When Myths Meet Magic || 5

15|| Percy

The Defense Against the Dark Arts class was not mentioned for another two weeks, but as the Hogsmeade weekend drew up, Hermione bent carefully over her potion and whispered to Percy, "I've asked Harry more about the class."

"Yeah?" Percy asked reluctantly. Harry had been completely unhinged the other night, and he was not eager for a repeat of that.

"Well, he said —" Hermione cut off as Snape swept by with his normal scowl. "He said that he'd think about it... and we're having our first meeting at Hogsmeade, just to see who else is interested."

Percy nodded as he pounded his stones into green powder.

"But just in case... don't do anything to tick him off, okay?" Hermione asked as she stirred her potion.

Percy was taken aback. "Who, me?"

"Erm, yeah," said Hermione in a slightly embarrassed voice. "Well... he's a little jealous, you know?"

"No, I don't know," Percy said slowly, accidentally spilling his powder on the floor.

"Well, I don't know if jealous is the right word." Hermione thought for a bit. "More like... annoyed at you?"

"Really?"

Hermione sighed. "Boys. So oblivious." Frost rose in wisps from her cauldron. "I dunno if I would say annoyed, actually. More like somethings you do just tick him off."

Percy frowned. "What?"

"Not only you," said Hermione in a rushed tone. "Annabeth. And Nico. and Thalia. And Jason."

"This is demigod discrimination," Percy muttered.

"That word, too." Hermione focused intently on her potion, and Snape didn't give the pair a second glance as he preyed on Harry and Ron's. "Demigod," she explained. "I dunno. It just implies that you're special. That you're something else. And the 'god' component, it's like you're above us. You've noticed it, right?" she asked anxiously. "He has let it slip that he doesn't like it when you pretend to be in your own little separate group."

"We're not trying to," Percy defended. "It's just that..." he trailed off.

"Think about it?" Hermione asked as they scooped their potion into vials and brought it to the front desk.

>>>•O•<<<

Piper and Leo walked to Hogsmeade with Will.

"And this is a what, again?" Leo asked incredulously.

"Something that'll teach us some real defense magic," Piper muttered as they trudged down the path. "Who else is going?"

"A couple Hufflepuffs," said Will at the same time Leo said, "Some Ravenclaws."

They stopped in front of the Hog's Head for a millisecond before entering. There were only a few other sketchy looking witches and wizards, but at the side were several friendly faces. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Thalia, and Jason.

"Hey guys." They hurried over to the side table.

Jason just barely had time to say 'hey' back when the door flew open again, and in entered a much much larger group of students.

There was Neville, Dean, Lavender, Parvati and Padma, then Cho Chang, Luna, Katie, Alicia, Angelina, Colin and Dennis, Ernie, Justin, Hannah, Susan, Cedric Diggory, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Zechariah, then finally Fred and George Weasley with Lee Jordan.

"A few people," Harry echoed hoarsely. "Alright then."

The demigods squeezed in with the rest of the mob as Harry, Ron, and Hermione held the attention.