When Worlds Collide~

Chapter 4

Psst, let's play "spot the cliches!"

Percy

My first meal at Hogwarts: a delicious three-course meal. I wish. Unfortunately "Professor" McGonagall, as Dumbledore introduced her as, decided that my sudden appearance would attract too much attention. I couldn't really argue with that, but the aromas wafting out of the dining hall was really something special. As I passed, the chatter of hundreds of kids, mingling with the sharp, metallic sounds of cutlery and plates bounced out of the huge entrance and echoed around the corridor McGonagall and I were walking through.

"This way, Perseus," said McGonagall quietly, ushering me down another, smaller, corridor which was lined with doors. I assumed they were classrooms - I mean, it was a school, right? And it would kinda be pointless if these were all broom cupboards.

Peering over her shoulder, McGonagall pushed open a door that was halfway down the corridor and ushered me in. My earlier guess had been correct. It was a classroom.

I opened my mouth. "Why - "

"Shhh," warned McGonagall. "This way." Again, I was led down the length of the room, where

McGonagall sat me down at her desk and pushed a plate of sandwiches towards me (which I was positive hadn't been there before).

"Eat." She flicked her wand towards the fireplace and roaring flames erupted in the grate - thought really, I don't think it was needed. The sun outside the window provided plenty of warmth. And light.

After I was finished I was frogmarched to the place called the "Gryffindor" common room. I didn't know what this Gryffindor was - but dude - My mind was slightly slightly occupied by the sheer size of the place.

The Gryffindor common room. There was a huge bookshelf along one wall (ugh, books) and opposite that there were two sets of stairs (leading up to what were probably the dorms - I mean, it's a school in the middle of nowhere as far as I can tell, the students are gonna need somewhere to sleep) that framed a roaring fireplace with comfy-looking furniture strewn every which way around it. It probably would have been spacious, but it was so cluttered with cushy armchairs and coffee tables it looked kinda cramped. Well, more cozy than cramped.

"Damn," I breathed, "How many people live here?"

McGonagall's mouth twitched - the only expression of humor I'd seen from her like, ever (not that that's saying much, I'd only known her for less than a day).

"Roughly two to three hundred in each house, I believe," She told me.

"Your room will be at the top - unfortunately it's quite a small room, but since you don't have many possessions here, you should be all right," said McGonagall crisply. "And it's regularly cleaned so it should still be in order. You don't mind being by yourself, do you?" Seeing me shake my head, she continued. "Well, have a good afternoon then, Perseus. May I ask you to try not to alert the students to your presence - "

"Good luck with that," I muttered.

"- as Professor Dumbledore hasn't quite figured out the fine points of your stay. They are currently down in their classes, but when they do come up, please attempt to be quiet. Also, of you become bored, help yourself to some books." She waved at the massive bookshelf.

Books. Sure.

As McGonagall turned to leave, I said:

"Oh, and Professor?"

Mcgonagall paused by the portrait.

"Please, just call me Percy."

She smiled oddly, like she didn't do so a lot. "Of course. Good day, Percy."

The portrait door closed with a small but definite click, leaving me to ponder what I had gotten myself into.

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The room was smaller than the other rooms I had seen through doorways on the way up, but like the common room, it was cozy. I dumped a uniform set that had been given to me on the dresser in the corner and looked around. Since this room was at the top of Gryffindor tower, the ceiling was like the inside of a cone, only squatter.

In normal circumstances I would have been bored out of my mind in five minutes, but right now all I wanted to do was sleep. I didn't know what the time was back on Long Island, but I was pretty exhausted.

I crashed on the bed, (still in the scratchy uniform) - which was more comfortable than I had expected, (the bed) considering this was a school - and closed my eyes. Unfortunately, sleep didn't come as easily as that. But after tossing and turning for a while, my eyelids became heavy, and I slipped into a shallow sleep with my hand resting on Riptide under my pillow.

About three or four hours into my restless sleep, the door to my room burst open and hit the wall with the sound of an artillery gun, and a loud voice yelled, "Oi, Harry, reckon this'll be a good place for Explo- Bloody hell! What're you doing up here?"

Bleary-eyed at first, but instantly alert, I scrambled out of the bed and flicked the cap off Riptide and swung at the person standing in the doorway before realizing that the red-haired guy standing in the doorway was wearing a uniform and was no older than I was.

I froze mid-swing, Riptide's blade about five inches from his throat, as two other students - a wild-haired brunette and a dark-haired, green-eyed dude with glasses - ran up behind him.

The gangly, freckled intruder was still staring, wide eyed at me, one hand now holding... A seven- inch polished stick? Granted, if it was sharp enough it could do some damage...

I thought about the name the ginger had called earlier - if it was Harry Potter's name, well, I've found what I stayed here for, sort of.

The girl behind him brandished a similar stick at me, glaring, and said sharply; "Why are you up here? And sleeping up here, no less?"

I blinked. "Uhh... This is my room?" Cautiously, I drew Riptide back. I was sure these people couldn't give me much harm, but their sticks weren't desirable near the eyes...

The ginger squinted suspiciously at me. "Oh, really? We're pretty bloody sure there wasn't someone using this room at the start of the year! And most students don't have a glowing sword!"

I blinked. They could see Riptide? That meant that either the Mist was acting up (entirely plausible when it comes to my luck), the magical borders kept it out or these magic wizard kids could see through the Mist. Yippee.

How do I get out of this? I has always been useless at influencing the Mist, so that was off the table. I scratched my head with my free hand. "Uh... I'm new?" Point Percy.

Behind the ginger and the brunette, I saw the messy-haired boy - who was presumably Harry Potter - reluctantly slip away with a troubled expression after the girl nudged him and whispered something to him.

They weren't buying it; that much I knew. And the black haired guy was probably off to go find an authority figure, which, with my luck, was someone who didn't yet know about my stay here.

"Listen, " I pleaded, "No one other than Dumbledore and McGonagall are supposed to know I'm here. So please, don't tell anyone. I don't mean to hurt anyone. If you don't attack me or tell anyone else just yet, I'll put the sword away."

"Well you're in luck, then," remarked the girl, eyeing Riptide warily. "Har- I mean, our friend's just gone to get McGonagall. When she turns up, we'll know."

"Wait, what were you gonna say?" I squinted at her. " 'Harry?' Harry potter? Is that it?" I knew it was rash to just blurt things out, but hey, I needed to know the guy I was here to actually defend, right?

The ginger stiffened. The girl shot him a careful look, then faced me again. "Why would I tell you? For all I know, you could be a Death Eater or someone else who just wants to - "

"Hold up! What in Hades is a Death Eater?"