Perseus Alphard Black

Chapter 18

Finally, the train rolled to a stop. Diana, Rigel, Coraline, and Percy who had taken a short nap stretched their limbs, the joints locking into place with a crack. The four of them quickly changed and got off of the train.

As always, the thestrals had unnerved him but they were also good for chitchats.

Soon enough, they were seated in the Great Hall once more. Professor McGonagall led students into the Hall and, like last year, lined them up. He was surprised when Harry Potter or Ron Weasley weren't sitting next to Hermione Granger.

Percy nudged Rigel, and the blonde looked at him questioningly. "What?" He asked though he had to lean down and whisper to be heard.

"Granger's sitting by herself. Potter and Weasley aren't here." He reported.

Rigel rose an eyebrow and nudged Draco who merely shrugged.

Percy glanced at the staff's table and got the other three's attention. "Snape's not at the table either."

The three shrugged, but all attention was turned towards the delicious-looking food on their plates.

The doors opened and Professor Snape all but skipped towards the staff table, looking like he had just drunk Felix felicius.

He leaned down and whispered in both Professor McGonagall's and Headmaster Dumbledore's ears. Professor McGonagall whipped her head towards him, her face going from pale to unbelievably red, her lips pressed in an extremely thin line.

Headmaster Dumbledore, however, looked extremely grave and solemn. His eyes lost their signature twinkle. Both headmaster and deputy nodded and followed Professor Snape out of the Hall.

"What do you think that was about?" Percy asked, lifting up a forkful of mashed potatoes to his mouth.

"Don't know, but whatever it is, it has Snape in a good mood." Rigel mused. "I've never seen him that happy before."

Pansy shrugged. "Maybe he caught Potter getting into trouble."

The four of them shrugged.

Sometime later, Headmaster Dumbledore came back into the Hall, followed by a now frowning Professor Snape. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his glasses and he was smiling brightly as if Gryffindor had won the housecup.

Professor McGonagall came in not too long after they did, also looking considerably smug.

The four friends gave each other a look and glanced towards the staff table, where Professor Snape was glaring at his food as if he was willing it to burst into flames.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he turned his head to see the face of Gemma Farley. "Percy, did you hear?"

He shook his head. "Hear what?"

"They're saying Potter and Weasley drove a flying car here because they missed the train and that they got expelled." She informed him.

Percy rose an eyebrow and digested the info.

"Well, I don't think they got expelled. I mean, look at Dumbledore and McGonagall. I highly doubt that they expelled them, flying car or not." He replied finally.

The girl rose an eyebrow and hummed. "I didn't consider that." She said, thinking it over. She gazed up at him and her blue eyes were guarded and considering. "You know, you're smarter than you let on, Percy." She said.

He shrugged. "I'd like to think so. Wouldn't be much of a Slytherin if I wasn't, would I?"

Gemma chuckled. "And a sense of humor. Diana is lucky to have you. Is there anyone else like you? Any other brothers?"

Percy's first thoughts were Tyson the cyclops, Antaeus the half-giant and Triton the merman.

"Nope," Percy said not even blinking. "No brothers."

That night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Percy rose from his bed and retrieved one of the chairs from the common room. He stationed it in front of the window that looked out into the murky depths of the lake and sat in it, simply staring at the water and listening to the waves lap against the glass. The sound was peaceful and relaxing to him, his breathing matching the rhythm of the waves striking the stone of the caste

Percy stayed in his chair for some time, just thinking. He thought he saw something move in the water, but he passed it off as the giant squid that occupied the lake.

Finally, he got up from his chair and slipped into bed. His final thought before he fell asleep was that he hoped this year involves no titans.

Double chapter, hop you like them