Abby ran slowly through the woods, taking in as much joy as she could in her wolf form. It took Abby a few days of wandering before she came to a cliff side clearing that was near a castle that looked like a school, this reminded her a bit of Hogwarts. Yet the clearing was not empty, there she saw a group of monsters and mortals a like.
This miss matched group consisted of a satyr and a group of three teenagers with archaic weapons fighting a small army of monsters which had a manticore of all things within. Of course, there were two other teenagers huddled together looking on in fright yet awed at the sight in front of them.
The small army of monsters was slowly closing in on the group and it seemed that their survival rate was dwindling down to zero, yet just as it came to the point of no return for the three teenagers and one satyr, they were interrupted by a loud call of a hunting horn.
The Hunters of Artemis has arrived on the scene. This of course meant nothing good for monsters and males alike, she just hoped that creatures like herself were not included in this list.
~~~~~~~~
The hunt was truly an awe-inspiring sight to witness. The way they fight, in such harmony that you could not see where one stopped and the other one began. The girls fought with such discipline and teamwork, but still swift as dancers as they dodged and floated through the mob of monsters, spotting the weaknesses, and swiftly and ruthlessly took advantage of it.
In this moment Abby could obviously see that the hunt had centuries worth of experiences and teamwork to fall back on. The battle was rather short live after the hunt arrived, yet the battle still ended with the loss of the young blond girl even with the hunt's intervention.
Sirius warned Abby to be careful in her hybrid or her wolf form if she ran into a group of demi-gods or hunters be it the Greeks, Romans, Norse, or the Egyptians. It was just her Potter luck that caused her to find a group of Greek demi-gods first.
Sirius informed her about the hunters and their goddess Lady Artemis. The Hunters are an elite group of demi-gods and clear-sighted mortals blessed by Lady Artemis. This blessing involved unnatural grace and speed as well as a form of immortality. The hunters are all girls that train and live close knitted united, they all had to swear off the company of men, they all spend their time hunting monsters and threats to Olympus under Lady Artemis's guidance.
She truly enjoyed the battle despite the ending, yet Abby was still worried as she preferred to stay in her hybrid form and death by arrow was not on her to-do list today.
The best option for her right now was to stay put and observe, hopefully her Potter Luck will hold.
~~~~~~~~
Artemis gave a sigh - wishing that things had gone better the first time they met up with her half-sister, she truly wished that her sister joined the hunt, she would not have ended up as a tree if she did, but this was not meant to be. She does of course admire her sister with her loyalty she has to her friends.
The second thing she wished was that her lieutenant would show a little bit of restraint, even now with all these males around. Artemis could not sense any disrespect, only confusion and distraught on their part.
Artemis was aware that they all do not trust or even like boys in general, that does not mean her girls need to show it. She would need to teach them to be indifferent towards males.
Shaking her head, Artemis turned towards her girls before announcing "We have burdened these children enough, Zoe, we will be resting here for now. Please setup camp, treat the wounded and retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."
"Of course, Milady it will be done." Zoe said before ushering the girls into groups to comply with Artemis's wishes.
Artemis turned towards the group of demi-gods and considered what to do with all of them. She knew that her sister would not join the hunt so that left the unknown maiden to address. Ignoring the boys and satyr, Artemis addressed the young maiden.
"Young one, what is your name?" She asked the girl.
"My name is Bianca Di Angelo." The now named Bianca said.
"Would you please follow me to my tent, I would like to speak to you." Artemis said to the young maiden.
"What about me?" The young boy asked.
The moon goddess considered the boy. "Perhaps you could show Grover how to play that card game of yours? I would believe that he would be happy to entertain you... as a favor to me?"
"You bet Milady. Come on Nico." Grover said while tripping over himself in the process.
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Artemis swore to herself if she ever found Pan that she will have some words with him regarding the infatuation the satyrs have towards her.
Speaking of the satyr, right as the wind shifted, he suddenly stopped and turned to Percy Jackson the son of Poseidon.
"Um, Perc...I can smell another monster."
This got her attention once again. "What do you mean? What do you smell?" Artemis asks with a little urgency in her voice.
"I don't know Milady, it's scent, it's different from what I smelled before." Grover said nervously.
"Describe it." She ordered while signaling her hunters to be ready for anything.
It took Grover a few moments to pinpoint the most suitable description while Abby hoped that she was not about to die.
"It reeks a lot like Cerberus, yet it is different. I am picking up the smell of fur and forest yet there is something that I cannot pick up on, but I am also getting a human smell mixed within all of this."
"How do you know what a Cerberus smells like?" Zoe asked just as she was about to leave for the school.
"Zoe, these are the ones that were sent to retrieve my father's bolt two years ago." Artemis said noting that Zoe seemed to look at the group with a bit more apprehensively, this of course made her glad as it would not do well if her lieutenant would dismiss potential threats even if they look harmless.
"Zoe, please take Bianca to my tent. Phoebe would you please choose a few of your sisters and retrieve our guest's things from school. Grover, would you continue on with the boy." She ordered before turning towards the woods trying to sense for the unknown guest.
"I will go and find our unexpected guest." Artemis stated before flashing out.
~~~~~~~~
Abby could not believe her luck, this meeting with the goddess of the hunt could either go in her favor or cause her death. After all she was not a demi-god nor a normal demi-monster. Abby knew that she would not escape this encounter, yet she did ensure that she had everything ready to defend herself if need be.
Moments later, Abby felt a powerful present appearing just behind her. Turning slowly, Abby found herself facing the beautiful yet powerful Lady Artemis. She soon found her eyes wandering over this goddess.
Lady Artemis was by far the most beautiful person Abby had seen, more so than any other being she had seen in her past. This goddess had one of the most stunning expressive eyes, they were like shining pools of liquid silver which glowed in the moonlight. Her face was just as captivating, Lady Artemis has a fair skin with an aristocrat like features. Lady Artemis was also sporting long silky auburn colored hair. All in all, this goddess in front of Abby was radiating an aura of power, grace, natural beauty, and authority.
"What is your name, young one?" Artemis asked her in open curiosity.
"Abigail Potter, Lady Artemis, but you can call me Abby." The young Potter said softly towards the goddess of the Hunt.
"So, you know who I am then?" Artemis asked with curiosity.
"Yes, milady. My godfather taught me everything I needed to know when it came to the Gods and their existence." Abby answered.
"I see, so what and who are you? You are different from almost everything I have ever seen." Artemis asked with a bit of confusion in her voice.
"Ah, what I am is a bit confusing, but I will try to explain. I am the only daughter born to Lily and James Potter. I was 15 months old when a dark lord came and murdered my parents leaving me as the only survivor. My life after that was nothing but torture." Abby said as she gazed into the sky.
This worried Artemis as there was something very much intriguing about Abby.
"I was placed with my mom's sister and her family. My relatives never liked me, I was always a slave to them, a freak to do with whatever they wanted when it involved me. I always believed that my name was Freak or Girl, I only found out that it was Abigail when I was 5. My life until I turned 11 was always, cleaning, cooking, and a daily beating from my Uncle." Abby whispered hoping that Lady Artemis would not pity her as this was something she couldn't handle right now. This was after all the first time she told someone about her life.
"It was my 11th birthday when a gentle half giant appeared with a letter. This letter was an acceptance letter for a school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was so excited as I knew this would take me away from my relatives, but even the wizarding world was a danger to me."
Artemis did not know how to comfort this broken yet strong maiden, but she refused to interrupt her as she knew that Abby needed to get this off her chest and Artemis was willing to listen.
"My first year at Hogwarts was the first time I experienced happiness. But for some reason my life was always in danger at school, yet I was safer at school than at my relatives. The first life threatening experience I had at school was on Halloween - a day I hated with everything in my being - this was the day my parents were killed, not that the wizarding world really cared. I was named their hero, yet no one remembered what I lost. Anyway, on Halloween a troll was able to enter the school and one of my few friends was in the ladies' room, she was not aware of the troll. Of course, I needed to get to her, and so Ron and I went to find her. The troll was to be in the dungeons, yet we found it about to attack Hermione." Abby said softly knowing she could not stop now, this needed to be said after all Sirius did say this will help her heal mentally as well as physically.
"We were able to distract it, before knocking it out with its own club. We were able to save Hermione without any major injuries. After that Ron, Hermione, and I were almost inseparable. The students started to call us the Golden Trio."
Artemis was shocked, here was a young, abused lady that had no training and no help but was able to survive a troll without being hurt even at the age of 11. She knew that Abby had talent and power after all she could feel it radiated off her.
"My life was quiet for a few weeks after the troll, until Hagrid thought it was wise to hatch a baby dragon inside a wooden cabin. It took us a better part of a week to convince him to send this hatchling to Romania, where one of the few Dragon reserves was located. Of course, this had to be done in the middle of the night, where Hermione and I had to carry the dragon high up onto the Astronomy tower. This was where Charlie – Ron's older brother picked the dragon up. This also caused us to get detention and 50 house points deducted each as the teachers did not believe that we were only helping Hagrid. We were branded as traitors to the house. This led to us being attacked every time we left our dorm rooms." Abby said softly as Hedwig flew down hoping to comfort her human.
Hedwig hooted softly towards Artemis in greeting before perching on top of Abby's shoulder in order to groom her human's hair.
"It was a few days after the dragon incident that my friend and I were placed into danger once again. We were forced to help Hagrid with the killings of unicorns inside the Forbidden Forest - a place where no students could enter. We had very little training and the forest itself was filled with dangerous creatures. Hagrid in all his wisdom decided that it would be best to split up, so I was sent to one end of the forest with Hagrid's dog while Hermione stayed with Hagrid."
Beyond horrified with what Abby had to endure, yes, her hunters would join her at a young age, yet she always ensured that her girls had at least a semblance of training. Artemis could do nothing but listen to this horrifying tale, yet she knew everything so far was true after all she had a small amount of her brother's truth ability.
"It was then that an evil spirit tried to attack me. I was in so much pain, this spirit was affecting my cursed scar. I was incapable to move or even scream as the thing moved to attack, just as it was about to touch me a herd of centaurs arrived chasing the thing away. They were not the friendliest sort of creatures but at least I was saved from the evil spirit." Abby said rubbing her forehead where her scar was located.
"There were a few more dangerous moments which lead to a final showdown between the evil spirit and me for the Philosopher's Stone. I later found out that the evil spirit was Voldemort, he was possessing Quirrell, our first-year defense teacher. I almost died that night, but I was okay with it as I thought it was normal to be in danger, I did not care if I died at least I would be free from my relatives and be with my parents once again." Abby whispered with sadness.
Artemis could not believe that this young maiden had endured so much in only one year at her school and she was worried, if her first year was this dangerous, how bad will the rest of young Abby's school life be.
"You have been through so much and that was only one year, did you have any help in any of this?" Artemis asked worriedly.
Abby gave her a harsh laugh before answering with some bitterness in her voice. "I had a little help from my friends until a point, the teachers were no help. They believed me as an attention seeking brat that got spoiled every moment of every day."
Artemis could not believe her ears, here was a young maiden that grew up abused and neglected and not once did an adult step up and help.
Taking a few moments, Artemis decided that the best thing for now is to help young Abby and try to give her a semblance of a family after all no one cared enough to love her the way they should have.
"You had an extremely hard life so far, a young one and I would like to hear some more if you will allow it. But I would like to offer you a place in my hunt and give you a chance to see what a miss match family is like." She said with a soft smile towards Abby.
Looking up into Lady Artemis' eyes Abby searches for any hint of deception. When she found nothing but truth, Abby knew that she would finally find a place to belong.
"I would love to join the hunt Milady, and I will gladly give you more information about my life – I would like you to understand how I become what I am." Abby said softly with a slight grin.
"Okay then, come along to my tent. You can take the oath there." Lady Artemis said as she got up from where she was seated.
"I would gladly follow, milady." Abby said with a slight bow to her head.
"Oh, I know, I can sense it within you. So, would it be okay if my Lieutenant joins in with the rest of your life story?" Lady Artemis asked as they started walking back to the tents.
"Only if you trust her, milady. I am not ready to tell my life story to everyone." Abby said softly while stroking Hedwig's feathers.
"I know you do not want the others to know and that is fine. I only want Zoe to sit in with this because you will need someone else to understand you as well." Artemis said kindly.
"Okay milady, I still need to go over my second, third and fourth years at Hogwarts as well as the school holidays in between." Abby said softly as she walked with Lady Artemis through the woods.
"Very well, let us get to my tent. I do believe that Bianca is still waiting for me within." Lady Artemis said lightly.
With that the two walked in companioned silenced towards Lady Artemis's tent. It was the first step for Abby to find what her heart and soul was always searching for, a place to belong.