Hecate grinned, "gladly." She took out a stone and the imber. She didn't bother with drawing a sketch first, she just went to work as she carved into the stone, creating the rune in a single stroke. She then coated the rune in five seconds and presented the stone to Percy.
"Wow," Percy started in awe, the rue she carved was perfect, a text book drawing of the protection rune. Comparing her work and his, well Percy could understand why she wasn't impressed with his work.
"How did you get so good?" Percy asked.
"Practise, and well, I am the goddess of magic aren't I? It would be embarrassing if I can't even do this," Hecate chuckled. She then pushed the 2 feet tall bag of pebbles to Percy and smiled, "use up every single stone in this bag. I want you to crave every rune you know and then do it again and again until you can do it perfectly and without a sketch of it first."
"You want me to sit here and carve runes into stones?" Percy grumbled.
"Yes."
"Dude! That's so freaking boring! I mean come on! You told me I can have a wand after this!"
"You will, after you can carve runes in your sleep."
"That's not what you said at first! You said as soon as I finish this I can have a wand, now you're just giving me more to work with!"
Hecate sighed, "fine...do what I ask, and I swear on the Styx you can have a wand." Thunder roared outside in the clear blue sky singling the legitimacy of the oath. Hecate raised an eyebrow, "happy?"
Percy nodded, "yup!" He twirled the line grapher between his fingers and grinned, "I can't wait!"
It took him two weeks. Two weeks of grinbed, Percy's fingers had gotten rough from holding the imber and carving the runes. The ink from the line grapher had run out three times over, Percy kept asking Hecate for more but in the end he decided he shouldn't have to rely on it too much.
Percy groaned, his finger tips started to bleed again, he sighed as he stopped carving and dipped his hand in a bucket of water he kept by his desk side. His hand slowly held, and he quickly returned to his work.
He carved runes after runes, protection, lightweight, sealing, fire, water, brightness. Most nights he didn't even sleep, the dream away potion made sure of that.
On the 28th of March Percy charged into the kitchen and found Hecate sipping a cup of tea. He slammed down a pebble and crossed his arms, "I'm done."
The goddess raised an eyebrow, she put the tea aside and picked up the pebble. The rune was almost as good as the ones Hecate could make, which was saying something considering she was the goddess of magic.
"So? How did I do?" Percy asked.
Hecate looked at the boy and smiled, "you know Percy, I think you just might be an actually prodigy."
Percy grinned, "so it's good?"
"Yes, it's good."
"Good...well I'm going to sleep now," Percy said as he finally slumped letting his weariness catch up wit him. He walked back to his futon and crashed into it, "when I wake up we are going to get my wand."
"I know, I'll keep my promise," Hecate called for the kitchen.
"Good, and don't forget it…." Percy snorted as he finally slept for the first time in three days.
"RISE AND SHINE JACKSON!" Hecate yelled straight into Percy's ears.
"Ah!" the demigod jumped awake holding his ear in pain. "What the hell is wrong with you woman?!"
Hecate stood over Percy with a grin on her face, "come on Jackson! We have a lot to do today!"
Percy groaned, "how long have I been asleep?"
"Around 21 hours," Hecate shrugged, "I let you sleep in, you seemed tired."
"Well thanks, that was so generous of you," Percy spat, the sarcasm dripping. He got up and sighed, "now why exactly did you feel the need to yell me awake?"
"Well I'm sorry, I just thought you would be happy to take up as soon as possible you have been bugging me about this wand thing for quite sometime now."
At that Percy perked, all sleep was gone from his face. "Wand? I can get my wand?!"
Hecate nodded, "yup."
"Hell yeah!" Percy jumped, "alright, let's go!" as he charged to the door.
"Not just yet sun shine," Hecate pulled him back by the collar, "first you need to change."
Percy looked himself over, "why?"
"Because you have been wearing the same thing for the past week," Hecate groaned, "I had to charm away my sense of smell."
"Really?" Percy looked surprised, "guess I didn't notice."
"Yes I know. You were to busy carving stones. Anyway go up and take a bath. Oh and change into your robes. We are going into the wizarding world today, and you must look presentable. I won't have my apprentice look like a mortal."
Percy nodded as he quickly did just that. Once quick shower and Percy slipped on his blue robes with Poseidon's trident stitched into his sleeves and a pegasus displayed proudly on his back. Percy still found wearing robes odd, it did feel good, like wearing a giant bathrobe. But at the same time it felt weird, like….well, like wearing a giant bathrobe.
Percy and Hecate then apparated to Diagon Alley where they quickly walked into the crowd that had already formed that clear skyed morning.
"So where are we going?" Percy asked looking every bit excited as he sounded.
"Ollivander's," Hecate informed him, "all of magical britain get's their wands from him. Don't want to break tradition do we?"
Percy nodded as he walked behind the goddess who lead him to a dusty old store.
"Is this it?" Percy asked looking concerned at the shabby shop.
"Yes it is, and don't worry, when it comes to wands or magic in general, the older and unmaintained the place is the better it's goods," Hecate reassured him, "well then, what are you waiting for, go on!"
"You not coming with?"
"No, obtaining one's wand is a very….private moment. So go ahead Percy, don't' worry, I'll be right here."
Percy nodded nervously at the goddess and quickly went in. The inside of the store was no better, but it did look like a very respectable place with shelves upon shelves of wands stacked up behind the counter.
"Ah, and who might you be?"