Percy Jackson and the Triwizard Tournament (Goblet of Fire)

Chapter 30: Winter has Come

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"Murdered?" Harry frowned as he held up the newspaper, "The same Hungarian Horntail in the competition?" He lowered his cup of pumpkin juice as he unfolded the article of writing.

Thalia's face paled, "Really? When did it... die?"

Hermione shrugged, "An owl just dropped off the newspaper about 10 minutes ago... Apparently it happened sometime about 2 in the morning. Gosh, the Daily Prophet sure does write articles quickly to get it into the morning edition! Who knew the moment the First Task ended they would kill it? How would they kill a dragon!?"

Percy shrugged, "Beats me. I barely got past mine alive."

Ron shook his head, "That's an understatement! You n' Harry got past the dragon almost immediately!"

Harry lowered the newspaper to look back at the group, "Hermione, what does it say about the spells the person used?"

Ron jumped in, "That's the weird thing! Charlie told me that when he found it, that there was no sign of magic used! Just a wound on its eye and forehead. Apparently some maniac cracked its skull... Bloody hell, who would be strong enough to do that!?"

Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia shared worried looks, just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione did the same. But Harry had noticed a cold glare Hermione had given away from her two friends. Her eyebrows scrunched together in thought, as she turned her head to face someone...

That someone was a very pale Thalia.

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December rolled by, and nothing quite out of the ordinary had occurred. To be quite honest, the past weeks almost seemed eerily... quiet.

Hermione and Ron were usually awkward around Annabeth, Thalia, and him. But Percy didn't find that quite surprising... especially now that they were "Aurors." Luckily though, Harry seemed clueless in the fact of what had happened at the First Task, and Annabeth's excuse.

For the past couple days, Ron managed to relax easier in their presence... but there was something about Hermione...

Gods, Annabeth was right when she said Hermione didn't believe her.

Everytime she had the opportunity of Ron and Harry looking the other direction, she would glare at the three of them.

Even at Hagrid's Hut, when Hagrid was helping the students discover if the remaining 10 Blast-Ended Skrewts could hibernate, she managed to send a few cold looks towards them. Was it because they managed to stay out of the task and sit by the pumpkin patch while other students ran around frantically?... No, Percy hated to say it was mainly suspicions.

During the same class, Rita Skeeter showed up for a third time. She opened her mouth to speak towards them, while Percy and Thalia fought over their usual abnormally large pumpkin, before Annabeth started rapidly cursing her in Greek.

And by cursing, practically screaming on the top of her lungs until it completely freaked her out. Rita didn't even notice the new donkey ears poking out from underneath her obnoxious blonde curls. The three demigods held back their laughter, as she walked towards Hagrid. The Gryffindors managed to keep their mouths shut, only looking at each other before chuckling quietly, and the Slytherins shared nasty smirks as she leaned against the fence.

Rita started a small conversation with Hagrid, which obviously made the friendly half-giant uneasy. He nodded, and she marched off towards the castle. The animal ears on top of her head twitched subconsciously as the news reporter walked away.