Annabeth Chase the Triwizard Champion

Chapter Thirty Eight

"So," Percy started, "does this mean you're fully immune to the killing curse? Could you survive it again, or was that like a one time thing?"

"Voldemort used Harry's blood in his weird resurrection ceremony," Annabeth said. "After that, he was able to touch Harry. So maybe before that, he would have been immune to the curse again somehow, but something tells me if Voldemort hits him with the killing curse, it wouldn't be the same."

"But what about you?" Percy said.

"It happened once, it could happen again," Annabeth replied. "Maybe it was the situation, but if it didn't work on me the first time, I don't see why it would work the second, unless Voldemort got a hold on my blood, which he didn't."

"So you're immune," Percy said with relief. "Mostly. But why? Is it because you're a demigod?"

"Maybe," Annabeth said. "It would explain it for me, but not for Harry. He's not a demigod, but he survived when he was a baby. Why? And if being a demigod isn't the reason I survived, then what is?"

Percy shook his head, looking just as confused as Annabeth felt.

And then the door opened, revealing McGonagall and Sirius in dog form. Sirius bounded in and sniffed Annabeth.

"Only a little longer," McGonagall said, though she looked very pale as she left.

As soon as the door shut, Sirius transformed.

"What happened?" he demanded, barely sparing Percy a glance.

Annabeth shook her head, closing her eyes. "Just wait for them," she said. She did not want to recount it again. She looked at Percy. He didn't look surprised, probably because Annabeth had told him about the whole thing in her letters. One look, and Percy got the message that their conversation was over. She had been in contact with Sirius, but she didn't necessarily trust the guy. They would have to wait to be alone again.

She wanted to go to sleep so badly. She fought to keep her eyes open, but it was half-hearted. Maybe she could fit in a short nap before they came?

After another ten minutes, the door opened again. Dumbledore came in, helping a limping Harry. Sirius rushed forward and grabbed Harry immediately, helping him into a chair. Harry looked as exhausted as Annabeth was, but time for sleep would come later. Gods, please let it come later.

"I need to know everything that happened after you touched the portkey in the maze," Dumbledore said, sitting behind his desk.

"Are you serious?" Percy exclaimed at the same time Sirius said, "we can leave that till morning, can't we, Dumbledore? Let him sleep. Let him rest."

Dumbledore ignored both of them. He leaned forward. "If I thought I could help you," he said gently, "by putting you into an enchanted sleep and allowing you to postpone the moment when you would have to think about what had happened tonight, I would do it. But I know better. Numbing the pain for a little while will make it worse when you finally feel it. You have both shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected from you. I ask you to demonstrate your courage one more time. I ask you to tell us what happened."

Hesitantly, Harry started recounting everything, with Annabeth cutting in a few times to say her side and some details that Harry missed, but when Harry said how Wormtail had cut his arm, Sirius let out a long curse and Dumbledore stood up and told Harry to show him.

"He said my blood would make him stronger than if he used anyone else's," Harry said. "He said the protection my— my mother left in me— he'd have it too. And he was right— he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face."