Percabeth Teach at Hogwarts

Chapter Eight

"Be that as it may," Annabeth commented lightly, "but it doesn't change the fact that it was an airhead remark and you deserved what was coming for you. Now, for the love of the gods, will you please shut up for just one moment so we can listen?"

Percy's lips zipped shut almost immediately, and the three craned their ears, nervous at the sudden lack of blood, ripped walls, and any other signs that would point them in the right direction. It was as if the monster and demigod had just disappeared. How –

Draco straightened, his heart skipping a beat. "The Room of Requirement," he whispered to himself. He wheeled around and surveyed the wall, his eyebrows scrunched in concentration. He felt a pull in his gut and heard a shift within the bones of the castle.

Percy and Annabeth were looking between each other and Draco as if deeply worried for his health. Annabeth opened her mouth but Draco silenced her with a stern look. "No questions right now; I'll explain later," he said as the doors to the mysterious room appeared before him, a wizard in need of assistance. "Come on."

Draco swung the door open, and had his knife back in his hand in seconds, which was good because a large piece of sharp wood immediately flew towards him at full speed. He yelped quietly and batted it away with the flat of his knife, sinking into a fighting stance, cursing the robes that he was required to wear. "For Zeus's sake," he mumbled to himself, shucking them off as quickly as possible. Not that the dark suit beneath was any better for fighting.

Behind him, Percy and Annabeth drew closer to flank him. "There," Annabeth said, pointing to the opposite of the room where the great monster was upending piles of useless items, throwing them in their direction.

"Scatter," Percy murmured to them. "It can only move fast in one direction, so if we come at it from multiple directions, it should confuse it. Aim for the heart."

Draco felt adrenaline burst open inside him like a cracked glowstick. This was his first monster fight in ages, and he would not let it be his last.

He had not seen any other sign of life when entering the giant room, but there had to be as no one but a wizard could summon the Room of Requirement. That was yet another thing to worry about, and what a story they would have to tell upon finding the, most likely, wounded potential demigod.

Just as Draco made to sneak towards the Minotaur though, it let out a great roar that shook the floor beneath his feet, and sniffed the air once more. It slowly turned in Draco's direction and Draco dove into a pile of old couch cushions, narrowly avoiding being seen. How had this demigod hid from the Minotaur for so long? He wondered if the castle's wards were messing with its sense of smell. If so, it would explain why it hadn't detected Percy, Annabeth or Draco yet, let alone the new demigod.

Taking a deep breath, Draco peeked around one of the cushions he had dove behind, trying to locate the monster. Another growl from the Minotaur drew Draco's eyes to his left, towards the doors back to the hallway; Draco's stomach dropped at the thought of the monster venturing back out into the castle. Of course, monsters weren't supposed to bother mortals, but wizards weren't really mortal, were they?

Draco rolled silently out from behind the cushions but stopped short at the sound of whispers and sharp breathing coming from where the Minotaur had been just moments before.

"Protego," a voice said breathily, "Inpedimenta – "

All the breath left Draco's chest as he recognized the voice. Rounding the corner quietly, Draco clamped a hand around their mouth to quiet them, listening once more for the monster. A sudden roar ripples through the Room of Requirement and Draco closed in eyes in panic.