The carriage past through the protection spells without any problems and Percy sucked in a breath when he felt the magic hit his body. The others didn't seem to notice and just kept talking. But Percy felt Harry's eyes on himself, since last night the black haired boy kept staring at him and admitting he saw the creatures too, didn't particularly help.
But Percy's eyes were fixed on the window. Hogwarts Castle had come into view, a towering mass of turrets, jet-black against the dark sky, here and there a window blazing fiery bright above them. The giant castle was a sight to be seen, not even the descriptions he had read about it managed to prepare him for what he was seeing. No matter how long he looked at it, his eyes kept finding new details to capture his interest.
Percy only tore his eyes from the school for a few seconds to step out of the carriages as they jingled to a halt. The others climbed out after him, but Percy paid them little attention, his eyes fixed on the castle again.
"Come on, Percy. You can propose some other time," said Ginny and punched his arm to get his attention.
"At least I will marry," retorted Percy and punched her own shoulder, careful not to hurt her. She replied by sticking out her tongue.
"Mr. Jackson?" Asked a strict female voice behind him. Percy turned to find a stern looking witch in green robes.
"That would be me," Percy replied with a charming smile on his lips. "And who do I have the honour of meeting?" Ginny held back a chuckle.
"Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts," the woman answered shortly. Percy had heard about the head of the house Gryffindor, first from Dumbledore and then Ginny when she told him stories about the school. Minerva McGonagall was known to be strict but fair. "Mr. Jackson, please come with me to the first years for the sorting ritual." Percy nodded, waved Ginny and the other goodbye and followed the teacher.
She led him up the stone steps leading up to the oak front doors and into the castle. The entrance hall was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right. McGonnagal and Percy, however, headed to a smaller door by its side. She ushered him in and closed the door behind his back.
At least a few dozen children eyes looked up at him. "Hey," he said with a nervous smile. The atmosphere in the room grew very uncomfortable when no one of the first years in the room returned his greetings and just continued starring at him.
Percy got saved from a couple of ghosts floating through the wall to his left. Percy had Riptide in his hand at once, but the shimmery and slightly see through remnants of what once where humans just kept talking to each other and crossed the room. They were followed by big kids' eyes and Percy's own ones. Percy hadn't exactly made good first impressions with ghosts.
Just when they passed through another wall at the other end of the room, the door behind Percy opened again. McGonagall stood in the doorframe, looking if possible even more stiff than she had before and holding a three legged stool on which sat an ancient wizard's hat, heavily patched and darned with a wide rip near the frayed brim.
"The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses," McGonagall started explaining. "The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours," she ended with a stern look around the room, when her eyes met Percy's he send her a broad smile.
YOU ARE READING
Smoke and Dust
Fanfiction(A Percy Jackson and Harry Potter crossover) Percy never wanted to be a soldier, a figure pushed around like life was just a game. He didn't ask to fight in two wars when he was just a child. But two years after the second giant war, he knows he bel...
