The Raptor Experiment

Chapter 5 - Same Script, Different Cast

"Nice choice. Knife fighting may suit you better." Annabeth said. 

"Um.. thanks?" 

"Now, attack me. With less wobbling."

So I did. She took the blow with her knife this time. Annabeth was smiling. 

"Slicing may work better than stabbing, since with slicing, your weapon covers more area. Let's try again." 

"Okay." I said. And we dueled (if it could be called dueling when one's posture was constantly fixed by the other, that was.)

"But I can't come down everyday to teach you so you can teach your students..." Annabeth said after a couple rounds. She looked around. "Baylee, can you teach?" she asked.

"No!" Zeke and Darian shouted at the same time. As if we needed any more proof that they were twins.

"I can teach, but I'm not good at it." Baylee said. 

"Good. Now that the situation is handled—"

With a bang, two moving targets fell to the floor. It landed in a heap with a thud.

"Apologies." Tintin said, picking the targets up.

"Did you just... shoot two targets down with one shot?" Zeke asked, slack-jawed.

"I suppose." Tintin said. "Blasted guns that are louder than it's supposed to be."

Whoever Tintin was, this kid probably didn't need any lessons in this class either.

Hermione

"Hermione!" Harry called out, earning a very loud "Shhh!" from Madam Pince.

"Let's talk outside." I said as I finished organizing the restricted section.

"SHHH!" Madam Pince exclaimed again. I held out my hand in apology and headed out.

"Okay. What is it?"

"That Tintin guy is a bit too good with guns for a normal student." Harry answered.

"Is that all?" I asked. 

"I guess?"

"Sadie told me that there was a reporter back in the 1930s who threw half of USA gangsters in jail named Tintin who looks like this Tintin. And what if..."

"This Tintin isn't a mere cosplayer?" Harry finished. "Gotta ask the Greeks about it." he said. "Maybe something about reincarnation or stuff. But we should be careful before accusing him of it." 

Well, that was quick. I never thought Harry would be able to deduce for himself but there are wonders big and small in this world, after all.

Annabeth

"Hey Percy! Annabeth!" Harry called out as Percy and I were talking about the first years in the Gryffindor common room.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

"Do you know anything about reincarnation?"

"Not much. Only the basics." I said. "Why?"

"Maybe this Tintin is a reincarnation of the first Tintin."

"But most of the time, reincarnations don't have memories of their first life." I said. Harry looked at me blankly. I sighed. "So here's how it works. If a person lived a virtuous life, they go to Elysium, the Greek equivalent of a heaven. Got that part?"

"Uh huh." Harry answered.

"And Elysium has a river. Lethe, it's called. And the waters have the ability to erase a person's memories." Percy wore a painful expression. I continued on anyway. "If a person wants to reincarnate, they jump into the river. If so, their memories are wiped clean."