The sudden appearance of someone at his elbow made Percy jerk in surprise, hand instinctively going to his wand tucked away in his sleeve. His brain caught up with his body a moment later, and he awkwardly changed his movement to scratch at his arm, like he had been intending to do that the whole time.
Of course.
"I'm sure you're right," he said pompously, trying to regain his composure. "It's been dead for ages; I doubt it would."