A Second Life

9. Fleecy Does Me A Solid

Sirius

The room rang out into collective gasps. No one had expected the taller boy to speak, yet he had. That would mean that the death boy wasn't the Dark Lord's grandson. The taller boy seemed too gentle to be such a powerful wizard's grandson. Yet, there was the slightest of resemblance between him and Tom Riddle. The same dangerous aura of confidence and all-knowing. The same sharp, devilish features which could so easily change from expression to expression. The same unpredictability. The same 'don't mess with me' looks in their eyes.

Maybe the one difference was their intellect. Tom Riddle had always oozed cunning. His wits were always sharp and twisted, he knew exactly how to read a person, how to disarm them, how to use their own flaws against them. The boy - man? - standing in front of us was different. Although you could tell he was smart, it seemed more like a silent wisdom. Something he doesn't flaunt. Something he doesn't use openly. A more personal sort of smartness.

"It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr Jackson." Dumbledore started.

"Please, it's Percy." Percy said.

Percy's American accent clashed against Dumbledore British one, making the conversation sound weirder than it would've in any other given circumstance.

"Soooooo..." Perseus started.

"What's up with all the staring? Are we really that handsome?" Death eyes suddenly asked, his gaze resting on me with a cute, mischievous grin on his face. Something told me it wasn't real, just well rehearsed.

"Hey, stop stealing my lines!" Percy exclaimed.

"Not my fault you're so delayed." Dark and Gloomy shrugged.

"Who are you?" Hermione butted in, her tone demanding a proper introduction.

"I'm Nico Di Angelo. His cousin."

"And I'm Perseus Jackson. For you, Percy Jackson. Under no circumstances," the room considerably darkened, the air weirdly thick with water, "do you call me Perseus. I answer to Percy and Percy alone."

"Great! This is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald, Ginny, Fred, Molly and Arthur Weasley, Sirius Black, and I am - as you most likely know- Albus Dumbledore." Dumbledore pointed at each person in turn as their name came up in the list.

"Now that the introductions have been done, let's get moving. You will be staying at this place, 12 Grimmauld Place until the term starts again. Which is in two days. All your supplies will be provided, apart from your wands which you will need to receive by yourself, from an old man named Ollivander. He almost died in the war, and he lost all his apprentices, so be kind to the old man. He will get you your wands."

Neither of them had a reaction to the news, as if hearing people die was normal to them. Heartless strangers.

"Where can we rest? We had a long day and the time difference is killing me right now." Percy groaned leaning on the painting of one of my ex-cousins.

"Perseus, you may want to refrain from leaning on the paintings. They have many violent tendencies." Molly said.

"Like my mum," Ron murmured.

The candle in the corner flickered violently, plumes of soot and smoke rising out. "My name's Percy."

And suddenly, as if nothing had happened, the candle went back to normal, and he smiled, bidding us farewell and taking Nico up to his room.

——— Time skip ———

Percy