Alternatively

Enchanted (i)

He looked nice in yellow.

Annabeth squeezed in between him and Katie, pulling out a box from her robes. "I found it."

"What-" he sputtered, spoon clattering to his plate. "Annabeth, you can't be-"

"I'll go, but I found it in Filch's desk."

Percy glared at her. "And just how did you get in there?"

"You only need ask," she elbowed him, allowing him to take the box from her palm. "Don't worry about it."

He turned it over, rubbing his thumb along the corners. "If someone would have seen you in there..."

"Like I said, don't worry about it."

He snorted. Candlelight played on the hollows of his face and not for the first time, Annabeth was amazed by how much she equally despised and admired the boy. Even if they hadn't sat in the same compartment first going to school, she knew that there would be something always drawing her to the Hufflepuff.

"Ms. Chase."

She jolted, turning to look at the looming professor. "I was just leaving."

"So I see," Snape hummed, eyes narrowed at Percy. "I wouldn't want anyone getting into trouble."

Since when?  "Yes, sir."

He waited, inky eyes flickering between the two students. The hall was eerily quiet, whispers catching like fire in dry grass. Everyone was watching with growing curiosity. She could feel her cheeks flush red. It was becoming more of a scene than she would have hoped. At Percy's reassuring pat, she surly stood and marched down to the front before rounding off to the table on the far left. Her housemates were trailing her with varying degrees of amusement. It was when she finally sat down did the hall explode again, chatter crowding around her and questions pouring in.

"You could have docked us points, why were you sitting there?"

She straightened her fork on the place mat. "None of your concern, Stoll."

"Well it is mine," Octavian piped up from his seat. "You've been testing my patience with your fraternization, I don't think it's fitting for a prefect to-"

"Do be quiet," she snapped. "You'll ruin everyone's appetite."

Maybe she was emboldened by the adrenaline still coursing through her veins from sneaking into Filch's office, maybe she was just struck with how much she hated her fellow prefect. In any case, she ignored his sputtering threats in favor of meeting Percy's eyes from across the hall. He was smirking over his goblet, middle finger tapping on the rim. She shook her head, letting her hair fall in front of her face to mask a grin.

That night, she could hardly concentrate on her duties. She worked on her homework (barely; it was more like drawing circles in the margin of her parchment) and helped some of the younger students with their Potions assignment, but her mind was several hours ahead. Retrieving the heirloom had been the first step and quite frankly, she was too impatient to wait for the hunt. Sure, the medallion had been missing for over a century and a couple more days wouldn't harm it, but she was nothing if not ambitious.

She was straightening up the common room when the charm around her neck pulsed warmly; as much of a warning as it was reassurance. Her emotions must have been getting the best of her if he could feel it through the link. Her fingers absently toyed with the necklace as she looked around. Gwen was still in one of the arm chairs by the window, sorting through papers and suppressing yawns. Octavian was standing in front of the fire, arms clasped behind his back and appearing immovable. Malcolm was talking with the Head Boy by the stairs, the two of them looking dead tired. If they all went to bed relatively quickly, she would have a prime amount of time to sneak out and search for a mysterious artifact somewhere in the castle.