The Golden Wand [Harry Potter/Percy Jackson]

Chapter 1: Across the Pond

Harry POV:

"You've already applied?" Ron exclaimed moodily.

"Well, of course, Ronald!" Hermione replied. "Dumbledore said that we need to apply before the other schools arrive, which is next Wednesday."

"That's in ten days," Ron pointed out.

"It doesn't hurt to be prepared."

I rolled my eyes as the two continued to argue. Don't get me wrong, I loved the two of them, but they were experts at making me feel like a third wheel. The two had been together since our fourth year in Hogwarts, after Ron had plucked up the courage to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball. For three blissful years it had felt like the three of us were inseparable, but since starting the seventh year it felt like they were distancing away from me... or possibly away from one another.

"How was it?" I interrupted, just as Hermione was about to slap Ron on the arm.

"How was what?" She asked.

"The interview, the application? Was it hard?"

Hermione shrugged.

"Not much to it really," she answered. "They ask you about your name and birthday, your house, a few details about your time in school and your favourite subjects. Then they give you a quick quiz on spells and potions, all easy things of course. And then you do a - no, sorry, not allowed to say."

I sighed. Of course, Hermione would have found it easy. Why even ask?

"When are you going to apply?" She asked.

"Why even bother applying anyway?" Ron grumbled. "He's the greatest wizard in history, of course Dumbledore's going to let him be a competitor."

"Everyone has to apply, Ronald," Hermione scolded.

"Yeah, and I'm not the greatest wizard-"

"You're being modest."

"Actually, I've been reading up about a few of the students from the other schools. Obviously there's Victor Krum from Durmstrang - he's a year older than us but he's been held back a year. People are claiming that he's been held back because he didn't pass his exams, but there's been theories that it's because Karkaroff wanted him to compete in this years competition. The guy clearly isn't the smartest, but apparently he's a brutal fighter and is obviously very good with a broom."

"He's got nothing compared to Harry," Rob defended.

"Adrian Yahontov, Durmstrang Head Boy," Hermione ignored. "Perhaps the smartest male Wizard in Europe, he's sure to have a fair few tricks up his sleeve."

"Emphasis on male smarty-pants," Ron chipped in. "There's no way he's smarter than my girlfriend."

"Then from Beauxbatons there's the Head Girl, Fleur Delacour - rumours say that she's nastier to fight against than Grindelwald."

Ron scoffed.

"From Beauxbatons? The whole lot of them are a bunch of delicate ballerinas that perform pretty spells and make love potions."

Hermione slapped Ron in annoyance.

"Just because they come from an all girls school doesn't mean they sit around all day gossiping and doing each other's hair. The whole lot of them have a reputation for being smart and feisty - I've read about incidents involving Fleur, a sixth year called Ines and her older sister Sarah. Don't underestimate any of them."

"What about Goode?" I asked suddenly. The American Wizarding School was a great mystery to most students at Hogwarts. Not having participated in any of the last competitions, coming from across the pond and being fairly small school, it hadn't built any sort of reputation. During the Dark War 30 years ago, Ilvermorny, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had come to aid the British, but Goode wizards had remained hidden and off the radar. The only thing I knew about it was that it was the oldest Wizarding school in the world, reaching back over ten centuries ago. There were rumours going around that it was established during the time of the Greeks, which I found hard to believe.