Perseus Jackson was a strange person, Harry decided.
He came from overseas and had the weirdest American accent and said strange sayings. He had ADHD and dyslexia, and was that kid who stood up for every kid, even from the 7th years. He was a Gryffindor, but he consorted with Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and even Slytherins.
No, Harry amended, he wasn't strange. He was downright odd.
Some years, he left a couple days early. He wouldn't say for what, but he always acted strange during those times. Some days, he missed classes or came late, with his tie crooked and robes askew, and just gave the professors a mischievous grin, who rolled their eyes assigned him a detention and deducted house points. Harry wasn't sure if he was the only one who noticed the gold dust settling on his shoulders, and the relief that shook his body when the teachers turned around.
Perseus preferred to be called Percy, but Harry couldn't blame him for that. If he had a name like that, he would get himself a nickname too. Besides, Percy was a far better nickname than Scarface or Pottyhead.
Percy faced Voldemort with Harry his first year. His second year, he ventured down into the Chamber of Secrets with Harry, and helped slay the basilisk with some magic bronze sword thing. His third year, well, that was all Harry. Percy never managed to do a patronus until the middle of fourth year.
Speaking of fourth year, Percy's name flew out of the Goblet of Fire. Harry could never figure why though. He could understand himself, boy-who-lived and all, but Percy? Perhaps good ol' Voldemort had a grudge on him since first year. Percy, Cedric, and Harry were all transported to the graveyard, but when the Dark Lord commanded, Kill the spare!, only Cedric had been murdered. What about Percy? Why did Lord Voldemort claim that he knew Percy's secret? Why did he want Percy to join him so badly? Did Harry imagine the paleness of Percy's face when Voldemort mentioned his secret?
Fifth year, while Harry was somber and moody, Percy was cheerful and even lovestruck, as if the return of Voldemort never happened. Yet there were times, when he did seem distant. Right before winter break, Percy disappeared.
Nobody could find him. His mother was contacted, but Percy hadn't written in a week. Everyone was frantic. He wasn't with his relatives in America. He wasn't anywhere in Wizarding Britain. There was no sign of any kidnapping, a fight, or any magic being done. Only a empty, fully made bed that greeted Harry in the morning.
That was the last time anyone had seen Perseus Jackson.
Harry thought back to when he first met him.
All the compartments were full, except for one at the end of the train. There was only one in that compartment. Shyly, Harry peeked through the door. Would he be rejected? He had never had a friend before.
"Can-Can I sit here?" Harry hovered on the edge of the door, wait for the boy, who looked slightly older than him, to tell him that he wasn't welcome here.
The boy, who was tapping his fingers against his knee and looking out a window, immediately snapped his head towards him. To his amazement, the boy's eyes lit up.
"Of course! I'm Percy Jackson. Well, technically, the name's Perseus, but it's a mouthful. And you are?" he asked, sticking out his hand.
The first thing Harry noticed was the foreign American accent. The second thing Harry had registered about Percy was his eyes. They were swirling depths of sea green, that seemed to change with every second, from churning waves, to smooth, green glass. They were powerful. He shook himself out of his trance.
"Harry Potter." He hesitantly proffered handshake, and smiled when it was shook vigorously.
"Oh! Aren't you that dude that who killed some guy named Voldy when you were a baby?"
Voldy? If Harry didn't know any better, he would say he was being mocked. But he could see the genuine curiosity on Percy's face.
"Er . . . yeah, I guess."
"Hmmm . . . that's nice."
Harry stared at Percy, mouth wide open. That's nice? That's it? You meet someone who apparently offed the darkest wizard of all time, and all you say is nice. Well, it was rather refreshing compared to the stuttering he had gotten at Diagon Alley.
"So . . . you a first year?"
"Yeah . . . What about you?"
"Oh, I'm a first year too actually."
"Really?" Harry looked at him with astonishment. "You look too old to be a first year."
"Well, I'm really twelve, but my letter came late. I'm apparently a halfblood, but my mother didn't know that I was a wizard. I've been on Hogwarts roster, but Headmaster Dumbledore thought there was a mix-up and I was supposed to be applying to Salem Institute. Except, my name was still on the roster, so they visited me, and offered me a place when they found out I didn't know anything about the magical world.I got the option to be in my second year and work twice as hard to catch up, but I wanted the full seven years of experience."
Harry smiled. He wasn't sure what Hogwarts would be like, but it couldn't be that bad if people like Percy were going to be there. It was at that time, Ron Weasley barged in.
It was their first potions class and it was already getting off to be a bad start. Professor Snape had mercilessly humiliated Harry in front of the entire class. He growled. What did that greasy git have against him?
While Harry and Ron struggled with their potions, which were turning a nasty green and burnt orange respectively, Percy's potion was perfect. There was no other way to describe it. It was even better than bloody Malfoy's or the bookworm Hermione Granger's.
Harry turned toward Percy, eyes wide. "How did you do that, mate?"
Percy grinned sheepishly. "I don't know. It just happened. I thought I'd be horrible because I have ADHD, and the cursive instructions are murder. It took me a while to read them with my dyslexia and all."
"Then how did you make a perfect potion?"
A dark voice interrupted them. "I'll be the judge of whether it is perfect or not, Potter. Not some dundering first year who can't even manage to boil curing potion."
Harry scowled, but stayed silent as he watch Snape inspect every aspect of his friend's potion.
"Well, well," Snape drawled. "And you've never had prior experience with potions in your life?"
"No sir."
"Congratulations Mr. Jackson for a perfect potion. It seems that you're a natural." His eyes furtively swept over the class, who all stopped their brewing and were watching the scene unfold before them. "Get back to work you idiots, before you're potion blows up!" Snape barked, before praising Malfoy and awarding house points.
Bloody, biased git, who favors his own Slytherins. Malfoy did worse and Percy didn't even get points. On the bright side, at least he didn't take away any points
Suddenly, hissing and acidic green smoke filled the dungeon. It was at that time Neville's potion exploded.
Since then, Snape had always acted like he hated Percy because of his friend status with the boy-who-lived, but on every assignment Percy received back, he got an O. There were cases in which Snape turned a blind eye to whatever endeavors his best, and favorite (not that he would mention it), student would be taking part of.
"Ron!" Percy growled. "Don't insult others like that."
"What?" Ron argued back. "She deserves it, showing off whatever she can do to make others feel bad."
"It doesn't matter. You can't just make others cry like that. How would you feel if someone insulted you?"
Now Ron looked uncomfortable. "It doesn't matter. She's just a bloody know-it-all."
"Harry!" Percy spun around toward his first friend. "You don't agree with Ron, do you?" When Harry fidgeted and stayed silent, Percy let out an explosion of anger. "I can't believe you! You, of all people, should despise what Ron did! You know what it's like to have no friends because of Dudley!
"I've been called a loser, a geek , a friendless loner, an idiot at the last couple schools I've been too. I've only made it through one year at every single school I've been too. I've spent detentions from standing up to bullies. I don't care if I'm going to be expelled if it means protecting her from the likes of you!
"Don't talk to me until you've apologized."
With that Percy spun off, and stalked in the opposite direction. Sure enough, Percy turned his backs toward Harry and Ron during dinner, instead sitting down next to a shocked Hermione.
Harry didn't miss the grateful smile that bloomed on Hermione's face as he started up a conversation with the resident nerd. Of course, they didn't know they would all be best friends after Halloween.
Harry was nervous about flying. Sure, it sounded like fun, but the more he thought about a hand slipping, a too sharp dive, a too far lean to the right . . . Harry became increasingly daunted toward the prospect of flying on brooms. Was it really safe?
He forgot about all his worries the moment he chased after Malfoy. Flying was freedom. There were no worries in the air. Only freedom.
Of course, Percy, being the loyal friend he is, rose up on his broom to confront Malfoy in defence of Neville while Harry caught the Remembrall.
Professor McGonagall stormed out the castle, and the three boys nervously landed. Harry was on the ground first after catching the Remembrall, and Percy followed Malfoy toward land. However, the moment Percy touched the ground, lightning struck the ground one foot away from Percy, who yelped. McGonagall stared at the could-have-been-dead Percy, the burnt spot of grass, and the deceivingly clear skies above, before shaking her head, and chewing the three out.
"What are you doing at the Hufflepuff table," Harry asked. Percy was currently eating dinner with Ernie Macmillian, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchly, and a grudging Zachariah Smith.
"Eating lunch with my friends. You should join us." Before he knew, Harry was being pulled down to sit, as the others scooted over.
"By the way," Percy mentioned casually, "I've eating lunch with the Ravenclaws tomorrow, and dinner with Tracey Davis on Sunday."
Harry blinked. "But she's a Slytherin!"
"I know." Percy's grin was strangely shark like.
"Why are your books in a different language?" Harry asked.
"Di Immortals Harry! Don't scare me like that! And for your information, I discovered my father, whose Greek, and I have a natural affinity for Greek. So I translated my books to Greek because for some reason, Greek is easier to read than English."
"You're a weird kid, Percy."
"Hey! I'll have you know I'm a teenager now that I'm thirteen!"
"Could have fooled me," Harry muttered.
"Hey! I heard that!"
Percy stared in front of the horse less carriages. "What-what are those skeletal horse things? Percy managed to ask.
Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at him.
"What do you mean, skeletal horse things. I think you're going delusional mate. These carriages have always been horse less." Ron concluded.
"No, I swear-Holy Hera!" Percy jumped, looked around, then muttered, "Don't call me my lord."
Now Hermione asked, "Did you say my lord?"
"No, of course not." Percy looked nervous.
"And what's up with 'Holy Hera'? Why don't you just say Merlin or God or something like normal people?"
Percy smiled. "I've never been normal, Harry. For your info, it's what we do in America."
"Bloody Americans," Ron muttered.
Percy laughed.
Malfoy and Percy had been acting odd to each other this year. Whenever Malfoy decided to insult the quartet, his scathing comments no longer sounded so scathing. He didn't insult Percy at all, and if he did, it was only half hearted.
Harry didn't miss the knowing glances the two threw at each other, or the glimmering gaze of respect in Malfoy's eyes.
Harry openly stared at Percy. "How-how-just how?!"
Percy smirked. "Because I'm awesome that way."
Professor Grubby-Plank warned the boys away from the unicorns, but Percy had to do the impossible and stroll up the unicorn, pet it, and have a conversation with it. Grubby-Plank had a look of awe on her face, as did everyone, except for Slytherin boys. They clearly thought Percy was insane for conversing with unicorns.
"Aren't you a cute little unicorn? Aren't you?" Percy cooed.
Harry just shook his head.
"Harry! Harry! What do I do?" Percy shook Harry's shoulders, panic written across his face.
Harry gazed amusedly at his friend. "Relax, you'll have no problem finding a date. It's me you should be worrying about."
While Harry was still the skinny and short kid from first year, Percy had completely changed. No longer was he the scrawny, weak kid. Instead, he was muscular, had a lean, swimmer's body, a six pack, tanned, golden skin, stylishly messy, black hair, and of course, those sea green eyes.
Harry wasn't oblivious toward the stares that his best mate received, unlike a certain somebody. Some of the Hufflepuffs looked like they were ready to ditch house pride to be Percy's dance partner. The Ravenclaws were contemplating their chances of getting a Hogwarts champion to ask them out. Harry had heard Lavender and Parvati discuss the, hot, handsome, mysterious, Percy in the Common Room, and had no doubts others in Gryffindor were doing the same. There were hungry gazes from even Slytherins that made Harry want to shudder and cower were fear.
"What are you talking about Harry? Nobody is going to want to go out with me!"
Harry smiled. Trust someone like Percy to be treating the job of finding a date the worst thing on earth.
Percy changed after he returned to Hogwarts for fifth year. He had a lovestruck gaze in his eyes and a dreamy smile, unaware of his surroundings. Harry had to prevent him from walking into walls.
Maybe wizarding Britain was slandering the two of them, but no one would be able to snap Percy out of his mind.
Perseus Jackson was a weird person, Harry Potter decided. But he wouldn't have it any other way.
A/N This is not going to be a one-shot, although it could be.
Timeline of Percy-
Twelve: 1st year, then TLT
Thirteen: 2nd year, then SoM, then TTC
Fourteen: 3rd year, then BotL
Fifteen: 4th year, then TLO (remember Percy starts as 15, then turns 16)
Sixteen: 5th year, then HoO
Seventeen: 6th year