Siren's Call (PJO/HP crossover)

Chapter Eight

HARRY POTTER

Harry and Hermione rushed from the infirmary to the Great Hall as fast as they could, but they only got back in time to see a kid named Ziegler get sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Oh, drat," Hermione whispered, "We missed it."

Harry shook his head. "But they're not putting it away?"

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and lifted the name scroll one last time. "Perseus Jackson!"

Harry and Hermione exchanged loaded looks, then snuck into the hall to sit next to Ron. Percy jumped as soon as the hat hit his head, probably surprised by the voice. The hall was silent for a minute or so, waiting for the hat to make its decision.

And then thirty seconds...

And then fifteen more...

And then whispers started to break out. It had been a while since a Sorting had taken this long. It had been at least three minutes already.

"It's not much longer until he's a Hatstall," Hermione whispered. "I think McGonagall was one. They're quite rare."

"That's true," confirmed Ron. "I think my dad's said it's been about twenty years."

Percy began twitching up on the stool, and Harry squinted, concerned. "Is that... normal?"

"It's not that weird," shrugged George from a bit down the table. "Happens sometimes." He narrowed his eyes at Harry. "I always forget you've missed the last couple Sortings."

Harry was about to reply, but the whole hall suddenly fell silent again, as if they sensed the imminent announcement.

"SLYTHERIN!" cried the Hat.

All of Harry's mistrust that he had pushed aside on the train came rushing back. The boy who had been addressed with the last name Riddle had just been sorted into Slytherin. There were simply too many similarities to not become suspicious.

The green and silver table across the hall began clapping for the Hatstall. Percy shrugged and took off the hat. His robes rippled, and changed to match those of his house. He walked over to the table, hesitating before sitting down next to a blond girl who's name Harry vaguely remembered as Daphne Greengrass, and a tall, dark-skinned boy named Blaise Zabini. He looked a bit uncomfortable as he began talking to them, and he spun around on his bench, trying to catch Harry's gaze. Harry avoided eye contact.

"I wouldn't've expected that," Ron said. "I thought he'd be Gryffindor for sure."

"Oh really?" Hermione said, surprised. "I assumed he'd be Hufflepuff, given how much he talked about his friends on the train. I certainly didn't think he'd be a Hatstall, though."

Neville looked over from where he was sitting with Ginny, and his eyes widened comically. "What are you doing here?"

Everyone who heard him looked in the direction of his gaze and either fell silent or began whispering. Percy Jackson, dressed in green and silver, with the badge of a snake on his chest, had just walked over to the red and gold Gryffindor table.

Percy cocked his head at Neville, seemingly confused. "Well, I didn't really know anyone over there? And, I mean, I was really hungry, so I already ate. I wanted to come sit with you guys?" He looked around him, noticing for the first time that all the tables were monochromatic. "Is that... not allowed?"

"I've never read anything that said it's not allowed," Hermione replied. "It's simply not done."

Percy blinked, wavering in the middle of the floor. "Okay. I'll go back then." He gave a weak smile and walked back across the hall to his table, eyes following him as he passed. He went to sit back down, but everyone had shifted over so that the only spot left was at the very end. Harry saw Percy look at the situation, then give a small nod and sit down, alone.

That made Harry sympathise a bit. He had been ostracised last year, when everyone thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. Of course, Percy's shunning was because he had tried to sit with the Gryffindors. He felt a pang of guilt. Maybe they should have explained how things worked before Percy was just thrown into Hogwarts and its fierce rivalries.

***

Harry tried not to think too much about Percy, but it was harder than he expected. The Gryffindors had quite a few classes with the Slytherins, and Harry's gaze was drawn to Percy, as if by a magnet. The new boy also generated quite a few rumours.

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"The new boy? No, have you?"

"I have! We were paired up in Herbology one time. He has an American accent. He says he's from New York!"

Another conversation Harry overheard was more interesting to him.

"Isn't he a Slytherin?"

"He is, but he's really nice. It's odd, I think when the others are around him they get nicer too."

The first class that the Gryffindors shared with the Slytherins was Care of Magical Creatures, with Hagrid as the new professor. After the whole trouble of the class trying to get their murder books open, Hagrid revealed the subject of their first lesson.

"Hippogriffs!" he roared, beaming, "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

The entire class stared in silence at the half-horse, half-bird creatures. They were kind of lovely, but in a way that seemed rather murderous.

Hagrid explained the Hippogriffs' obsession with respect and politeness, and then asked if anyone would volunteer to go first.

"I'll do it," Harry blurted out, when no one else stepped forward.

Percy Jackson (Riddle?) stumbled forward, obviously pushed from behind. Crabbe sniggered at him, Goyle joining in moments later. Draco cracked a weak, almost conflicted smile. Percy looked at the three of them for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. Miraculously, they shut up.

"I guess I will too," he said, smiling at Hagrid.

"A'ight! Now you gotta let 'em make the firs' move. Yeh bow, and then you wait for 'im to bow back. If he don', walk away real slow, you got it?"

Both black haired boys nodded, then with a glance of shared disbelief, started towards the Hippogriffs. Almost in unison, they bowed, Harry in front of one named Buckbeak and Percy in front of one Hagrid called Stormswift.

There was a tense minute of silence where both boys were making intense eye contact with eagle heads. No one moved.

And then Buckbeak knelt. Harry and the Gryffindors breathed a sigh of relief.

Stormswift remained stubbornly standing.