A Tale of Gods and Magic

Annabeth: (baby chapter) A Not-So Damsel in Distress

And so they pretended everything was normal. 

Annabeth (after receiving all the textbooks in ancient Greek) studied so hard she was moved up from first-year classes to the sixth-year curriculum. Piper tried to pull Annabeth away from her textbooks, but usually just ended up asking Annabeth for help on her Transfiguration homework. She excelled at Charms and Divination with Firenze. Leo, after joining arms with Peeves to employ an unmentionable prank, was sent to the dungeons to help rebuild (with magic, of course) the dank stone walls. Percy tried to join the Quidditch although he had to flying talent whatsoever. He was sent back to first-year flying lessons. Will spent every second out of classes buttering up Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary or sending Iris-messages to "contacts" to look for Nico. 

But Jason didn't act like everything was normal. He could be seen wandering around the halls, muttering under his breath. It would take a three-headed, fire-breathing dragon to pull him from his thoughts. Every night, he gathered all the demigods together to discuss plans to find Nico. But the problem was, they weren't allowed off-grounds. 

Hermione always seemed to be lurking outside the door of the classroom they would congregate in, whistling loudly while pacing the halls, book in hand. She'd casually remind them that they were "under no circumstances allowed to leave the halls of Hogwarts.

Jason would send her death stares.

Will would say very naughty words under his breath.

Annabeth would puff her chest, take out her own book, and rustle the pages loudly. 

Finally, after Will had uttered a long string of pirate-worthy swears and medical nomenclature for the fourteenth time, Hermione snapped her book shut.

"I know that you are worried about your Nico friend, but we've dealt with worse. Professor McGonagall is sending scouts across the country and... your kind is also searching. Sending underage wizards and witches slash demigods to look for a missing person is dangerous. You could blow yourselves up."

Percy chimed in at the same time as Annabeth.

"You've dealt with worse? My nosebleed started the end of the world-"

"Do you honestly believe that-"A sob racked Hermione. She immediately straightened up. 

As Annabeth looked at her, she could see the shadows rimming her eyes and the cracks in her fingernails, the way she bit her lip every few minutes and the scratch on her chin.

"I'm sorry." Hermione cast her gaze down. "it's just... Fred... and poor Ron... Remus... now your friend is lost and I don't know what I'll do if anyone else dies!" She leaned against the wall and slid to the ground, tears streaming down her face. 

"Just go, okay? Go!" 

Travis and Connor were immediately gone. Piper and Leo followed, whispering under their breath. 

"We should go," said Percy. Annabeth shook her head. So, as everyone else trickled out of the corridor, Percy and Annabeth sat down next to Hermione. Her head was in her hands.

"Hey," said Percy. He pulled his fingers through his hair.

"Hermione-" Annabeth realized words wouldn't do the trick. She wrapped her arms lightly around Hermione's shoulders."I understand," Annabeth murmured into Hermione's hair. "My friend Silena... and Leo, oh gods, I thought he was dead... " 

Hermione recoiled."Gods? What do you-" then Hermione smacked her forehead. "oh, gosh, am I stupid!" then they both burst into laughter. 

Percy squinted his eyes at them. 

"Okay, I don't really believe what I said. It's just... I don't want anyone to get hurt. Can we meet at the Room of Requirement tomorrow at seven? I'll bring Harry and Ron. They're exceptionally good at breaking the rules." They both drew up and brushed off their robes.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm pretty sure Nico's ready to be the damsel in distress... again." Annabeth gave Percy a pointed look.

"It's not the poor guy's fault he got trapped in a bronze jar!"

"Who's his, um, godly parent?" Hermione asked. They all slowly made their way down the corridor.

"Nico? He's a son of Hades."

"Oh, jeez. He's the god of the dead, right?"

"Yup. Pretty scary dude. Also, sorta... "

"Gay?" Percy supplied. Annabeth glared at him.

"That's not what I was going to say, actually. You're just jealous that you're 'not his type.'" Annabeth looked at Hermione. "He thinks he's everyone's type."

W hat the three didn't notice as they walked down the corridor was a tall boy with a head of slicked-back blond hair watching them. He was surrounded by shadow and stone and a sort of remorseful air. 

He cracked his knuckles. 

Then he let out a low laugh.

"I'm not letting them steal the punch again," he said, then laughed again at how strange that Muggle phrase sounded in his mouth. He had spent the last summer at a Muggle bookstore and had taken to using Muggle phrases.Draco Malfoy slipped from the shadows and glided towards the common room.