Percy Jackson and Harry Potter (Percy Jackson and Harry Potter Fanfiction)

The Sorting

Harry's POV

The great hall was as lively as ever, candelabras flickering along the walls, food laid out in such abundance it was a wonder the plates even had room on the table. It all felt dulled, like water had been spilled over the picture, leaving it distorted. Harry still had the weight of Sirius' death pulling at his shoulders, he supposed he always would.

The majority of the eyes in the hall were still pointed at him, ogling the newly dubbed 'chosen one', I was only thankful that Hermione had magicked away the blood from my undoubtedly broken nose. It wasn't hard to find Malfoy in the crowd, sitting sallowly in the midst of his lackey's. With a twisted frown Malfoy regarded me with annoyance, clearly less than happy his attempt at sending me back on the train had failed.

"Hogwarts students," I turned as Dumbledore began his opening speech "Tonight we have the honor of inviting, not only our fellow first years into our midst, but three exchange students from America." The eyes in the room were no longer on me as the whispers broke out throughout the hall. From my angle I could just see their heads over the huddled bunch of awaiting new comers.

"We've never had exchange students before." whispered Hermione

Before I could answer, Dumbledore began again "They will be entering into their seventh year here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and I expect you all to welcome them with open arms. Let the sorting begin!"

"Seventh years!?" said Ron, clearly as miffed as the rest of us

"Never in the history of Hogwarts have we gotten exchange students and never from America." said Hermione feverishly, she eyed them with glaring interest, though there was very little we could see of them as they stood in the farthest corner shrouded in shadows.

"When I call your name come to the front of the room and place the sorting hat on your head. Phae Allain." I watched as a petite girl, with mousy brown hair and robes that were two sizes to large, stumbled to the front of the room, sat on the chair and fidgeted as the sorting hat was placed on her head.

Soon, all of the first years had been sorted; a fair portion went to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, the rest divided between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The whole hall waited in baited breath as McGonagall called the first name. "Annabeth Chase."

From the corner strode a girl about eighteen, with curly blonde hair and a purposeful walk. She looked like the American poster above Dudley's bed of a blonde surfer, except for the way she moved; more stiff and alert. As she walked out of the darkness I saw her hand slowly leave another, both holding on as long as they could before their fingers slipped from each other's and fell back to their sides.

She sat stiffly on the bench as the hat was placed on her head. Beside me I heard Finnigan nudge Dean, "She's hot.", around me the rest of the guys nodded in appreciation.

"Hmmmm, interesting. You have wisdom beyond your years, Ravenclaw would suit you well. Though you are in no short supply of cunning, a place in Slytherin would pose no harm. You are used to hardship, no doubt, half-blood's have never been blessed with good fortune," was it just me or had she jumped when the hat had called her a half-blood, and what did that even mean? Half-Bloods were no less fortunate than the rest of us "It seems your bravery is beyond even your wisdom, daughter of knowledge, better be... GRYFFINDOR!!" What was the daughter of knowledge?

Her lips were pursed as the hat was taken off her head and she was easily offered a space at the Gryffindor table. Ron eyed her appreciatively, while Hermione only humphed and muttered 'boys." as the clapping died.

"Nico di Angelo." From the corner a boy of about sixteen emerged. This time it wasn't a hand that clutched at him, but the shadows, which seemed to stay with him even as he stepped onto the fully lit platform. His hair was such a dark brown it almost looked black, I was almost certain he would be a Slytherin. Ron seemed to agree as he muttered something about snake's under his breath. From down the table the blonde threw him a look, only now did I see her eyes, which weren't the blue I had originally guessed, but a startling gray like gathering storm clouds. For a moment our eyes met and she studied me, not like one would study a person, but like Hermione studied a particularly hard glyph in runes class.

If I thought Annabeth was stiff it was nothing compared to Nico, who walked like there was a knife pressed to his throat, though that seemed to do nothing to the appreciative looks the girls were giving him.

"No stranger to death, I see, one would say you know him quiet well," was it just me or did the hat smile? Annabeth gave a snort "You would do well in Slytherin, as I see you are very much like your father in that respect. Though your bravery does not seem to fail... Once again your choices win out over your nature... GRYFFINDOR!"

"Death knows him well..." Hermione studied him intently as he sat next to Annabeth

"Why in bloody hell would he be in Gryffindor!?" said Ron, clearly as surprised as I.

"Perseus Jackson." from down the table I heard a snicker. Nico and Annabeth shared a dry look as Perseus stepped out of the shadows. He had black, unruly hair, maybe even worse than mine and a tall, muscular frame. As he walked the girls started to giggle, pointing and whispering excitedly, they shut up as soon as Annabeth sent them a glare.

Compared to both Annabeth and Nico, Perseus seemed relaxed, walking evenly towards the stool, though he had an air of urgency about him and he kept on glancing towards the tables. It only took me a second before I realized he was looking at Annabeth, who, in turn, hadn't taken her eyes off him.

For a long time the hat was quiet, I almost thought it wasn't going to say anything until... "Memories like yours aren't meant to be shared."

I could have been wrong but I'm pretty sure he said "Then don't look through them."

The hat ignored him "Do anything to save your friends... that's not always a good thing you know."

"You need to get your priorities straight." snapped Perseus

Once again the hat ignored him "You have great-" the hat chocked. The already riveted hall jumped, including me. "GRYFFINDOR! NOW GET ME OFF HIS HEAD!" a startled Professor McGonagall didn't have time to grab the sorting hat before Perseus had thrown it off himself. He rushed down to Annabeth, wrapping an arm around her. The Gryffindor table clapped, but most were too busy staring at Perseus to pay much attention to applauding.

"Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore said, glancing at the three exchange students worriedly.

Hermione, Ron and I shared a look. We were all thinking the same thing; who the hell were these exchange students and what about this Perseus guy and shaken the old sorting hat so badly.

One thing was for sure; that was the strangest sorting I had ever seen.

VOTE <3 :*

-ForeverUnending