Percy Jackson at Hogwarts

The Cursed Position

Harry's PoV-

All throughout class Snape was packing up his things, swishing his wand around wordlessly, items flying into small bag that shouldn't be able to fit all that he was putting in. I tried to stay focused on the potion- Merlin's knows I didn't need Snape snapping at me- but the curiosity was eating at my brain. A few times he almost caught me staring and I'd jerk back in surprise, Hermione eventually elbowing me in annoyance. In the end, she switched spots with Neville and was instead sitting with Duke Williams, Neville settling his sickly potion down precariously. I was more than certain that the potion was not supposed to look like that.

On my other side was Percy, and despite him only recently having discovered the wizarding world, his potion was flawless. Two opposites, one who's potion looked ready to explode, and one who's potion looked like it had been made by Snape himself. Looking at the potion I was working on, I knew Snape wasn't going to let me off the hook. It was better than Neville's, but not as good as Percy's or Hermione's. There was a faint bubbling sound and my eyes slid over to Neville's potion, the liquid inside turning a frothy murky brown. My eyes widened and I slid back in my chair, ready for an explosion. It bubbled till the froth reached the top of the beaker, then suddenly it cleared, the liquid turning into a clear sapphire blue- what it was supposed to look like when finished. It remained like that for a few seconds and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

The potion exploded.

The mess landed all over the table, the probably poisonous liquid deteriorating my potion's book, spreading onto Percy's. I leaped out of my chair so fast it ricocheted off the floor and skidded to the other table. Smoke was clogging the air and a small fire started. With a dramatic flourish of his wand, Snape put out the fire and discarded the vial that contained Neville's potion. He cleaned the table, but mine and Percy's potions book still remained ruined. I wanted to roll my eyes, knowing it was because a) we were Gryffindors, and b) he hated my guts. Neville sat in his chair trembling and it was at that moment I remembered what his boggart was, Snape.

"Well, it seems as if I can't spend one class period without having to clean up after you, Longbottom." His signature sneer appeared on his face as he approached Neville. "Poor Longbottom, always making a mess like the little child that he is." He snarked, and the Slytherins guffawed obnoxiously.

"I think that's hardly necessary, Professor. He knows he made a mistake, you don't have to be so demeaning. Or is your ego too big for that." Percy stood up from his chair, staring Snape dead in the eye. I marveled at his bravery, wondering how he could be so unflinching.

"Watch your tone, Jackson. Don't think there won't be consequences just because you're Percy Jackson." Percy's eyes squinted ominously, stepping just that much closer to Snape. The rest of the class was quite, and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. The tension between them was thick and hummed with a quiet, powerful energy.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Snape smiled sardonically, tone casual and drawling.

"You know exactly what it means, child of the eldest." Percy's fists clenched and his eyes burned with a rage I hadn't seen before.

"I don't know what you think you know about me, but you know nothing. Stay out of my business, stay out of my life. And if I find out you had anything to do with her..." He trailed off threateningly, shoving into Snape's shoulder as he stormed out of the classroom. I expected Snape to giving him detention, or dock an infinite amount of points from Gryffindor, but instead he barked at us to leave, though class technically wasn't over. As I left with Ron and Hermione, Snape was back to packing his things, an inquisitive look on his face. We went in search of Percy, Hermione in search of answers, and me to make sure he was okay and partially to hear those answers. Eventually we found him in the library, holding a book Hermione was all too familiar with; Hogwarts a History. We settled around him.