The train stopped.

We climbed off the train with Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

"You should probably go with Hagrid," Harry said.

"Hagrid?" I asked.

"Yes. You know him?" Harry asked.

"He brought us here from America on a ---" I shuddered, "--- a boat."

"You don't like boats?" Harry asked.

"I used to love them, but now I don't." Then Nico and I ran to Hagrid --- more like I walked really fast as Nico struggled to keep up.

Yay! I could get a gold medal in Olympic speed walking!

Or in swimming. . .

No.

Don't think about water. Don't think about water. Don't think about the water!

We stood next to Hagrid who was shouting for the first years.

"Hi Hagrid," I said smiling.

"Hi Percy, Nico, yeh two'll just come with the firs' years."

"Okay."

"Righ' this way!" he shouted to the first years.

We got to a lake.

With water.

And boats.

Oh no.

I started backing away.

Suddenly a squid broke through the surface and started talking to me.

I fell to my knees and broke down into silent sobs.

Nico ran over.

"What is it?" he asked, concerned.

"The squid," I said, "his name is Bob."

Nico covered his mouth with his hand and had a look of horror on his face.

Everyone was staring but I didn't care.

"Gods no, gods no, gods no," Nico muttered. He crouched next to me. "Percy, calm down. The squid didn't wish for his name to be Bob --- and I'm sure it's friendly!"

I nodded, and shakily stood up.

"Can I walk around the lake?" I asked Hagrid.

Hagrid shrugged. "How fast can yeh two walk?"

"Faster than than you all can get across, I think," I said, still upset.

Then I walked off and started walking way away from the lake.

We waited for them by the other side of the lake.

"How'd you guys get here so fast?" a first year asked when they finally made it across.

I shrugged. "I've had nothing else to do for these last few million years."

Nico fainted.

I picked him up and tossed him gently onto my shoulder.

"He'll be better later," I muttered.

We walked towards the big castle that was Hogwarts.

As Hagrid pounded on the huge doors, Nico jerked awake.

I set him down on the ground.

He looked me in the eyes.

"A million years?" he whispered in Greek so that only we could hear.

"Give or take a few million," I replied in the same language. He nodded, but he looked horrified. "This place is cool," I said.

Nico looked for the fist time.

"You're right," he said. "Not as awesome as Olympus, but within the top ten places I've ever seen."

"Your fathers palace is pretty impressive too."

Nico smiled at me.

Then I said, "Awesome? You sound like Apollo."

"Oh, be quiet," Nico said, but he was smiling.

The big doors opened to reveal an older looking witch.

She was in her robes and everything. She led us into a room with no windows, and only one door.

I hated feeling trapped, especially after my second time in Tartarus. I felt a low, quiet growl form from the back of my throat.

Of course, I was still paranoid. . .

I always looked calm, but I was always ready to defend myself or my friends.

I immediately scanned every inch of the room from my position in the center of it for anywhere where we could make a quick escape, or where an attacker could come in.

Suddenly a few kids screamed, and I suddenly tensed and turned around.

There were ghosts, floating right through the wall.

"Nico, are these the ghosts that have been causing your father so much trouble?" Everyone looked at us.

"Yes, I think they are." Nico and I had on matching smirks on.

"Oh, my lords!" one of them exclaimed, bowing. "Please don't report us!"

"We won't," Nico said. They let out a sight of relief.

"As long as," the ghosts tensed. "You agree to never call me a lord again. I hate it! I'm not immortal, and I hope I never will be."

The ghosts nodded quickly and left as fast as they could.

Everyone stared at us. We were saved from the questions we would have to answer by the witch from earlier coming into the room.

"My name is Professor McGonagall," the witch said. "The first years will come with me and Nico and Percy will come in later."

We all nodded.

Nico and I made our way to the back of the room so that we'd be out of the way. Once everyone was out, we sat down and leaned against the wall. I still scanned the room for any escape route or entrance I had missed when I had looked earlier.

Nico noticed. "Calm down," he said.

"I'm insane and paranoid. I don't do 'calm.'"

Nico sighed and shook his head.

A few minutes passed where we heard students names be called and someone or something yelling their house.

Then Professor McGonagall started talking.

"Now, before we start eating, there are also two exchange students from America. Please welcome them."

"That's our signal." I smiled at Nico. We quietly slipped in, but everyone was looking.

We walked into the big room (about an eight the size of the throne room in Olympus). I looked relaxed, but I was ready from an attack at any step. I was constantly examining the room and the other kids.

We stood next to a stool with an old hat on it.

"Di Angelo, Nico!" Professor McGonagall said. He walked over and sat on the stool. The professor put the hat on him.

After a long time, the hat shouted, "GRYFINDOR!" (A\N spelling? Help!)

Jackson, Perseus!" the professor said.

"Just Percy please," I said. "Most of the time when someone calls me Perseus they're trying to kill me."

I sat on the stool and Nico passed me the hat. I put it on.

Hmmm. A voice said. You are a lot like your friend, Nico di Angelo.

Cool! I thought excitedly. A talking hat!

Yes, I'm a talking hat. Now I think you would go well in Slytherin. . .

No! I shouted in my mind. Draco's there. Plus, Nico is at Gryfindor. I wouldn't be able to survive without him. And then there's Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who are there too.

Okay, the hat said. Then you will be in "GRYFINDOR!"

There was clapping as I walked over and sat down across from Nico, alone at the end of the table.

We didn't eat, we sat there, staring at our food.

My eyes were still constantly skirting around every inch of the place, every crack, every door, every window, even the darkest corners.

I saw a flicker of movement in the corner of my eye. I saw two kids, who were obviously twins, start to walk over to us.

I eyed them suspiciously, but Nico seemed relaxed (to an extent).

They sat down, one next to Nico, and one next to me. I kept eyeing them suspiciously.

"Hello," one of them said, "I'm Forge."

"And I am Gred." said the other one.

I looked at them both.

"Okay, Fred and George," I said, "I'm Percy."

"And I'm Nico," said Nico.

I went back to examining the room, but I kept an eye on them.

"What's Percy doing?" the one named Fred asked.

"Oh, I'm just looking to see if there is any quick exits or places where we can be ambushed," I said casually. "And I'm also keeping an eye on two specific red headed twins who are probably thinking about the best way to prank me." I was glaring at the two twins.

"How'd you know we're pranksters?" George asked.

I raised an eyebrow, which must've looked very weird, my eyes constantly moving, scanning and re-scanning the room.

"Isn't it obvious?" I said, finally stopping looking around the room and staring right at them. "You two are obviously two red headed twins who constantly get detention for pranking people and are much smarter than people give you credit for."

The two twins looked surprised, and they looked at each other.

"And, I warn you, I scan a room when I enter it, so if you even tried pranking me, expect it to backfire upon yourselves." I smirked coldly, and the two twins were practically trembling.

The two twins slowly backed away and ran back to their spots.

A few second later, three other kids stood up.

I recognized them as the three people from the train, Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

They sat down next to us, Hermione and Harry sitting next to me and Ron next to Nico.

I looked at them all.

"Hi," Hermione finally said.

"Hi," Nico said.

I just looked at them all suspiciously, then my gaze fixed on Ron. He gulped.

I smiled, and he seemed to relax.

"Here, have our food, Ron," I told him. I pushed both Nico and my plates to him.

"Really?" Ron asked.

"Why not?" I shrugged. "It's not like we can eat. I didn't eat a bite."

A few seconds later, after he took a bite of each, I asked, "Does the food have poison in it?"

Ron almost choked on his food.

"W-what?" He asked.

"Does the food have poison in it?" I asked him like I was talking to a five year old, squinting my eyes at him suspiciously.

Nico touched my arm.

"Percy, why would the food have poison in it?" Nico asked.

I shot him a pointed look.

Then I rolled my eyes.

"Its not like I've never been poisoned before. I've been poisoned hundreds of times." I said it like it's the most normal (and obvious) thing in the world.

The trio stared at me.

"What? You've never been poisoned before?" They gave me blank looks. "Lucky you guys."

They still stared at me.

Then they all started talking.

"When---"

"How---"

"Where---"

"Guys," I hissed at them quietly through clenched teeth, startling them. "I already told you I was tortured. Do you really want to know the exact details?"

They didn't say anything after that. Ron seemed to have lost his appetite. (A\N *gasp* Ron lost his appetite! Aaaahhh! The world ended!)

Dinner ended soon, and the desserts appeared.

Ron looked at all the treats and seemed to forget that his appetite was gone. (A\N Oh, that makes more sense.)

I pushed Nico and my treats into Ron's pile when he wasn't looking.

I looked away (well, not really, I was just glancing around the room, examining all the kids, but keeping an eye on the trio at the same time).

"I think he's paranoid," Ron whispered.

"Well, obviously," Hermione said.

"But how paranoid is he?" Harry asked.

"Well," I said, making them jump a foot in the air. I smirked at them. "Imagine the most paranoid person you've ever seen."

"Mad-Eye Moody," Ron said.

"Okay, so now multiply that by, let's say, three and a half million."

"Okay," Hermione said.

"That's me."

The trio stared at me.

"Give or take a little bit," I said. "I'm also kind of crazy, if I do say so myself, I just try not to show it. In fact, I almost never show my true feelings."

And I was right. My face was a void of emotion.

A few minutes of silence passed.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Hermione asked.

I squinted slightly at her.

She blushed.

"You're with Ron, am I right?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

She blushed brighter, and Ron looked up. "Y-yes."

"So what would you care?" I asked harshly.

"I-I ---" she was saved from answering by the headmaster standing up.

Everyone fell silent.

"Well now that you all are digesting this magnificent feast---" Dumbledore said.

"Not all of us," I muttered. Nico nodded sadly.

"---I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start of term notices. The Forbidden forest is forbidden to all students ---"

"Well I know what we're doing this year," I whispered in Nico's ear. He sent me an amused smile.

"---Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and ninety eighth time," I snorted quietly at that, "that magic is not allowed in the corridors, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the very extensive list fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."

I looked at Nico, then back towards the headmaster.

I could tell that the trio was annoyed at us for interrupting Dumbledore.

"We have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Let's all welcome back Professor Lupin!"

"He's hardly new if he's been a teacher before," I said quietly to Nico. He nodded, barley containing his laughter.

"The Quidditch Captains will tell us when the try outs are later on. Keep an eye open for the notices."

"I'll keep both my eyes open, for whatever Quidditch is," I whispered to Nico.

Nico nodded.

"Now prefects, lead your Houses to the dormitories please."

Two kids stood up. I followed them with Nico, Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

"Why were you two so rude to Dumbledore?" Harry asked us angrily.

"I was rude?" I asked. They stared at me, even Nico. "Oh yeah! I was!"

"Why?" Harry asked.

I shrugged. "I'm used to talking back to people and correcting people. And, you know, the only people who deserve respect are the ones who don't seek it."

I thought for a second.

"Besides me. I don't seek it and I don't deserve it."

I had been scanning the halls the whole time (very subtly though, so no one noticed). I was memorising the way there as we walked.

We got to a painting of a fat lady.

"The password is Poseidon's Owl," one of the prefects said.

Nico laughed silently, and I giggled. Silently, of course, but I accidentally snorted once. Everyone looked at us.

"Poseidon's. . . owl!" I exclaimed in between breaths.

"It is so backwards!" Nico said.

"Poseidon has a trident, not an owl," I said, matter of factly. "Why don't these people know their Greek Mythology? I practically live it!"

"We both do," Nico muttered under his breath, so quietly that only I could hear, but I giggled harder.

A few minutes later, I pulled it back together.

When we got inside, Harry asked, "What was that all about?"

My expression turned from amused to guarded faster than a mortal can blink. It seemed to startle the trio.

"I'm going to bed," I said. "I'm kind of tired.

"Of course you are," Nico said rolling his eyes. "You haven't slept in weeks."

I looked at him.

"You're right, I haven't," I told him seriously. "I mean, I haven't really tried since I got out of that-- that place." We both shivered, and it wasn't from the cold.

"Then I expect the dreams to be terrible," Nico said as we walked up the stairs that the prefects had said led to the boys' dormitory.

"Good night, Nico," I whispered.

"Good night, Percy," Nico whispered back as they're closed their eyes and went to sleep.