And with that, Thalia left.

"Guess it's just you, me, and Calypso here now." Leo joked.

~~~

Percy packed his backpack and hugged Leo and Calypso goodbye.

"Keep in touch?"

"Always." Percy said.

"Percy, do you have everything you need?" Chiron asked, remembering the last time Percy forget his clothes at camp.

Percy laughed. "Yeah, got my bag right here." He held up his duffle for show.

"Take care my boy."

"Thanks, Chiron. Really."

Before Percy knew it, him and Blackjack were off towards Hogwarts.

~~~

"I'm telling you Harry, we better pull this off. This can go wrong in so many ways." Hermione fretted.

"Relax, 'Mione. I got it."

"Snape's gonna kill you mate." Ron said.

"If we get caught."

"When we get caught."

"Ron!" Hermione scolded. "Not helping."

"How're you even going to do this? Huh? Snape watches his cabinet like a hawk. He'll notice something is missing."

"You know how much Veritaserum Snape has stored?" Hermione rhetorically asked Ron.

"A lot." Harry answered.

"Yes, Harry." Hermione looked pointedly at Ron. "A lot."

"Besides," Harry continued, "This is the only way we'll get Percy to tell us the truth."

"By forcing it out of him." Ron stated.

"Right! See Ron? You get it."

Ron shook his head.

~~~

"He's coming!" Hermione said.

Percy walked into the Great Hall, unsure of where to go. It's been a week. Would the trio want to talk to him?

"Percy!" Ron waved over.

Percy let out a breath. Maybe they actually listened to what he said. Or... it's just Ron being Ron.

"Hey guys." Percy set down his potions book, and took a set next to Ron.

"How was the funeral?" Harry asked. Percy raised an eyebrow.

Hermione smacked him on the back of the head with her book.

"Um, fun? To be honest I don't really know what to say to that."

"Right, of course. We understand." Hermione glared at Harry. "Don't we, Harry?"

"Yeah. Sorry I asked."

Percy gave a short nod in response. He was starving. The trip back to Hogwarts was exhausting. He fought off monsters the entire time.

Times like that that Percy wished he was strong enough to vapor travel across countries.

"So you ready for Potions?" Ron asked, gesturing towards Percy's textbook.

"Mhm." Percy said, mouth full of pancakes. "Brush up on shtuff sho I'm ready for Shnape." He joked. Ron nodded, somehow understanding Percy's sentence.

Percy couldn't tell if it was his imagination but he could've sworn he saw Harry and Hermione exchange nervous glances. He's been around anxious demigods too long.

"Well, in any case," Hermione started, "after classes, Harry, Ron, and I were thinking the four of us could play a game."

Percy looked at Hermione before shoving more food into his mouth.

"Blimey mate, how hungry are you?" Ron exclaimed. Percy was onto his fourth pancake, after practically inhaling the first three.

"With great power, comes great need to eat." Percy replied, partly quoting Nico, before turning to Hermione. "What kinda game?"

"Well," She hesitated and glanced towards Harry. "We were thinking Truth or Dare?"

Hermione looked at Percy waiting for his response.

Percy inwardly sighed. Of course they'd want to play that game. "Sure." He poured more syrup onto his pancake, before taking another huge bite.

"Wait, really?" Harry was shocked he agreed.

"Yeah, why not? Sounds fun." Lier.

Hermione saw Percy's pancakes. "Percy!"

"Wha?" Percy was halfway through chewing.

"Your pancakes look like they're drowning! You must've poured half the bottle!"

Percy nearly choked, thinking of Annabeth. You have to move on, Chiron told him. "I can't drown, and neither can my pancakes." He recited. Just like the Argo II.

"What do you mean you can't drown?" Harry cut in.

Percy shoved another mouthful of pancakes, realizing he just slipped up- again. "Magic."

"Magic doesn't prevent you or your pancakes from drowning."

Percy was thinking Harry was probably all like, "man, this Percy guy, he's sus. Must be the imposter. Let's vote him out."

"Uh, it does if you know the right spells, Potter." Percy said.

Harry grumbled a retort before settling on crossing his arms like a disappointed dad.

"So it's settled? Truth or Dare tonight?" Hermione confirmed.

"Seems like it."

Ron stared in awe at Percy's empty plate. "Mate, there were like five pancakes on that. How'd you finish them all?"

Percy, Harry, and Hermione stared at Ron. "Did you- did you not just hear that conversation?" Harry asked.

Ron shook his head.

Percy laughed. "It was a long trip back to Hogwarts."

Percy liked Ron. He trusted him the most out of everyone in the whole school (except McGonagall of course). Percy wanted to tell him that he was a demigod, he really did. He just, he didn't want to put Ron in a bad position with his friends. Percy couldn't trust Harry and Hermione yet with this. Not yet.

Percy went to eat another pancake, when all of a sudden the food disappeared.

"Oh come onnnn." Percy complained. "I was still hungry."

Hermione hid a chuckle. "You did not need that fifth pancake, Percy."

"You calling me fat?" Percy looked down at his stomach. "Cause I'll have you know Hermione, that this," Percy gestured to his stomach, "is all muscle."

Even Harry gave a small laugh at that.

"No, I never said that." Hermione blushed. "I was just merely-"

"Mhm. Okay. Sure." Percy teased.

"Forget it. At any rate, it's time for Potions. Come on." Without another word, Hermione stood up and hurried out of the Great Hall.

Ron's face looked beet red from holding in laughter. "Snape'll kill us if we're late."

"I'd be more worried about Hermione." Harry joked. Forgetting who he was with, Harry looked up at Percy, and immediately scowled.

Percy gave a small smile. Harry was starting to warm up to him.