When Myths meet Magic || 3

15|| Hazel

Whether he realized it or not, Ron was getting a bit stuck up, though Hazel couldn't blame him. Harry, after all, was the Boy who Lived, and Hermione was the smartest witch in Hogwarts. Compared to them, Ron was kind of the sidekick. But now, he was getting his own fair share of attention, and he loved it.

"... I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft... I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down.... I rolled over and I saw him standing over me... like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair... holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches... and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered."

Ron paused to draw for breath as Hazel listened with her friends about his tale. If she hadn't seen Black on the cover of the newspaper, she would've thought Ron was describing Nico when he came out of the jar. Like a skeleton with filthy black hair. Besides the running part, of course.

"But why'd he run?" Thalia asked one lunch as she, Hazel, Frank, Nico, Percy, Jason, Annabeth, and Hermione sat in the library. Hermione, however, wasn't paying much attention to the conversation and her head was buried in another book.

"He must've known that once everyone woke up, he'd have to kill the whole house to get out, then he'd meet the teachers..." Jason said. "But you said he wasn't in the common room?"

"No, there was just this great black dog," Annabeth said. "It looked at us and ran out the portrait hole, sort of blending in the shadows. It could've been Black," she added uncertainly. "But Black isn't registered in the Ministry of Magic's records of animungi. And I figure, you know, they'd have a way of magically keeping track of them all. Like how they keep track of all the underage wizards."

"I have a theory," Frank said. Everyone looked toward him. "Not about why Black ran, about why he didn't kill everyone. It's pretty insane though..."

"Let's hear it," Percy gestured expectantly.

"Well, Black could just not be after Harry," Frank said.

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy, but he held up his hands. "Hear me out. Say a monster-- a dracaena, just for the sake of it-- is aiming to kill Percy because of some grudge on Poseidon, and she somehow got onto the Argo II without any alarms sounding."

"She wouldn't," Nico said immediately. "Leo's tech is too good."

Frank shot him a look, like a teacher when a student interrupts them. "So the dracaena sneaks down to the cabins with her fancy knife and enters into a cabin," He continues, "but it's Jason's room instead of Percy's. Why wouldn't she just kill Jason and sneak over to Percy's cabin?"

"There's no reason for her to leave Jason alive," Annabeth said.

Jason looked hurt. "Thanks a lot, Annabeth!" he stuck out his bottom lip in fake tears.

Annabeth waved her hand dismissively. "I see where you're going," she said to Frank. "A ruthless killer wouldn't have another death on his conscience. If anything, they'd feel satisfied that they got another one."

"Exactly," Frank nodded. "But if they're not trying to kill anyone..."

"There are a lot of holes in your argument," Jason frowned. "For example, Black's a convicted murderer. Even if he wasn't trying to kill Harry, why not kill Ron when he woke up? He must've figured that if he did kill Ron, it would be obvious he was there, but if he didn't, Ron would sound the alarm anyways. And if he did kill Ron, then he would have more time to get away."

"He could've thought that it would make his punishment worse..." Hazel said uncertainly, but Annabeth shook her head.

"It just got released that all the dementors were given permission to perform the Dementor's Kiss on him if they find him," she said. "There's nothing worse that can happen."

They all sat back, thinking silently. Annabeth grunted in frustration.

"Well, I guess the best thing we can do is to keep an eye out for him," she admitted reluctantly. Hazel remembered how frustrating it must've been not to know something.

Next to Hazel, Hermione shut her book with a snap. Her eyes were rimmed red from exhaustion and crying.

"So that's it, then?" She asked. "You're just going to let Black go?"

Annabeth looked at her with sympathy. "There isn't much we can do about it, other than keep an eye out and look after Harry," she said. "We are students at Hogwarts, after all."

"But you're on a quest," Hermione pressed. "Can't you go out and look for him?"

"Where?" Thalia asked. "We don't know the wizarding world that well."

"He can't've gotten far," Hermione insisted.

"Where are you thinking of?" Percy asked.

"The forbidden forest," Hermione said in a whisper, glancing around to see if anyone was listening. Jason thought about it.

"That's actually a good idea," he said slowly. Hermione flushed. "I mean," Jason continued, "Black was a student at Hogwarts before, and from the sound of it, he got in trouble a lot. He must've been in the forest a lot, then. And it's a good place to hide if you can navigate it. And he knows dark and advanced magic so he knows how to defend himself."

Thalia shrugged. "Why not?" she asked. "When do you want to go?"

"Tonight," Annabeth said. They all looked at her. "If we go tonight, we have a higher chance that Black didn't go very far. We can still find him."

Hazel shifted. "Are you sure we should be going in, though?" She asked cautiously. "I'm not scared, I'm just... concerned about what will happen if we're found."

"It's a great idea," Jason said, and Hermione flushed again. "I say we go for it."

Everyone nodded, then looked at Hazel. She shrugged. "I have nothing against it," she said. "I was just concerned. One more thing though," she added. "The dementors."

"They're not allowed in the castle," Annabeth said. "They're guarding the perimeters. And the forest is within the perimeters."

"Alright then," Nico said. "Tonight. By Hagrid's hut?"

"That's taking a risk," Thalia warned. "But all right."

>>>•O•<<<

"We should split up," Thalia whispered. "We'll cover more ground that way."

"Are you kidding me?" Percy asked. "Have you seen the movies?"

"They were weak mortals," Thalia retorted. "We're trained warriors. And Hermione can do magic. I think we're better prepared. And besides, we know what we're facing."

"True enough," Percy said. "Pairs? Or three?"

"Let's go in pairs and search within a mile," Annabeth said. "Go around the perimeter."

"Okay then, I call Annabeth!" Percy wrapped his arm around Annabeth's waist. Hazel linked with Frank, and Nico and Thalia shrugged. Jason looked at Hermione. "I guess we're partners then," he said. She nodded, and though Jason couldn't see in the dim light, she blushed furiously.

"Percy and I'll go by the lake," Annabeth said. "In case he made a boat escape. Though that's unlikely. And Nico and Thalia, you guys go in the middle, since you have the two best bearings in the darkness and forest. Frank and Hazel, you guys go near Hagrid's cabin. Jason and Hermione, go on the other side of us."

The group bid a grim farewell and parted ways.