguration homework. He didn't understand any of it, but that was perfectly fair. How was he supposed to list the similarities between a golden chalice and a toucan?

Breathily, he turned away from the rest of the dormitory and faced the stone wall, which was ice cold.

Silence. Except for Marcus' obnoxious snoring.

Then he heard the shuffling of bedsheets.

Coming from the other end of the room. From Oliver's bed.

Percy didn't dare breathe. Why would Oliver be up at silly-o'clock in the morning? Well, to be fair, Percy was also very much awake, so he couldn't talk.

He had two options: One, pretend to be asleep and listen in. Or two, jump out of bed and quietly confront him.

As he was weighing his options he heard silent footsteps. The creak of a floorboard. A small ting sound, which sounded like a belt buckle being unfastened. Another strange noise which he could only describe as like unscrewing the lid of a water bottle.

Oliver's breathing seemed light. He took a forced breath in, held it and gagged in the process, then let it all out in a shaky puff.

His mind went blank as he decided between getting up or staying oblivious. He made up his mind: Fake-yawning, he improvised stirring in his bed.

Oliver immediately froze. His tremulous breathing stopped altogether.

This idea that he'd had was to pretend that the noise Oliver was making woke him up. Of course, this wasn't the Guinness World Record for Genius Ideas When Trying To Confront Your Friend About Getting Out Of Bed, but it was believable enough for Oliver not to push if he gave it as an excuse.

He sat up on his elbows and squinted at the silhouette of Oliver Chambers, who was in grey long-sleeve pyjamas. A worn leather satchel with an iron clasp was half-opened in front of him. He was holding a small orange capsule – a pill bottle, maybe?

'Percy? Why... Why're you awake?'

'The noise you were making woke me up. Besides, I could ask you the same question.' He sat up fully, speaking barely above a whisper.

'Well... I sort of...' Oliver sat cross-legged. The floorboard beneath his butt squeaked and they both flinched, looking around to see if any of their roommates had heard.

Percy held up his hand. 'Dude, you don't have to fess up to me. If you don't want to.'

'No, it's fine.' Oliver murmured. 'I probably should tell you, if anyone.'

Percy's brain momentarily stopped functioning. Of all people, why should he be the one that Oliver owned up to first? He'd only known the boy for a month.

Oliver took another shaky breath. 'I, um... Well, remember when you told all of us you have ADHD? I have ADHD too. According to the doctor, it's quite severe. I need to take strong medicine in order to function properly.

'I usually take the pills at breakfast and dinner, but this evening I wasn't hungry. I didn't go to dinner. So I didn't take the meds. I woke up five minutes ago feeling really jumpy, so I thought I could quickly take them now... But then you woke up.'

Oliver looked at him.

'I haven't confessed to the others yet, and I'm not sure if it's the right time to tell them. Back in the Great Hall, I was really, honestly tempted to spill the beans then.'

'But you didn't,' breathed Percy.

He nodded, regretfully. 'I'm glad I told you, though, since you know what it's like. The others... Well, the others don't.'

Oliver carefully placed the pill capsule back in his leather bag and fastened it shut. The iron buckle clinked. With great caution, he sat back on his bed and laid down, pulling the covers over him once more.

'Goodnight.'

Percy used the next ten minutes to process the new information. If Oliver had ADHD, could he be a demigod? He would try and find out sometime soon, but right now, he needed sleep. Percy's eyelids dragged down to the point of him being too tired to keep them open.

He let his eyes slide shut, and eventually fell asleep in the silence. And Marcus' snoring.