THIS CHAPTER IS BECAUSE I AM PROCASTINATING SO BAD ABOUT MY LANGUAGE EXAM, TOMMOROW, I WROTE MORE THAN FOUR THOUSAND WORDS. THANKS FOR READING. CHECK OUT THE END NOTES.
"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice.
They all turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for what he was told was their traditional journey across the lake.
He had told Dumbledore that he'd ride the carriages, apparently they were driven by Thestrals. Hagrid had told Percy that he would introduce him to the herd but the whole lot ate a bad cow and fell sick.
Percy would rather meet his distant nephews, thank you godly genetics, than go on boats that badly constructed.
"you lot alright ?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd.
They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform.
The five of them followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, by a pair of thestrals.
They were horses, though there was something reptilian about them, too. They were completely fleshless, their black coats clinging to their skeletons, of which every bone was visible. Their heads were dragonish, and their pupil-less eyes white and staring. Wings sprouted from each wither — vast, black leathery wings that looked as if they were stolen from giant bats.
It took Percy a second to realize what they reminded him off, the Maeonion Drakon, the one Damasen fought in Tartarus.
They stopped as one, maybe sensing is presence, and all of them, about two hundred of them bowed.
"My Lord" they said together, rather creepily, in his head.
Walking up to the carriage in front, he rubbed against the Thestral's flank. "Rise all of you." He commanded softly.
"Umm… Percy" Harry called out. " What are you doing?"
"Petting them of course." He replied.
"What exactly are you petting?" Ron questioned.
"There is nothing there Percy" Hermione said.
Belatedly, Percy realized that most of them wouldn't be able to see the Thestrals.
"Those are Thestrals." Remus said. " The only domesticated herd in Britain. They pull the carriages. Not everyone can see them."
"Why not?" Hermione asked.
"We don't know" Percy replied before Remus could reply. The real reason would lead to questions Percy would rather not answer.
"Though I don't believe that I've ever seem a Thestral bow to anyone." Remus said, a calculating glint in his eyes.
Percy decided not to comment, or else he might dig himself a hole that he would not be able to come out of.
The four of them shared a carriage, Remus used another.
As the carriage trundled toward a pair of wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Percy saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. He swallowed down the nausea he felt.
The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Harry, Hermione and Ron got out.
As Percy stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.
"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"
Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously
"And you are?" Percy asked him dangerously, he knew who he was, but wanted to intimidate Malfoy, look how unimportant you are, the gesture said, that I do not know your name.
The boy drew himself to his full height. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. And what are you supposed to be, mudblood?"
Showcasing his last name first to emphasize on his social status. Percy understood easily, he had to make his way through communicating with deities without offending them on a daily basis, he could easily get a read on Malfoy.
But he confused Percy for a muggle-born, of course, wizard social circles were small, if Malfoy hadn't met Percy then, it was safe to assume he was a muggle-born. Except one golden rule, NEVER assume anything.
" Perseus Jackson Shafiq" Percy introduced. " You may call me Lord Shafiq."
Malfoy paled, having realized that he had just insulted someone of a higher social standing than him. If Percy had been introducing himself to his father, it would be a different story, the son was young and therefore easily cowed.
" And I must say, I am very unimpressed." He continued. "Let's hope that the next time we meet, you shall act as per the behavior befitting a Malfoy."
Draco's nostrils flared.
"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.
Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no - er - Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.
Harry shot him an accusing stare, " you said you didn't care about blood purity."
"I don't, but Malfoy cares about the social hierarchy, I, as a lord, stand higher than him, amd me telling him that he failed as a Malfoy must've stung him a lot."
"That was smart" Hermione said admiringly, before prodding Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the four of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.
Professor McGonagall called him, Hermione and Harry, to follow her. She had Harry looked over by Madame Pomfrey because of his fainting and sent outside to wait for them.
"Mr. Jackson-Shafiq" Professor McGonagall said. " Upon your request, the headmaster and Professor Flitwick convened with the School Board, from what Professor Flitwick tells us, while you have trouble with the simpler spells, you are naturally attempting the visualization and emotional tying techniques that are to be taught in the sixth and seventh years."
" I suppose ma'am." Percy replied.
" We understand that it was difficult to achieve as much as you did, in such a short period , the School Board recognizes your potential and wishes to allow it to cultivate, therefore, despite your abysmal score, you have been allowed to pursue Charms for your seventh year, on a probationary period, we hope that with you being allowed a longer period to study the subject, you shall be able to excel in it, if, however, Professor Flitwick feels that you are unable to cope, you shall have to drop the subject."
Percy grinned. "Thank you ma'am."
"Now" she said. " Ms. Granger has taken all subjects Hogwarts offers to third years, and like you she is being given an aide to manage her schedule." She held out a time turner.
"I do hope you shall help her understand how to operate it." She said.
Together they went over all the rules of time travelling and explained them to Hermione.
"If you ever need any help, with this Hermione, come to me." Percy said.
The three of them, joined by Harry, made their way back marble staircase to the Great Hall.
It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair.
They entered just as the last first year was announced as a "Ravenclaw" The boy put down the hat he was wearing and left.
Harry and Hermione joined what he assumed was the Gryffindor table as Percy followed McGonagall to where Professor Flitwick was standing next to a rickety old stool with the old hat the boy took off placed on top.
Dumbledore stood. "Now, as you might be aware, Hogwarts, for the first time in decades gets the opportunity to accept a foreign national as a student. I'm afraid we might have to hold off our hunger for a bit more as we sort, the newest student of this school, Perseus Jackson-Shafiq."
Percy walked up to the stool.
" Professor" he greeted Flitwick.
"Please put on the hat and sit down Mr. Jackson" the wizard told him genially.
Percy put on the hat as he balanced himself on the stool.
'Hmmm. Interesting.'
Percy didn't react to the voice that suddenly sprung in his head beyond a brief look of surprise.
'Hello. I'm Percy' he offered.
'I know. And I am the sorting hat' it replied.
'Are you reading my mind then?' he asked.
' don't be ridiculous, I am just an old hat made sentient. I am gleaning your personality, really, your likes, dislikes, desires and then making an informed decision about where to place you off of it.'
'So it's less about who I am and more about what I want to be or do in life?' Percy stated.
'Precisely' the hat sounded pleased. ' Now, loyalty for people and ideals, though you seem to deny your beliefs in the latter. Not so smart in the traditional sense, no love for books, not that much wit either. Not a Ravenclaw then. You are loyal, yes, but not patient, and fairness as a concept is only their when it benefits you or those you care for. Yes?'
'that is….a fair assessment' Percy admitted, remembering a certain rock, paper, scissors game that he rigged.
'You have a reckless sort of courage that Gryffindors can admire, you possess bravery, willfulness, nerve, a short temper as well, but not much for chivalry are you? Not fairness, not particularly honorable. Pity.
He shrugged, he was who he was.
'you are ambitious, determined, you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals, you have a cunning to you as well. You enjoy power too. But, you don't feel that need to prove yourself do you? That is a rare quality.'
'What house do you want?' it asked him.
'I have a choice?' he asked skeptically.
'Between Gryffindor or Slytherin.' It stated. 'it's about what you want to be. A lion or a snake? I take it into account'
It would be bad if he became a Slytherin, the house was looked down upon, and if they discovered who his grandfather was, they would consider him in league with Voldemort.
The logical choice would be to go into Gryffindor. It might aid to his reputation if anyone ever knew.
A bunch of stereotypical hero types with a god complex. Vs. A racist, manipulative and cut throat bunch.
What to choose?
He remembered cohort five.
The logical choice would be to choose Gryffindor. But since when has he been logical?
'Slytherin' he decided.
'So you wish to go to Slytherin by making the most Gryffindor decision you can? What a delightful little conundrum you prove to be'
'I am what I am' he told it.
'Very well, then it better be-'
"SLYTHERIN" the hat roared out. Causing the table on the far left to break out into claps and cheers.
Percy slowly stood up and took off his hat to join them.
He was greeted by members of his new house by hand shakes and claps on the back.
Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He stood up to address the crowd.
"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. . . "
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. "
He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Percy noticed him shooting a look towards Harry at that statement
"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.
Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.
"On a happier note," he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. "
There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Remus clapped hard, Percy whooped, and noticed as his cheeks took on a faint pink tinge.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Remus died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties. "
Wait. Hagrid was new to the job? He was such a good teacher though.
He joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Percy leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.
"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. So loud that Percy could hear him all the way across the room."Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!
"He sat next Gemma Farley, who turned out to be a sixth year prefect and pleasant to talk to.
" so, you joined Hogwarts because you didn't want to be home-schooled anymore right?" she asked.
Percy shot her a surprised look.
"Don't be so surprised. Slytherin's tend to be a nosey lot. Most of us are politically inclined after all. We will probably dig out everything there is to know about you, and those in the less influential families will try to butter you up. Especially since you are a lord where most are heirs to some house and the first male in your family since your great grand father, so the first lord to actually able to inherit the lordship and consequently hold the wizengamot seat and not in interim like your grandmother."
"Huh" he said. " And which category do you fall in?"
"The second" she said bluntly.
"You suck at buttering people up" he told her. "At least compliment me a little."
"I will when I find something worth commenting on." She said with a laugh.
"Ouch" he grasped at his heart over dramatically.
"so why'd your mum not hold the seat? Or come to Hogwarts ?" she asked, changing the topic.
"She moved to New York when she was pretty young" he shrugged. " Her dad lived in New York, you know." Lie by omission, Jim Jackson lived in New York and was legally his mom's dad.
"Oh" she chewed on her lip briefly " was he a muggle, then?"
Percy could tell she had been holding a question in for a while. He also noticed the circle of Slytherins around him were trying to subtly eavesdrop on the conversation with interest.
"Oh no. He was a wizard." He told her cheerfully. "what about your family?"
"Nothing much to tell really, Dad's a muggle-born, Mom's a witch. I have four siblings, Bella, Madge, Jake and Charlie, I'm the third child. My sister, Bella is the head girl. My other sister Madge works at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, my twin brother Charlie is sitting right behind you and rudely eavesdropping and Jake is a second year. All of us take after our mum, and were sorted in Slytherin."
Percy turned around to notice a boy who somewhat resembled Gemma, looking at them. He raised his hands in a 'surrender' position.
"Guilty" he grinned sheepishly. He held out a hand, " Hey, I am Charlie."
"Percy" he introduced himself.
'Nice meeting you mate" he nodded.
They chatted a bit as they introduced him to their sister Bella, their friends Tara West, Angela Price, Eric Turpin and John Payne.
After the dinner, Gemma went to the front to direct the first years and Percy to the Slytherin dorms.
"The door on the right side of the Entrance Hall, is most frequently used by Slytherin students to get to their common room. Behind the door is a set of stone steps which descend deep into the dungeon, which where you will go through now, our common rooms however have several entrances and exits, unlike other houses, one leads directly to the kitchens, though you are not to be caught going there.
The entrance to the common room is located behind a bare stretch of stone wall in the dungeons of Hogwarts Castle. A password is required to enter it; whereupon a passage is revealed leading to the common room." the male prefect explained.
They slowly made their way to the common rooms.
The common room was a dungeon-like room with greenish lamps and chairs. This dungeon extended partway under the lake, giving the light in the room a green tinge. It had a lot of low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas; skulls; and dark wood cupboards. A few of the wooden tables have Wizard's Chess sets on them. It is decorated with tapestries featuring the adventures of famous Medieval Slytherins. It has quite a grand atmosphere, but also quite a cold one.
In one word? Awesome.
"The password to the common room changes every fortnight, and it is posted on the noticeboard. Slytherin students are warned never to bring students from other houses into the common room, or to reveal the password. They say no outsider has entered the common room for more than seven centuries." The male prefect continued.
He and Gemma both spun around to face them.
She clapped her hands before starting to speak.
"Congratulations! I'm Prefect Gemma Farley, and I'm delighted to welcome you to SLYTHERIN HOUSE. Our emblem is the serpent, the wisest of creatures; our house colours are emerald green and silver, and our common room lies behind a concealed entrance down in the dungeons. As you'll see, its windows look out into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. We often see the giant squid swooshing by – and sometimes more interesting creatures. We like to feel that our hangout has the aura of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck.
Now, there are a few things you should know about Slytherin – and a few you should forget.
Firstly, let's dispel a few myths. You might have heard rumours about Slytherin house – that we're all into the Dark Arts, and will only talk to you if your great-grandfather was a famous wizard, and rubbish like that. Well, you don't want to believe everything you hear from competing houses. I'm not denying that we've produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses – they just don't like admitting it. And yes, we have traditionally tended to take students who come from long lines of witches and wizards, but nowadays you'll find plenty of people in Slytherin house who have at least one Muggle parent.
Here's a little-known fact that the other three houses don't bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, the most famous wizard in history! He learned all he knew in this very house! Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin? Or would you rather sit at the old desk of that illustrious ex-Hufflepuff, Eglantine Puffett, inventor of the Self-Soaping Dishcloth?
I didn't think so.
But that's enough about what we're not. Let's talk about what we are, which is the coolest and edgiest house in this school. We play to win, because we care about the honour and traditions of Slytherin.
We also get respect from our fellow students. Yes, some of that respect might be tinged with fear, because of our Dark reputation, but you know what? It can be fun, having a reputation for walking on the wild side. Chuck out a few hints that you've got access to a whole library of curses, and see whether anyone feels like nicking your pencil case.
But we're not bad people. We're like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, and frequently misunderstood.
For instance, we Slytherins look after our own – which is more than you can say for Ravenclaw. Apart from being the biggest bunch of swots you ever met, Ravenclaws are famous for clambering over each other to get good marks, whereas we Slytherins are brothers. The corridors of Hogwarts can throw up surprises for the unwary, and you'll be glad you've got the Serpents on your side as you move around the school. As far as we're concerned, once you've become a snake, you're one of ours – one of the elite.
Because you know what Salazar Slytherin looked for in his chosen students? The seeds of greatness. You've been chosen by this house because you've got the potential to be great, in the true sense of the word. All right, you might see a couple of people hanging around the common room whom you might not think are destined for anything special. Well, keep that to yourself. If the Sorting Hat put them in here, there's something great about them, and don't you forget it.
And talking of people who aren't destined for greatness, I haven't mentioned the Gryffindors. Now, a lot of people say that Slytherins and Gryffindors represent two sides of the same coin. Personally, I think Gryffindors are nothing more than wannabe Slytherins. Mind you, some people say that Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor prized the same kinds of students, so perhaps we are more similar than we like to think. But that doesn't mean that we cosy up with Gryffindors. They like beating us only slightly less than we like beating them.
A few more things you might need to know: our house ghost is the Bloody Baron. If you get on the right side of him he'll sometimes agree to frighten people for you. Just don't ask him how he got bloodstained; he doesn't like it.
The password to the common room changes every fortnight. Keep an eye on the noticeboard. Never bring anyone from another house into our common room or tell them our password. No outsider has entered it for more than seven centuries.
Well, I think that's all for now. I'm sure you'll like our dormitories. We sleep in ancient four-posters with green silk hangings, and bedspreads embroidered with silver thread. Medieval tapestries depicting the adventures of famous Slytherins cover the walls, and silver lanterns hang from the ceilings. You'll sleep well; it's very soothing, listening to the lake water lapping against the windows at night."
The first years all went to sleep immediately, but seeing as no one else was he decided to stick around.
He sat next to Gemma, " Boy, you sure do talk a lot." He said.
"She does, doesn't she?" Charlie piped up.
"Quit, bullying my girlfriend." John Payne, who Percy discovered didn't really talk much, said in his deep baritone.
"Girlfriend?" Percy raised an eyebrow.
"Disappointed Jackson?" she asked.
"My, whole being weeps to discover 'tis so." He deadpanned.
Charlie snorted. "Ignore her. She thinks every guy she meets is in love with her."
"They usually are" she protested.
"They're not" Angela-call me Angie-said. "you just have an overactive imagination."
"Doesn't matter anyway, I've got a girlfriend." Percy said. " Her name is Annabeth."
"Is she a muggle?" Tara asked.
"Why do you ask?" he asked a little too quickly.
Eric and Tara exchanged looks.
"Well" Tara said. " A long distance relationship with a muggle who you have to keep lying to won't last."
" Well don't worry guys, she is not a muggle." He told them.
They looked relieved.
"So, I'm assuming I am not bunking with the first years." He said. " So you need to show me my room."
"You're with Charlie, he'll take you later." Gemma said. "it's only him, John and Turpin in their dorm."
"Thanks. By the way, what's the male prefect's name?"
"Weren't you paying attention when we were talking?" Gemma berated.
"I paid attention to you, but I have A.D.H.D woman, you can only expect so much from me. He whined.
"What's A.D.H.D? Eric asked, he was a pureblood, and since A.D.H.D in the wizard world was one in a million, he wouldn't know.
So Percy began to explain and one topic lead to another as they talked late into the night.
I PUT HIM IN SLYTHERIN BECAUSE OF THIS ARTICLE BY PHOEBE CHRD ON THE ODYSSEY ONLINE WESBITE TITLED
Percy Jackson: The Tale of A Slytherin Protagonist and a Gryffindor AntagonistTOTLY CONVINCED ME. ANYWAY, IF IT WASN'T CLEAR THE SHAFIQ'S WERE SEXIST PEOPLE, WHICH WAS WHY, WHILE ELEANOR COULD HOLD THE WIZENGMOT SEAT IN PLACE OF THE MALE HEAD OF FAMILY BUT NOT HAVE LADYSHIP, PERCY IS THE LORD. HIS FRIENDS ARE NOT CANNON EXCEPT FOR THE TWINS WHO ARE NOT ACTUALLY TWIN AND GEMMA IS NOT ACTUALLY A SIXTH YEAR. THEY ARE BACKGROUND CHARACTERS AND ONLY THEIR NAMES AND THE FACT THAT GEMMA IS A PREFECT IS CANNON