Percy Jackson X Harry Potter

TWENTY EIGHT: Pending Doom

Harry's POV

HARRY STARED DOWN AT HIS TEXTBOOK, head in his hands. He had been reading the same paragraph regarding basic sixth-year charms for the past twenty minutes, but the words didn't mean anything to him. 

Tiredly, he forced his eyes to follow the lines of text once more, snapping back to the left at the end of each row, but the information wasn't being taken in. The shapes and curves of the print looked foreign, strangely unidentifiable.

He took a sip of water in an attempt to clear his head, but there was so much stuff slamming around in his mind that it was impossible to concentrate on school. Harry slammed the textbook shut as quietly as possible, so as to express his frustration and also to leave the others undisturbed.

Flopping face-first on his bed, he let out a long sigh and swivelled around, so he was facing the ceiling. 

With nothing better to do, he recounted his previous conversation that he'd had a few hours ago with Percy.

The two of them had just left Dumbledore's office, and had plodded down the moving staircases. 'So, I guess no one can really do anything about this.' Percy had told him. 

'Yeah, mate, I see what you mean.' he had said.

'It's kind of... disturbing.' His brother added.

He turned. 'What is?'

'That right now your worst enemy is currently deep under the ground silently plotting to commit violent acts of murder against you.'

'Oh. Yeah, right. It is quite disturbing. Especially considering that we're walking around school carelessly and we could be attacked any minute.'

Percy said nothing, but nodded. 'Actually, I'm used to it. This is how it is most of the time at camp.' he had said, and laughed as Harry blinked in shock. 'Sometimes cabins team up and, y'know, form temporary alliances, but it's everyone against everyone, usually. Fighting, maiming, pranking – Oh, pranking's the worst one.'

'Is it bad?'

'At camp, there are these brothers – Travis and Connor Stoll. Think of them as Fred and George Weasley but with worse intentions.'

'Bad, then. What've they done in the past?' Harry asked.

'Oh, loads of stuff.' Percy went on. 'One time, they wrote a message on a mango that was painted gold, and tossed it into the Aphrodite cabin.'

'What did it say?' Harry grinned.

'It said "for the hottest".'

'Oh, that's bad!' he cackled.

'Yep! Every single Aphrodite kid fought for the mango. It was hilarious.' Percy said.

'What else have they done?'

It hadn't taken Percy long to come up with a second example. 'Another time, they decorated the roof of the Demeter cabin with thousands of chocolate easter bunnies.' he said. 'They used really strong glue, too, so it took them a week to get them all off the roof.' 

Harry had giggled at that.

Percy laughed with him and continued. 'The Stolls also decided to cut the main stem of the wall-vines on the cabin, so it turned brown within the next month. The Demeter campers were going to kill him!'

They reached the fifth floor, and Percy gestured down the corridor. 'I've gotta get to class. See you later?'

Harry nodded. 'Bye.'

He had watched as Percy waved over his shoulder and turned the corner. Then he had turned on his heel and trudged to his next class, which had felt like the longest Transfiguration lesson ever.

And then next thing he knew, he was sitting here at his desk, staring aimlessly down at his textbook and waiting for the words on the page to sink in.

Harry was tired. There was no doubting that – Percy had probably noticed in their conversation a few hours ago but didn't say anything about it.

Staring into space he knew wouldn't do much for him. Nevertheless, it was all he could think to do. He focused on an invisible point in the wall, and his eyes hung open endlessly, thoughts racing.

Voldemort's return.

Tomorrow.

Nothing anyone could do but wait.

Exams and schooling.

Demigods. Monsters.

Yeah, but Voldemort.

Tomorrow.

Percy leaving. Tonight.

To America. Gone for half a day.

Who will Percy bring from camp?

What will they think of Hogwarts?

Will they keep it secret?!

Voldemort.

Tomorrow.

Fear. 

Panic.

Stress.

Fear.

Panic.

Stress-

Oh my gods, SHUT UP! he screamed to himself. His mind, overheating like an engine, slowed down and calmed.

He became silent. He shut his eyes and breathed.

Dude, are you good?! Percy's voice rang out in the silence, making him jolt. You just yelled to shut up.

No, No! He sent back. I'm just a bit stressed, that's all. It's nothing.

 He carried on. I jumped so badly in the middle of the common room! Everyone thought I was having a seizure! Oh gods, some of them are still looking at me across the room. 

I was arguing with myself, Percy. he reassured his brother. 'S no big deal. 

First sign of insanity, folks. Are you sure you're alright?! he sent.

I'm fine.

Percy mentally breathed a sigh of relief. Good. Just checking. It's around ten fifteen, so I'm going to leave in a bit for Camp. Just so you know.

Okay. Good luck.

Harry felt him withdraw from their conversation, and he groaned, rubbing his eyes. 

He wasn't fine. He just hoped that Percy hadn't caught on (though that was highly unlikely, because of their mental link).

Percy would be leaving for Camp Half-Blood in fifteen minutes. He would be bringing some demigod friends of his to help protect Hogwarts – and Harry – from Voldemort. Percy swore that they would keep wizard-kind a secret from the rest of Camp, and Harry really wanted to believe him.

The troupe of American demigods would be defending Hogwarts, but there was nothing he could do to help. He wasn't completely trained, and he couldn't use his- Wait.

Harry eyed the glass of water sitting next to his textbook.

Suppose...