Percy Jackson and the Hound of Hogwarts [Book 3]

23) New Friends

The day after that DADA class, I had art and music for the first time.

Those were easily some of my favorite classes.

In music, we'd get to learn an instrument. I already knew piano from years of practice with my mom, so I decided to go with the guitar. I had bought the black guitar at a Muggle store in Diagon Alley.

I wasn't the best at it. Still, I knew that I'd get better.

There was another girl, Giulianna, who had picked piano. She was already extremely talented with it.

"You're pretty good at that," I said, smiling at her.

Giulianna blinked at me for a second, then smiled, "Yeah. I started practicing when I was younger."

I grinned, "I practiced too. Not the guitar, that's entirely new, but the piano."

Giulianna smiled, "Play with me."

I nodded, sitting down on the bench beside her. She played a common Greek tune called My Mom's a Minotaur, and I laughed, playing along.

As we played, Giulianna asked in Greek, "You fought the Minotaur, right?"

I nodded, "Yup. I've got its horn in my bedroom. You know, I would never have expected an ancient and Greek monster to wear Fruit of the Looms."

Giulanna grinned, "Fruit of the Looms?"

"Fruit of the Looms," I nodded, trying not to smile.

"That's amazing," Giulanna laughed. "Where did he get them?"

"The XXXXXXXL aisle."

Giulanna laughed again, and we tapped a few more keys on the piano.

"That was great, Mr. Jackson, Miss Valdez, but I would prefer if you'd practice your own instruments," Flitwick said, looking up at us.

I blushed, "Oh, yeah, I'll - er - get right on that. Tootles, Giulianna."

She laughed again, and I moved back to my own chair, picking up the guitar and strumming again.

***

When we walked out of that class, I moved beside Giulianna, "You know, I don't think your scum just because you're a legacy of Hades."

Giulianna frowned, and I said, "I mean, who cares that Hades is your grandpappy? It's not a particularly bad thing. It's never great to have Greek heritage, but why go into specifics?" I shrugged, frowning. "I understand that kids can be mean about it. Really, really mean. But that doesn't mean they're right. We aren't our people. We're ourselves. We choose who we are, not our parents or grandparents. And even if you chose to be like Hades, it wouldn't be such a bad thing. People at camp keep saying that Hades sent his monsters after me, but that's not what happened at all. He's known I was a Poseidon child long before I was claimed. It was his kindly ones. They serve Hades, and they thought I stole his helm. Hades knew I didn't. He actually let me talk to my mother, and he gave us Luke back." I smiled softly, looking down. "What I'm trying to say, is that I don't care if you're deathy or shadowy or anything like that. You're Giulianna, and that's what matters."

Giulianna looked at me, eyes wide in surprise. She struggled for words for a second, then settled on a quiet thank you.

I smiled softly at her, "No thanks needed. Just play some more piano with me sometime, m'kay?" Then I turned and walked away, heading towards my art class.