Smoke and Dust

Chapter Ten: The noble house of Slytherin

The green table received Percy with raised eyebrows and curios stares. He sat down next to a group of wizards and witches around the middle of the table as Aria followed him. She stayed close, close enough that now and then her body pressed into his leg. He was glad for it, the contact keeping him sane. It convinced him that he was still there and not in greece or somewhere else.

The hall had broke out in whispers again, they talked over each other and the volume raised steadily. The ones nearest to Percy stared at him, but didn't dare talk. His eyes connected with Ginny's over two tables. She was staring at him as if she lost her mind and when she noticed him looking back raised a brow in question. For just a second the memory of Ginny teaching herself how to rise a brow flashed before his eyes. She had sat on his bed and made the weirdest faces trying to raise one brow. The happy memory shattered when she furrowed her brows and Percy had to look away as her judgement hit him in the face. His eyes found Dumbledore's in the middle of the staff's table. His mentor didn't look surprised at the choice of the hat at all.

Then Dumbledore stood up and opened his arms. The room quieted immediately and listened as he let his voice echo in the hall: "To our newcomers, welcome! To our old hands — welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!" There was an applause for the headmaster, that sat back down, throwing his long beard over his shoulder and beaming at the appearing of food before him.

Then the feat began. Food appeared on the tables until they moaned under its weight. Everyone on the Slytherin table expressed their delight and started loading foot onto their plate, their focus moving away from Percy.

The black haired followed suit, loading food on his plate, very aware of the few eyes still on him. Then a girl sat down opposite him.

"I'm Pansy Parkinson," she said and Percy looked up to see the determination in her eyes.

"Nice too meet you, Pansy Parkinson. My name is Percy," he replied holding out his hand.

She grabbed it and before letting it go again leaned in and asked, "Do you have a girlfriend? Because my family is very agreeable." Percy dropped her hand.

"Ignore her, our dear Pans here is getting worked up that her parents haven't espoused her yet," interrupted a tall dark wizard to Percy's left. "I'm Blaise by the way. Zabini," he said as if it meant something and scooted closer to shake Percy's hand. Percy grabbed it, deciding to worry about where (or better when) in the name of Hades he landed later.

"Probably haven't found anyone yet that would take her," sounded from the group of wizards Blaise had come from.

"Draco!" exclaimed Pansy and playfully glared at him. Draco was a blond and quite tall Slytherin. He joined Pansy on her side of the table and sat across from Blaise, playfully hitting Pansy on the arm when he sat down.

"You know I am right, Pans," he chuckled and Pansy crossed her arms in front of her chest, visibly annoyed by her friend's jokes. "Also, I am afraid I didn't catch your last name, Percy," added Draco, his eyes fixed on his plate, he was loading for a second serving. His voice was casual, almost innocent, but Percy knew about the house Slytherin and its values.

"It's Jackson. Percy Jackson," Percy replied just as calm and casual. Draco looked up and scanned Percy with scrutiny.

"I am not familiar with name Jackson. Where did you say you are from?" The boy's eyes had narrowed, not yet hostile.

"I was born and raised in New York, United States." Percy started loading a few vegetables on his plate. "My mother was born here, but I am afraid I am not aware of her maiden name." The hat had mentioned something about his mother being a pure-blooded witch and she had been in Slytherin after all so Percy was sure the other students of his house would approve of her heritage, if he cared enough about it.