The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 147 - Percy - At The Quidditch Pitch

My robes billowed and swirled around me as we splashed across the flooded vegetable patch to double Herbology where we could hardly hear what Professor Sprout was saying over the hammering of raindrops hard as hailstones on the greenhouse roof. The afternoon's Care of Magical Creatures lesson was to be relocated from the storm-swept grounds to a free classroom on the ground floor and, to their intense relief, Angelina had sought out her team at lunch to tell them that Quidditch practice was cancelled.

"Good," said Harry quietly, when she told him, "because we've found somewhere to have our first Defence meeting. Tonight, eight o'clock, seventh floor opposite that tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by those trolls. Can you tell Katie and Alicia?"

She looked slightly taken aback but promised to tell the others. Harry returned hungrily to his sausages and mash. 

"I'm not going to try and drink that pumpkin juice whatever you tell me, Ron," Jason was arguing.

"But it's really good!"

"No! Let- go-" Jason was whimpering away from the glass. I laughed. "It's a vegetable!"

"But it's really tasty!" Ron howled.

"No!"

"Oh, let go of the poor boy, Ron," Alex chuckled. "That's enough."

Hermione was watching Harry. "What?" he said thickly.

"Well... it's just that Dobby's plans aren't always that safe. Don't you remember when he lost you all the bones in your arm?"

"Wait. What?" I asked, frowning.

"This room isn't just some mad idea of Dobby's," Harry said, "Dumbledore knows about it, too, he mentioned it to me at the Yule Ball."

Hermione's expression cleared.

"Dumbledore told you about it?"

"Just in passing," said Harry, shrugging.

"Oh, well, that's all right then," said Hermione briskly and raised no more objections.

Together with Ron, Hermione and Harry had spent most of the day seeking out those people who had signed their names to the list in the Hog's Head and telling them where to meet that evening. 

At half past seven Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Gryffindor common room, Harry clutching a certain piece of aged parchment in his hand. 

"You sure you don't want to come?" Hermione asked us as we readied ourselves. 

Alex was wearing a snowboarding jacket over her clothes. "No, Hermes," she replied. "Got work to do at the greenhouse."

"Mm, yeah," Jason said, putting on his large sweater. "Don't want Professor Sprout to set the Mandrakes on us tomorrow."

"We'll see you when we get back," I told Ron. "Keep some of those Hogsmeade treats for me at the ready when I get back?"

Ron grinned. "Not if I finish it all myself."

"You wouldn't," I gasped.

"Alright," Harry said nervously. "See you later."  

We parted ways outside the portrait. Fifth-years were allowed to be out in the corridors until nine o'clock, but the three of them kept looking around nervously as they made their way to the seventh floor.

Jason, Alex and I walked down the corridors to the Great Hall, which was already deserted and dark.

"Hey," Annabeth greeted us, walking out with Will and Nico. "Ready?"