They're What?!

Exhaustion Attacks

Percy POV
"C'mon Percy, I'll take you to the dormitories." Hermione offered.

I grinned and offered her my arm. Once we were out of earshot of the other two, she looked up at me.

"Why did the hat scream so much?" I grimaced, having known it was coming.

"Tartarus, Mione. Screwed my head up pretty bad."

She gave me a one armed hug as we continued up the stairs.

"Ready?" We stood in front of a picture of a big old lady.

"Wow, you're big." The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. The Fat Lady looked horrified.

"He's new, he didn't know the pictures moved." Hermione lied.

"Password?" The woman asked.

"Aphrodite's Spear." I burst out laughing.

"T-that'd be funny to see! Aphrodite with a spear." I finally managed to explain.

Hermione giggled as well. "True that."

The portrait swung open, revealing a hole large enough for me to stand in, barely.

"Jason's gonna have to duck." I commented as we went inside.

"So when are the others coming?" Hermione asked.

"One every week. I can't wait."

"I'm sure...what about your nightmares?"

I grimaced. "Hecate was adamant. I'll just have to deal with it."

Hermione sighed and led me up a flight of stairs.

"Sometimes the gods can be really inconsiderate." She muttered.

I snorted. "No kidding. But it's fine, I'll survive." Hermione pushed open a door marked 'Special Students.'

"This one will be your dorm. You'll be sharing it with quite a few people. Harry, Ron, the boys who come from camp, Seamus, Dean, Neville." I nodded.

"Thanks Mione. Where do you sleep?"

She led me back down into the common room.

"Those stairs lead to the girls' dorms."

I nodded, then yawned spectacularly. Hermione laughed.

"Time changes. They drain me too much. Night, Mione." I headed back up to my dorm.

Harry and Ron were talking with a dark haired boy when I got back to the room.

"Neville, this is Percy." Harry said. Neville smiled at me.

"Hey." I nodded.

"Sorry guys, I'm really tired..." I shrugged apologetically.

"Time changes, right?" Neville asked.

I nodded again.

"Hey, Percy, do you know why there are so many beds that are empty?" Ron asked.

I looked around the room. The all the beds except mine on the left side were empty. No trunks, nothing.

"Those are for the guys coming from my school."

"There are more coming?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yep. Jason, Leo, Frank and Nico." I listed off, counting on my fingers.

Ron and Harry nodded and went to their beds, talking again. Neville looked at me, then motioned for me to come into the hallway.

"What's up?" I asked him once we were outside.

"Wear long sleeves. All the time. Trust me, Percy, it's the only way to cover the SPQR tattoo."

I stared at him.

"You got one too?" I finally choked out.

Neville pulled up his sleeve. An SPQR tattoo with 10 bars lay on his inner arm.

"Ceres?" I asked, eyeing the hook with the cross on the bottom.

"Yep. Favorite subject is Herbology. Not a surprise, eh? Anyway, I was here last year, but there were too many interruptions from two evil teachers for us to learn anything decent. Remember what I said Percy." He pulled the sleeve back down. "Long sleeves."

He left me alone in the hall. I rubbed my arm, thinking. Another wave of exhaustion washed over me and I went back inside.

"Night, guys." I said lazily, dropping into bed with my clothes on.

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I woke up in the middle of the night, drowning in sweat-covered sheets. Neville was standing above me, trying to grab hold of my arm.

"Did I wake anyone?" I asked when he had finally calmed me down.

"Just me. Demigod dreams?"

"Tartarus. Went through it with my girlfriend." I stripped my shirt off.

"I figured out a spell that should at least tone them down. Once you fall back asleep I'll cast it." Neville offered.

"Thanks." I said gratefully, sinking back into the bed. I dropped my shirt on the floor.

"Night Neville."

"Goodnight, Percy."

[a/n I decided we needed a roman demigod. Don't judge me, he's a good choice. Hope you enjoyed the fluff/uselessness of this chapter]