Begin Again Book 1.

Down By The Lake

**Nothing is edited**

Percy Jackson was down by the lake, deep in thought. He was sitting on the edge with Neville, Jason and Nico. They had taken Neville down to the lake after he came into the common room, haven been cursed with the Jelly Legs jinx. Harry, Ron and Hermione dashed out after looking at a chocolate frog card.

Two second year girls passed by, giggling and waving flirtatiously at Percy, Nico, and Jason.

"How do you do it?" Neville asked.

"Uh...do what?" Percy asked.

"This is why we call him Kelp Head," Nico smirked. "Completely obtuse and oblivious."

Neville grinned. "You guys are really cool."

"No," Percy said with a gleam in his eyes, that made sensible people put both hands on their wallets. "You are cool." Neville flushed and looked down with a small grin. "And so is the lake. I like water. Water is the best thing ever."

"Of course, Kelp Head. I prefer flying, though." Jason smirked.

"I'll keep myself dry and on land, thanks," Nico said, causing Percy, Jason, and Neville to laugh.

"I have a question," Neville said. "Why do you guys hang out with me? I mean...I not exactly..."

"You are awesome, Neville. Your problem is that you don't believe you can do something, so you don't stand up for yourself."

"All that believe in yourself stuff is so cliché, Sparky." Nico laughed.

"I thought it was good advice." Jason defended.

"Neville, don't put yourself down. You are you, I am me. We are who we are, and that's all we would do. A big part of life is making mistakes, Neville. I think you just have to learn from them. If you want help standing up for yourself...well, it is a simple thing. You don't deserved to be jinxed, but you can't jinx Malfoy and the Slytherins back."

Neville was looking at him curiously, but Nico rolled his eyes.

"Come off it...if jinxed, jinx back."

"Neville, you hold yourself like you expect to be a target. Hold your head high, walk with confidence, even if you don't have it. Confidence is something you will gain over time. And when you have confidence in yourself, you will be able to stand up for yourself. You get me?"

"Yeah," Neville said.

"You are a great person, Neville. Remember that."

"Thank you," Neville said to all of us.

"What are friends for?" Percy asked, winking. "I'm going swimming."

"But there is a giant squid!" Neville exclaimed.

"That is so cool!"

"You aren't scared?"

"Oh...oh...I'm...terrified...I'm still going in though."

With that, Percy dived in, and felt powerful...strength and energy coursing though his veins.

.........*****~<>~*****.........

Percy Vapor Traveled...a skill he learned he had...to the library.

"Nicolas Flamel," she said dramatically, "is the only know maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

"The what?" Harry and Ron asked.

They read a part of a passage about it...all of which Percy knew. Dumbledore told them everything. Including Severus Snape's job to protect Harry, having turned traitor on Voldy, and a spy for Dumbledore once Moldy started targeting Lily Potter, Harry's mother, having loved her all his life. And why he hates Harry so...he doesn't hate him. He despises that he looks so much like James, Harry's father, because they were enemies all through school.

They talked about Fluffy, the dog that gave Nico and Percy some sense of vertigo, and how he was guarding it.

"That's nice and all, but I'm disappointed no one has said hi yet," Percy said, with his signature loop-sided smirk.

"Percy!" Harry said, nervously. "How much did you hear?"

"Well, everything. But I knew all that already. What I want to know is, why haven't Nic, Jase, and I been included in your little rule-breaking gig here?"

They all looked at him.

"How did you know before?" Hermione told him.

"I read. And though I appear to be, I'm really smart. I admit, I am pretty oblivious, but I am also extremely observant. You know that," Percy told Harry, raising my brow.

"I'm sorry, Perce."

"No hard feelings. Just don't go rule breaking without us. Besides," Percy smirked. "I know exactly how to get past Fluff Ball."

"And how is that?" Ron asked snidely. Percy had a feeling he didn't like him so much.

"I just said it." Percy waved it off. "I'll see you all later, and remember to talk to us. We are your friend, in case you have forgotten," Percy told him, frowning.

"Sorry, I've just been caught up on..."

"It's alright. Just...remember that we will always be friends."

Harry was speechless, and then Percy, like a sea breeze, was gone.

Percy PoV

"So I decided that I will play, regardless," Harry told us. "Snape may be refereeing, but I'm the only seeker."

"Good, fly on." Jason said.

"Ha ha," Nico said sarcastically.

"But Snape has been worse in lessons...and he keeps showing up wherever I am...I think he is trying to catch me alone."

"That sucks," I told him. "But there is nothing you could do about it."

"You're right. I wish he'd leave me alone."

"I don't think that's happening," I told him, grimacing.

"Ahh!" Jason said, his hands flying to his temple.

"What's wrong?"

Jason PoV

"Leo," A pretty girl that I somehow knew was named Piper, said in amazement. "How did you-?"

"Chef Leo's Taco Garage is fixing you up!" The Leo person said proudly. "And by the way it's tofu, not beef, beauty queen, so don't freak. Just dig in!"

"N-nothing." I stuttered. Those people seemed so familiar...really familiar...

I shook it off, but that really...tugged at me, for some reason. I ignored the questioning looks Harry gave me, and the worried ones Percy and Nico gave me.

'Tell you guys later', I told them in my head. Another thing we discovered we could do was sort of flash in and out if places, Percy and Nico could do it two ways, and speak to each other telepathically.

Yeah. Cool. I know.

Percy PoV

Harry caught the snitch within minutes, earning Gryffindor the lead. Neville took on Crabbe and Goyle, and Ron gave Malfoy a black eye. Then, later, Harry told what he heard Quirrel and Snape say.

It looked different then it was, not in Snape's favor.

Quirrel...I could sense another life...another damaged soul attached to him. He was the one who needed watching, and I had a feeling that was what Snape was doing.

Things were getting pretty conflicted. Good thing I could make hurricanes, or I'd be worried.