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Percy gawked at the sight before him.
"Blackjack?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't think Chiron would send you on a quest without your most trustworthy companion, now did you Boss?"

Percy couldn't contain his delight. "Awesome!" Since discovering Leo was alive- somewhere -he had been overly happy. Sure, Leo was on the run and could possibly be almost dying but hey, that was perfectly normal for a demigod. He was alive, and that's all that mattered.

He moved towards Annabeth, prepared to help her mount but she was already climbing on with ease. She smirked. "I can do some things for myself, you know."

"I know," Percy said. "I was just trying to be a good boyfriend."

"But you're already the best boyfriend."

"Better hurry up Boss," Blackjack interrupted, "before Top-hat over there blows his top." The pegasus let out a cross between a snort and a neigh at his own joke.

"Hold your horses," Percy said to him, grinning.

"That one wasn't funny."

He lifted himself up until he was sat comfortably on the pegasus' back, arms around Annabeth who had already made herself at home.

"Hold on."

And with that, they were in the air. Percy let out a whoop of joy. Try blasting me out of the sky now, Zeus, he thought.

The cool night breeze was refreshing. He felt free, and alive. And he was with one of his most favourite people in the world, sharing this beautiful moment with her. It was almost enough to make him forget about the real reason he was here. Almost.

Despite all of that, he couldn't help but to let the smile stay on his face. Watching the look of awe and amazement Annabeth had on, was enough to make even the most pessimistic person appreciative.

She looked so happy, flying through the air, her long blonde hair streaming out behind her, grey eyes sparkling with joy as she took in the scenery. Percy couldn't help but to smile too.

Blackjack swooped downwards, darting through the open air and spiralling upwards just before they hit the ground.

"That was for the horse joke," he said as Percy almost lost his grip.

"Percy- Look!" Annabeth gasped, staring straight ahead at what Percy assumed was the castle. She reminded him of a child who'd just been given candy.

He squinted. The light of the stars and the moon was barely enough for him to see but he could faintly make out the shape of what he assumed was a castle. The school had been built in a valley area. The shadowy shapes of mountains decorated the landscape and even in the dark, the sloping hills were visible. The walls were lined with torches, and braziers had been positioned neatly by the doorways. As they drew closer, Percy realised just how large the castle really was. Seven stories at the least, with two large oak doors standing tall and proud facing the west, acting as what he assumed was the main entrance. He couldn't help but to marvel at the sight.

"Look at those towers. The structure is impeccable," his girlfriend murmured in appreciation.

"Looks kinda like that castle from Merlin, if you ask me, Boss."

"You watch Merlin?" Percy exclaimed in surprise.

"Uh, I'd sometimes look in through the windows of the Ares cabin when it was on," Blackjack said, flustered.

"The Ares cabin watch Merlin?" he snorted. "I'm never going to let Clarisse live that one down."

"Don't forget to tell her you know that she's blackmailed the Hephaestus cabin into giving her cable."

"Wow," he muttered as they climbed higher into the night, heading for one of the towers. "I'm not one for architecture, but this place could give Olympus a run for its money."

Annabeth glared at him.

"I'm only joking, trust me, you could make this place look a thousand times better."

She shook her head. "It's beautiful enough as it is."

"Just like you."

"Enough with the PDA," Blackjack grumbled. "There are some of us who still haven't found love. No need to rub it in, Boss."

"Sorry," Percy apologised.

"Almost there," Annabeth mumbled, entranced by the beauty of the castle. Her excitement was clear as day. "You know, I read that the castle has moving stairways!"

He remembered his mother mentioning something about that. "That sounds inconvenient."

Blackjack whinnied. "Who needs stairs when you can fly?"

He dove into a torpedo and dashed forwards, circling one of the towers- quite over-dramatically.

Gently, he glided down towards the flat surface where the open area of the tower was.

"Thanks for the ride, Blackjack," Percy whispered in the pegasus' ear as he dismounted.

"Anytime Boss, but say, how about those donuts?"

"I'll try and sneak you some later," Percy promised.

"I'm counting on it."

He bid goodbye to the pegasus who took off moments afterwards, to who knows where.

"Gather round, gather round!"

A stern looking woman with greying hair tucked up into a knot and an aura that suggested she took no nonsense was standing in the middle of the tower. Her presence was commanding and Percy felt like it was in his best interest to stay on her good side.

"To those of you who are new here; welcome! To those of you who aren't; welcome home." She smiled, and it was a friendly smile. Percy scolded himself for being too quick to judge as the crowd of seventh years burst into a round of applause.

"I understand that things are different now, some would even say better. We have many of you to thank for that and whilst you can't all be here today, I'd like to thank each and every one of you once again."

The mood had turned somber. Percy had to remind himself that he wasn't the only one who had just experienced a war and suffered great loss.

"This year," the woman continued, "you should be aware that Hogwarts has expanded its boundaries. From across the globe, students have travelled here to be with us. I expect that they shall all receive a warm welcome and that you shall treat them no differently as you would treat each other."

"But Professor," someone interrupted, "what about the sorting?"

"As I was about to say, all new students will be sorted with the first years. When we enter the Great Hall, I'd ask everyone to return to their house tables, whilst all new students wait outside."

What does she mean by sorting?

He exchanged a look with Annabeth who mouthed the words 'I'll explain later.'

"But, however, I fear that I shall run out of things to say at the feast if I continue speaking," the stern looking woman said, her tone becoming lighter and more positive. "I shall not keep your stomachs empty any longer," she spoke, lifting her wand. She waved it in the air and a red orb erupted from the tip. "Your dinner awaits." The orb flashed red and suddenly Percy, amongst the others found himself standing in a large hallway facing two large wooden doors. In the span of two seconds, he took in what he could of his surroundings. He assumed this was the entrance to the great hall and although he didn't know it, the room had been redone after the Battle of Hogwarts. Two new, freshly polished, suits of armour flanked the enormous doors, one on either side. A fancy red carpet lined with gold covered the floor, but what really caught Percy's attention were the walls. Paintings aligned the walls. Hundreds. Upon closer inspection, Percy realised they were moving. Smiling faces waved back at him. He gasped more out of surprise than fright. Before he had a chance to get a closer look, Annabeth was pulling him aside, just as the woman began to push the doors open.

He gave her a confused look. "We have to be sorted," she explained. "McGonagall said to wait here."

"Who?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes and nodded her head towards the woman with the greying hair. "She's the headmistress, didn't you see her name on the letter?"

He shook his head. He had been much too preoccupied at the time to even bother reading names.

"Athena," Clarisse declared, joining them. "You're smart, what the hell is happening?"

"We're going to be sorted-" Annabeth began.

"I heard that part, I have ears. I just don't know what it means!"

"You have ears, but clearly no brain," the blonde muttered under her breath.

The son of Poseidon tried not to be offended. Clarisse wasn't the only one who didn't know what the 'sorting' was.

"There are four houses," Annabeth explained quickly. "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

"Get to the point," Clarisse said, nervously, eyeing the line of students that began seeping through the doorways and into the Great Hall.

"There's some sort of procedure, where they sort you into one of those houses-"

"Procedure?"

The last of the students entered the Great Hall and the headmistress shut the doors with a loud bang.
"You three," she called.

Percy gulped as she began to make her way towards them. A few of the other seventh years who must have also been new, shot them fearful glances.

"I presume you're the demigods?" she addressed them, lowering he voice so as not to be heard.

"How did you-?"

"Chiron used to be friends with the old Headmaster of this school. Relax, I'm on your side." She eyed them with curiosity. "Unfortunately, the three of you cannot be sorted. I'm afraid the hat might react rather unpleasantly due to your heritage."

"Hat?"

"Follow me," she ordered, taking off down the hallway.

Clarisse exhaled, clearly irritated as the three of them took after the headmistress, trying to keep up.

After what felt like about a thousand, twisting corridors and confusing passageways later, they came to a stop beside an ugly stone gargoyle. In Percy's opinion, it was so hideous, it made Clarisse look like a work of art. Clarisse, on the other hand did not share his thoughts, and punched him in the stomach when he whispered them to her. A disapproving glance from McGonagall made them both quit their bickering.

"Chocolate Frog," the headmistress said, her words directed at the statue.

The demigods' eyes widened as they watched the gargoyle spring aside.  From the wall behind it, a spiralling staircase began to unfold itself, twisting round and round and emerging from the wall which had divided itself in two. McGonagall walked towards the bottom of the stairs and climbed aboard the platform, her shoes clinking against the tiles. She gestured for the demigods to do the same. They obliged and cramped themselves in next to her.
The wall clamped shut behind them, and slowly, the circular staircase began to ascend. By the time they reached the top, Percy felt nauseous. McGonagall appeared unaffected, and hastily made her way off the stairs. A dark wooden door ahead of them opened on its own accord and McGonagall stepped through it and into a large open spaced room. It was round, with no corners and decorated elaborately. Frames lined the walls, covered in dark red cloths, disguising the images underneath. An empty cage lay discarded on the floor, a few bright orange feathers scattered amongst its ruins, and a wooden desk was comfortably placed in the middle of the room, covered in an endless amount of paperwork. Suffice to say, the office somewhat lacked the splendour it possessed in Dumbledore's day, but it was still a marvellous sight to behold, even in its current disarray.

McGonagall marched over towards the desk and positioned herself in a dark red, plush chair. The demigods' lingered in the doorway, unsure of themselves. McGonagall sighed. "I'm sure you're all aware that I'm the headmistress of this school by now. This office is not as welcoming as I would have liked, as I haven't had much time to settle in. As you can see, many of my predecessor's possessions still remain here, and I haven't the heart to throw any of it out. But for the time being, please, take a seat."

She flicked her wand and with a pop, a long, comfortable looking sofa materialised across from her desk.

Percy followed Annabeth's lead and sat down next to her. Clarisse, stayed standing, scowling in the doorway. McGonagall sighed again and Percy couldn't help but to feel sorry for her. She looked the three of them up and down, deep in thought.

"Normally, I would have you sorted with the rest of the new students but I fear the hat would not appreciate such a surprise. Considering you are here undercover, I'd suspect you'd like to draw as little attention towards yourselves as possible."

Annabeth nodded in agreement, and McGonagall proceeded to launch into an explanation about the school and its houses, most of which Percy tuned out. He was too busy staring at the giant metal cage on the floor.

"Now, instead of putting you all in the same house, I would recommend you split up."

"Woah, split up?" Percy broke in.

"It would be easier that way."

"How would it be easier?" Clarisse asked, rudely.

"I'm not entirely sure what you're mission is, but I believe you will find it easier to gather information if you are spread out throughout the houses. If you were to stick together, your information and knowledge would be limited."

Annabeth pondered this for a second. "We would still see each other?"

"Of course. And who's to say you couldn't, perhaps sneak around? I understand that your mission is a matter of life and death, and I'd rather have as many lives as possible saved, even if it meant having three of my students disobey school rules."

"Alright," Annabeth agreed. Percy frowned. He still wasn't so sure this would be a good idea. His girlfriend, seeing his hesitation, gave his hand a light squeeze. "It'll be fine," she whispered.

"Now that that is sorted," McGonagall said, "let's get to the subject of sorting out which houses each of you will stay in," she paused. "Does this quest involve Harry Potter?"

"I think so," Percy said.

She nodded as if expecting this news. "Which of you is the leader?"

"Unfortunately, it's Mr Jackson over there," Clarisse muttered, walking over. She plonked down on the seat, ungratefully.

"Harry is a Gryffindor," McGonagall said, turning her gaze towards Percy. "I think that if you're quest involves him, you might want to interact with him and get on good terms with him."

"Okay, then. Gryffinhorns it is!"

"Gryffindor," she corrected politely. "But," the headmistress continued, her tone changing so it was more menacing, "if you so much as hurt that boy, you'll have me to deal with. You are responsible for his safety; that is my condition for your entry to this school."

He nodded.

"I think I'd like to join Ravenclaw House," Annabeth piped up.

The headmistress nodded. "A child of Athena? Yes, that would be a suitable choice for you." She turned her gaze towards Clarisse. "That leaves two houses."

"Slytherin," the daughter of Ares answered in a heartbeat. "That's the house that Malfoy kid is in, right?" She grinned deviously. "I remember from his robes. Oh, he's going to wish he never crossed me."

McGonagall nodded, ignoring the fact that Clarisse had just outright threatened one of her students. She had never liked that Malfoy kid much, even more so after his involvement in the war.

She lifted her wand and their dark plain robes shifted. Each of them now bore the crest of their house.

"May I ask?" The headmistress began. "What exactly is your mission?"

Percy scratched his head sheepishly. "Err- we're not entirely sure. That's kind of what we are supposed to be figuring out."

McGonagall suppressed another sigh. "Well, I suppose by now you're all starving and the feast is just about to begin. Do you know your way back?"

The three of them shook their heads.

"Follow me then."

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So, I updated a week earlier. I thought that since the chapter was ready, I wouldn't bother to keep you waiting.

This chapter is dedicated to @socialyawkward394
Your comments always make me smile!