Percy Jackson was finding it difficult to adjust to life in a foreign country.

It had been ten days since he had moved from America. Moved from Gabe.

Ten days since he left his old life behind, and a day before he officially starts his new one.

Ten days, and he still wasn't sure if he could understand the British people. He tried, he really did try, but everyone he spoke to just sounded so different to what he expected.

They certainly didn't sound like any British person on TV.

When he couldn't be bothered trying to understand English accents and customs any more, he devoted time to organising all of his stuff, and he finally managed to unpack every bit of his limited belongings, and was moderately happy with how he'd set up his room.

His room was on the second floor of their house, and was about the size of the living room in their old apartment, or in other words, 3 times as big as his old bedroom.

Their whole house was so much larger than what they previously had, and it was safe to say that his mom had immediately fallen in love with it.

Now it wasn't massively big though, not like a mansion or anything, but there was more than ample room for the two of them.

Though the house itself was more than fine, he wasn't too sure about the area yet, but overall it seemed quite nice, nicer than where he lived back in America, at least.

After acclimatising himself to this Manchester area, he found that he started liking it more than New York. He didn't know why, and didn't understand how.

Though he didn't feel like he would ever shake off his feeling of homesickness. He didn't, and couldn't understand why this was, he had nothing for him there. He had no friends, and no family. He just tried to ignore it, and it seemed to be working so far.

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Both he, and his mom, had finished unpacking everything about a week into their move.

After that, it had been a relatively stress free time. There were papers that his mom had to sign, something about visa's and an American minister of magic or something, but other than that, they had no troubles. They apparently also now owned the house they were in.

And life was good.

With everyday that passed, Percy got more and more excited.

He had tried his best to assimilate, but everything was just far too foreign for him to adjust in the short space of time. He'd tried his best, him and his mom had toured the city a couple times when making their trip into the city centre, but everything was just so different. For one, it wasn't anywhere near as busy as New York, so much so that he could actually walk down the street and not just see a large wall of people perpetually in front of him. It also wasn't as tall as New York, far from it, and it wasn't as big as New York, in every respect. He felt like he could walk the city in about an hour or so, and have seen a lot of the sights.

But it was all so endearing. The place had a charm about it. A liveliness that just sucked you in, and it was all displayed perfectly with it's homeless. Of which there was a lot. Yet, they were always so polite, whether you helped them or not. They wouldn't hesitate to help you out either, if they felt you needed it. And most of all, they just wanted someone to talk to. They haven't had a good ear to listen to them in so long, or normal decent human interaction for a while, that they were more than happy to regale anyone who would listen with tales from their past, even fine to share why they landed on the streets in the first place.

It was probably the same back in New York, but their seemed to be a bigger stigma against the homeless there, a bit more unwelcoming. Both on the passers by and the homeless people themselves. He didn't blame them for their hostilities, treated like third rate citizens, day in, day out, is bound to arouse certain negative emotions, he just wishes he could help them. No one deserves anything less than a roof over their heads, and a pillow under them.

And that's what he vowed to do. He'd already promised to become the best wizard possible, surely he'd be able to transfer skills he learnt to help others, right?

Of course, this outlook for the future wouldn't be at all possible if he never actually managed to get to Hogwarts to receive his education, so he shook himself out of his thoughts and concentrated on what he was doing.

Looking down, he looked at his open suitcase, filled with everything he was taking, before glancing around the room at everything else he had to see if he had missed anything. They had found their lives much easier in England, especially with their house being owned by them making living costs much cheaper, so they actually had a bit more spare money and it showed. He had already amassed much more than his previous 11 years in New York, though no Gabe would help with that.

Sighing, he closed up his suitcase and thought over the plan for today.

Today, he and his mom were going to be travelling down to London. They were going to be getting his school supplies, and waiting for the train to Hogwarts.

He was just waiting for his mom to finish up some last minute jobs before they could get going.

Dumbledore had visited a few times in the past week, explaining to them about the wizarding world to catch them up to speed and to make sure Percy knew a little about the world he was getting into.

He wasn't told everything about wizarding though, as Dumbledore felt like he should still find somethings out on his own, and merely gave him enough knowledge to be able to a hold a conversation.

One of the things he was told, however, was the directions to an Inn called The Leaky Cauldron, which was the wizarding worlds access point to Diagon Alley. They were also informed to look for the landlord, Tom, who was supposed to help them enter.

He was busy trying to remember the directions that Dumbledore had given them, that he didn't realise that his mom was now standing in front of him, chuckling, till she cleared her throat a little.

Startled, Percy jumped on the spot, and scanned the room for the cause. Eyes roamed the room, before landing on his mom, causing his now tensed body to relax.

Percy smiled up at his mom, and asked "Are we going now?", and already knowing the answer, headed for his suitcase that carried all of his clothes, as he wouldn't be coming back to the house until Christmas time.

Sally already had her suitcase in hand, and waited until Percy collected his before speaking, "So long as you're sure you have everything ready?"

Percy doing a quickly cursory glance in his suitcase, and checking his pocket for the pen his dad gave him, that he always kept in there, and nodded his head.

Sally hadn't told him everything about his dad, but she did confirm that the letter was actually from his dad, and that the pen would come in handy, so he should always keep it on him.

Not that he could lose it anyway, Sally mused.

She didn't think it necessary to tell Percy about his heritage just yet. They were in Britain, far away from them, far enough away that he won't be in danger. She would tell him once he came back for Christmas, when the school term was finished. She wanted him to become accustomed to wizarding before potentially overloading him with more things.

With Percy's confirmation, they started moving.

They made sure everything was locked up, before heading off to the train station.

They needed to take a train from the town they were in, into the city centre. From there they had to get a train from a funny sounding station name, which goes straight to London.

The journey itself was murder for Percy. The prospect of wands and magical items only sedated him so far, before his ADHD overruled him.

Sally found the journey quite pleasant, as it wasn't too long, and watching the scenery change was fascinating. She also liked how everywhere in England had a different feel to the city right next to it. She felt like she could go ten miles and find a new culture, wherever she went.

The journey passed Sally by even quicker than she expected, and in no time they were in London.

As they had a few days to get all of Percy's things, they decided to spend the day going sightseeing.

They had booked a room at the Leaky Cauldron, and after spending all day going around London, they decided to head there and get their room.

When he had said "Goodnight" to his mom, Percy lay down on his bed, staring off into space, thinking about tomorrow.

He thought of all kinds of things, ranging from what his wand would look like, to why can't he have a broomstick, but he settled onto a more optimistic thought.

He recalled all the times he'd been bullied, and how many times he'd been the outcast, and swore to himself that it would all change at Hogwarts. He would try to fit in, and make friends, all the while focusing on his studies.

A little part of him also wondered whether or not this group of teenagers at a special place for them to grow, would have had the same experiences that he did. Always being on the edge. He also partially wondered if being a wizard had anything to do with his ADHD and dyslexia.

As he expelled these thoughts from his mind, he hoped that would be the last expulsion he would have to face in his lifetime.

His last thought before his mind wandered into the realm of sleep, was whether or not he could make it as a wizard. He'd been told by two different people that he COULD live up to Merlin, so long as he tried harder than he'd ever done before. But Percy didn't believe them, partially because he wasn't the sort of person who does try really hard.

Also, a small part of him, no matter how good at reading people, always believed that he couldn't make it, and currently this part was overruling the truth in the words Dumbledore confided in him when convincing him to go to Hogwarts.

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When he was asleep, he found himself having had a very rare, dreamless night. Lately, ever since moving from America, he had been having the strangest of dreams, in them, he saw a man who looked like an older version of himself who looked largely like the man in his photos, holding a giant fork, and half donkey people. He saw beasts with 1 eye, and owls attacking a copy of himself.

He didn't know what to make of them, but he was thankful that he woke up the next day without these images flashing throughout his mind. This was the first time he'd actually felt himself having had a relaxing night, in quite a while.

It was like the prospect of wizarding helped calm him. As though he belonged to this world. He was at ease.

Then it suddenly occurred to him what day it was. He was going to get all of his wizard things.

He leaped up from his bed, and raced over to his moms room, before knocking loudly on her door.

It wasn't long before he heard a shuffle behind the door, and the door opening, to reveal his mom, hair dripping wet, covered in a dressing gown.

She smiled brightly at Percy, before saying, "Morning Percy, did you sleep alright?"

Percy nodded his head excitedly, "Yeah I did. The bed was really comfy, and I didn't have any of those dreams."

Sally hid her concern well, and plastered a radiant smile on her face. She was happy that he wasn't being plagued by the dreams anymore (she hopes), but she was concerned that his life in America was catching up to him.

She decided to stick by her initial reasoning of not telling him until he returns from the school for Christmas, but she did have doubts about whether that would be too late.

Instead, deciding to ignore her internal conflict, she looked at Percy and told him, "You better get ready if you want to go to Diagon Alley. I'm not having my son make his first impression on the wizarding world looking like he lost a fight with his bed. Come on, chop chop." And to emphasise her point, she clapped her hands in sync with the chops.

Percy bolted to his room, and into the en suite. Quickly turning the shower on, he instantly felt rejuvenated, all sleep weariness leaving his body.

He finished up washing his hair and body, and stepped out, before drying himself off with a towel, and slipping into the clothes he laid out for himself.

Quickly brushing his teeth, and trying his best to comb his hair, he exited the bathroom.

He grabbed his pants from yesterday, before rummaging in the pockets, trying to find the pen that he began to carry as a good luck charm and was also something he felt like he couldn't live without, but couldn't find it in them.

He quickly checked the pockets he was wearing, and let out a sigh of relief as his fingers closed around the ballpoint pen.

He was always doing that. He would forget that he took the pen out of his pockets from yesterday, and put it into the pair he would wear the next. Though he hasn't once remembered doing it.

Once he made sure everything was proper, he left his room and met back up with his mom.

She once again smiled at him, before ruffling his hair that, while he spent ages working on it, still wasn't neat.

He moaned a little, and moved to push her hands away, before she just chuckled and hugged him close to her. She whispered to him, "Are you exciting for to day, hon? We're going to get you everything you need, and more, and you're going to go to Hogwarts, and you will do the best you can, and I will be more than proud of you."

Percy blushed a little, he always knew his mom had faith in him. Perhaps more faith than she should give, but so long as Percy tries, he can tell she's more than overjoyed by what he achieves.

"I will do mom." Percy said, confidence oozing out of him. He always tries his best to make his mom proud.

I'll make you prouder than ever before, was the thought that played through Percy's mind during the comfortable silence that formed between them.

Following his mom down to the front desk, Percy could feel his nervousness start to accelerate. He had a whole swarm of butterflies flying through his stomach, and he felt like he might be sick.

Just 10 minutes ago, he was happy, or even ecstatic, and now, he was left a quivering mess.

He took some deep breaths and told himself that he'll be fine. He was a wizard, and this was the place he belonged.

But he couldn't help but feel like his decision to come here instead of Ilvermorny could have been wrong. What did he know about wizard schools?

What did he know about wizards?

All he knew came from Dumbledore, who was trying to convince Percy that he made the right decision. Who's to say he wasn't being deceived?

He started nearly hyperventilating, before he felt a warm hand rest on his shoulders, and he looked into his mother's concerned eyes, and her soft smile, and he felt like his worries just drifted away.

He chose Hogwarts because it's what his gut had ended up telling him to do, eventually. He liked the idea of magic, and his dad had told him to trust Hogwarts.

What was he worrying about?

He shook himself out of his thoughts, and immediately noticed the landlord, Tom, looking at him.

He didn't look judgmentally at him, instead he looked as though he understood what he was going through. Maybe he had experienced it himself. Maybe he just knew it was common for children his age to feel this, as he probably met many who acted the same way.

Either way, Percy was grateful for it.

He looked around the room at the Leaky Cauldron.

He hadn't known quite what to make of it. He was sure that his mom was going mad yesterday, when she told him they were here, and that it was down in front of them, because he couldn't see anything.

Then his eyes focused a little, and he saw a grimy old pub, that was very thin in height and length. It looked like nobody payed it any attention in terms of maintenance.

He also assumed it must have been some kind of magic that stopped him from seeing it at first, though how his mom saw it straight away, and with ease, escaped him.

After seeing the outside, Percy was fully prepared for what the inside was like. With the way Dumbledore describes this place, he had at first been expecting to see a grand building, fit for its fame.

But seeing what it's exterior looked like, Percy wasn't shocked to see a shabby, almost neglected space, covered with darkness barely being kept away by weak lights.

He noticed groups of people in here, some were smoking what looked like pipes, and some were sipping tall glasses of some kind of alcohol.

There were solitary figures dotted around the room, hunched over men, cloaked in black robes, with beady eyes glaring at any who came their way.

Then there were the ladies, clothed in elegant dress, breezing through glasses of sherry.

On first glance, Percy normally wouldn't have cared about it, but he felt a strong feeling of familiarity and welcoming that all, except the select few, pushed on him. This is why he didn't know what to make of it.

It looked like a pub where people from all walks of life could sit down, and get a drink, and catch up with, or make new friends. And he liked that.

So why did it have to look like a place where he'd normally be wary about being stabbed?

As he followed Tom the bartender, he was curious about where the wizard shops were, and where Diagon Alley was, as he noticed they weren't heading out the front to the main street.

After all, when walking down the main street, he failed to notice anywhere that sold broomsticks and cauldrons.

He was only further confused by the fact that Tom was leading them out the back door, and into a closed off court yard, with no one else in, and a stone wall encircling them.

He knew it. This was a place where you'd get stabbed.

He watched as Tom pulled out his wand, and faced the stone wall. He heard the little mutterings that Tom was saying to himself, "Two here, three up here."

He was properly confused by this point. He no longer feared being stabbed, but he most certainly did fear for Tom's mental health.

Taking an involuntary step back reflexively, for his own safety, he watched as Tom tapped on the wall, above a garbage can marring the otherwise quiet grandness, three times with his wand.

He didn't know what Tom was hoping to achieve, but soon found out once he saw the tapped brick start to stir.

Wriggling around in its socket, a hole appeared in the middle, before rapidly expanding and creating an impressive archway, easily big enough for the three of them to walk in, side by side.

Past the archway, was a twisting and bending cobble street, that curved out of sight about a hundred metres into what he assumed was Diagon Alley.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley!"