Percy Jackson and the Mirror of Erised

20) Hagrid's Hut

We made the simple potion for curing boils, which made me smile. The potions was easy. I didn't need the book, even though Snape had supplied me one in Greek. It came naturally.

And I loved it.

Potions was by far my favorite class. The different ingredients could all make something so different, while each spell was fixed. The products of a potion could be so varied that the imagination couldn't comprehend it.

I found myself smiling the entire time I made the simple potion.

Snape basically criticized everyone, but I could see how it was deserved. He didn't have to tell Draco he was doing it wrong, but he did Harry. Draco was doing perfect and Harry was not, which none of the Gryffindors seemed to realize. They just seemed to think he was favoriting the Slytherins, but that's not the case at all. He told the Slytherins they were doing something wrong when they were doing something wrong. It's just that most of the Slytherins grew up in magic house holds, where they could be taught potions as it is not spell casting. They've got experience. Ron is just an idiot.

I had just finished making my potion when I heard a slight sizzling. I heard it for hardly a second.

All of the demigods heads whipped towards the sound.

Seamus and Neville's Cauldron was fizzing and bubbling.

My eyes widened and I pulled Neville and Seamus away before anything could get on them. The potion had bubbled onto my hand, so now I held it in front of me while everyone climbed onto their stools because their shoes were melting.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled as he cleared away the potion with a flick of his wrist. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered and Snape snapped at the two boys whose potion failed, "Take him to the hospital wing." He nodded to me, where I was holding my bloody and blistered hand.

As I was walking out I heard Snape getting onto Ron and Harry. So he does prefer the Slytherins over those two at least.

Seamus and Neville lead me to the hospital wing, both apologizing profusely, so I just shook them off, "Really, it's fine. A simple mistake, and it's not even that bad."

I sat on one of the beds as Madam Ponfrey ranted, "The first potions class for first years and I already have a student sent to the hospital wing!"

Neville and Seamus stood awkwardly off to the side, but Madam Pomfrey knew better than to send them back to Snape's after they messed up on a potion.

So we sat waiting for class to end, with my hand heavily bandaged and covered in a cure for boils.

"My dad's Hermes, and I'm a half-blood. You're just what your mortal parents were, you know?" Seamus said, sitting on the edge of my bed.

Neville nodded, "I'm a pure-blood. My dad and step-mom both were. My mom is Demeter. What about you, Percy?"

"Oh, well, I'm a muggleborn. My mom was completely mortal. And Draco says I shouldn't say who my godly parent is. Something about me not supposed to exist. He's a son of Athena, so I'm going to trust his wisdom here. Sorry."

Seamus and Neville looked a little surprised, but both said it was okay anyway.

Madam Pomfrey then walked over and said that I could leave now that classes were over, and to come to her in case my hand started hurting.

I told the two goodbye and ran down to Hagrid's hut.

Hagrid smiled at me, "Come in, Come in!"

Hagrid's hut only had one room. A massive bed sat in one corner, and a fireplace sat against one wall. A big and adorable dog put his head on my knee when I sat at the table.

I almost shattered my teeth on Hagrid's rock cakes, but they tasted okay, so I finished the first one and just told him I wasn't hungry. Then he made me some water.

There was a knock at the door and this time Fang, Hagrid's dog, jumped up. He probably thought it would be more people to scratch his ears. It was.

"Back, Fang — back."

Hagrid pushes his dog back so Harry and Ron could get inside.

"Make yerselves at home," Hagrid let go of Fang, who happily ran straight to Ron, licking his ears.

"This is Ron," Harry said as Hagrid started to make tea.

"Another Weasley, eh? I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

We all told Hagrid about our first lessons. So far, Transfiguration held its place in both of the boy's hearts, but I said that potions was my favorite.

Ron gaped at me while Harry looked a little wide-eyed.

After explaining what happened in class to Hagrid, and hearing him say that Snape only liked a few, Harry said, "But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" Hagrid said. "Why should he?"

But Hagrid didn't really look like he believed what he said, so I think he changed the subject, "How's yer brother Charlie? I liked him a lot — great with animals."

I listened happily to Ron and Hagrid talk about dragons, asking questions here and there. Dragons are cool.

"Hagrid!" Harry said suddenly. "That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

Hagrid got a weird look on his face, signaling that Harry was right. I thought about the unlikeliness of breaking into Gringotts and not getting caught.

But I knew that I could do it. They'd let me walk right in. I wondered for a moment how many people were demigods.

I thought about that as we walked back up to the castle. There could have been some pretty dark wizards who were demigods.

I'm going to post earlier in the day than I normally would because I probably won't be at home for my usual time. My older sister, Emblem, is going to state for basketball. We're going to go see it. The last state we made it too, we won, so let's hope it happens again. Sadly, my dad didn't let us go to watch the game yesterday with Sam. Also, I might start publishing another story. I probably won't publish it as much as I do this one, it'll just be more of a side thing. I only have one chapter prepared for the other story, while for this series, I'm about to have the boys meet Aragog. I've got some plans and worries for this series, while for the other one, I'll probably just end up going with the flow. I've also got to make a cover for it, which I'm trying to figure that out right now. Anyway, I hope you've all had a good day, and all that jazz. Happy Saturday. 

Next chapter will be up on Monday.