"We've got another brother! His name is Evander, or Van. I dunno where he is right now, but we'll introduce you soon."
"When will I get a sister?" Pandora teased with a laugh.
Pandora loved her talks with her half brothers, Wylan and Wilbur. In a spur of the moment Iris message just after her last class of the day, the two informed her that a new camper had arrived to camp and was claimed as an Apollo kid.
"Tell dad to get on top of it, then. It'd be nice to have a few more people in this cabin." Wilbur said with a sigh.
"I like camp the way it is," Wylan huffed. "We've practically got the cabin to ourselves. Van is cool though. Pandora, you should come visit over break."
"I'll be there. Will we decorate for holiday?"
"Only if you chop down the tree." Wilbur said under his breath. Pandora rolled her eyes.
The door to her room opened and Padma walked in. She looked toward Pandora and rolled her eyes. Pandora frowned as she turned back to her brothers.
"I've got to go guys, talk soon?"
"A-duh. See ya, Pan!" Wylan said as Wilbur waved and shouted from behind him.
The mist disappeared and Pandora fell backward onto her bed. She glanced over toward Padma.
Pandora got along with all her roommates, but she was fully aware that they were not fans of her demigod activities. They hated Iris messages, and Lisa had made several complaints about the amount of daggers and weapons that Pandora left laying around.
Typically Pandora would shrug it off. All of her belongings were either on her bed or directly beside it, and if she didn't Iris message her dad and brothers, how else would she speak to them? She grew up differently than the others - it frustrated her at times that the others didn't even try to understand that.
Padma looked as if she was in no mood to speak, so Pandora grabbed a hold of her bag and left the dormitories. She headed toward the Great Hall in hopes to grab some dinner and meet up with Eros afterwards. He promised her help in Transfiguration... she needed it.
As she approached the Great Hall, she saw Hermione walking toward her. Pandora sighed to herself and prepared for a conversation with Hermione Granger.
"Pandora, I'm happy I found you. I've been looking for you all afternoon," Hermione said, sounding exhausted. "Tomorrow at Hogsmeade - you'll be there, right? - we're meeting at the Hog's Head for that Defense Against the Dark Arts thing I mentioned. You do remember that, right? With Harry?"
"Yes, I remember. I'll be there, but I don't know where that is. Or what Hogsmeade is."
"Did you father not sign that paper?"
Pandora thought back. Her father did sign something about a village... perhaps that is what Hogsmeade was. She shrugged.
"He did I think. I'll figure it out and find my way there. Thanks for letting me know."
Just as Pandora turned around Hermione said, "Oh, and Pandora, please don't mention this to anyone. We're keeping it very small, we don't want the wrong person to hear about it."
Pandora nodded, "Sure, I won't say anything."
Pandora walked past Hermione and into the Great Hall. She wondered what this DADA thing would be like. If it was all about defensive things, Pandora was an expert in that. She's known how to defend herself as early as when she took her first steps.
With a wand however . . .
She hadn't even gotten a chance to try yet, not with that horrible Umbridge women and her no wands in class rule. Pandora was slightly nervous she would make a fool of herself - she already did in most of her lessons that included mediocre wand work.
In the Great Hall, Pandora spotted Eros just as she finished up her dinner. The two met up and left together, heading toward the library to work on some homework together.
"You're going to Hogsmeade, right?" Eros asked.
"Yup. Hermione is forming some sort of, hmm, what's the word? Group of people, they meet up every so often... ah, club. It's for Defense Against the Dark Arts - don't tell anyone though. Do you wanna come with me?"
Eros nodded excitedly.
"Uh, yeah I wanna come! Anything to actually practice this stuff. I won't tell Blaise or Theo, I don't think they'd wanna come anyways. Maybe Blaise would. I don't know."
"Good. I hope this works out. I don't really understand why I was sent here when all the 'magic' I need is at my fingertips, but I may as well learn it while I'm here."
Eros laughed, "Do you ever realize how cocky you sound when you say stuff like that?"
Pandora scoffed and hit Eros' arm.
"Shut up. The only reason I'm here is because of the pr-" Pandora caught herself and abruptly stopped talking.
"Because of what?" Eros questioned.
"Oh. Well, I guess cause I wanted a change of scenery," Pandora lied. "I love my home, but being surrounded by eternal beings can get a bit old."
Eros rolled his eyes and laughed. Pandora was unsure what would happen if she accidentally announced the fact that the only real reason she was here was because of a prophecy created about her. Hogwarts would, possibly, erupt into chaos.
As Pandora and Eros walked toward the library, they passed by Harry and Ron. Pandora gave the two a nod. Ron's face flustered and Harry's eyes widened.
According to Eros, Harry Potter was the Chosen One. Pandora would do everything to keep her prophecy a secret. Harry could get all the attention and save the wizarding world... Pandora was just there along for the ride.
-
The next morning Pandora woke up before her roommates and picked out an outfit for Hogsmeade. A simple pair of baggy black jeans, a pink tight shirt, and doc martens that Apollo had gotten her a few months back. She tossed on a white zip up sweater over herself and left her room just as Lisa woke up.
The Great Hall was mostly deserted with the exception of a handful of students at some of the tables At the Ravenclaw table, Pandora recognized Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein half asleep while they ate oatmeal, and Luna Lovegood sitting near the middle of the table by herself.
"Hiya Luna." Pandora greeted as she took a seat beside her.
Luna grinned at Pandora, "Good morning, Pandora," Luna examined Pandora's outfit with a smile, then fixated her gaze onto her ears. "I have a perfect pair of earrings that would go with your outfit. Do you like dragonfruit?"
Before Pandora could answer, Luna got up in a hurry and ran off to get the earrings. Pandora helped herself to a bowl of oatmeal and some toast with jam in the meantime.
Luna returned fairly quickly and handed Pandora a pair of earrings. They were dragonfruit, and they did indeed match Pandora's outfit.
"Thanks Luna, they're cute." Pandora smiled as she slipped them on. They dangled from her ears and Luna watched as they did so with great excitement.
After breakfast, the two girls made their way to the entrance of the school. Argus Filch, the schools caretaker, checked their names off with a sneer as they continued to walk toward the village.
Luna informed Pandora about Hogsmeade and all the places that she should hit before leaving. Pandora was most excited for Honeydukes - she had a terrible sweet tooth.
Once they arrived to the village, Luna announced to Pandora that she would be heading inside of the Three Broomsticks for a few minutes. They two broke apart and Pandora was left alone in the middle of Hogsmeade.
She glanced around the shops, noticing the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan making a beeline for Zonko's.
"Pandora!" A voice shouted. Pandora turned her head to see Eros, Blaise and Theodore walking her way. Blaise and Theodore were dressed very casually as was Eros, but Eros had his black leather jacket on over his outfit. His hair was pulled back into a bun.
"Hello." Pandora smiled.
"Why're you all alone?" Blaise questioned. "I thought I saw you with Luna this morning at breakfast."
Pandora shrugged, "We split up for a bit. Anyways, I'm off as well."
Eros stepped away from Blaise and Theodore and linked arms with Pandora.
"Actually, we're off. I'll catch up with you lads later, yeah?"
Blaise nodded with a smile while Theodore rolled his eyes and pulled Blaise away. Eros waved a hand dismissively toward them as he and Pandora began to walk toward the Hogs Head.
"Why does he dislike me so much?" Pandora asked curiously.
"I dunno. I've never had another friend other than him and Blaise. He's had other friends and girlfriends, but I've never gotten mad over it. He's a bit dramatic."
"Oh," Pandora said. "Well, I'll focus on getting Theodore Nott to hate me a bit less later. You ready for today?"
Eros nodded excitedly.
The Hog's Head looked different from every other place in Hogsmeade... more dark and gloomy. Pandora caught a glimpse of Neville Longbottom entering the place as she and Eros were approaching.
Eros stopped in his tracks a few feet from the door. Pandora stopped with him - their arms were still linked together - and looked toward him with a quirked eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Maybe I shouldn't go..." Eros began, not meeting her gaze. "Sometimes I forget how... I dunno, people don't like Slytherin."
Pandora rolled her eyes.
"If they've got anything to say, I'll set them on fire." she said with a shrug. Eros still looked unsure. "Eros, seriously. This whole odd rivalry is normal, once they get to know you I'm sure it'll be fine."
It wasn't fine.
Pandora and Eros were some of the last to enter the room. Pandora led him over toward Luna, who smiled at both of them brightly. Everyone else in the room, however, either glared at the two or sent them doubtful looks.
Eventually, Hermione began the meeting. She stuttered a lot, but for the first time since meeting her, Pandora grasped onto every last word she spoke. This was defensive stuff - it was combat. This is what Pandora knew how to do by herself, but wanted to learn how to do it with a wand. And if everything about what Hermione and the others were saying about Harry was true, she'd have a damn good teacher to teach her all this stuff as well.
A Hufflepuff named Zacharias Smith was beginning to annoy Pandora, so she decided to speak up for the first time during the meeting.
"Hermione," she said. The room went quiet nearly instantly. "I think this is a great idea. Harry, if you're willing to teach, I'm willing to sit and learn. I don't know much about Voldemort-" a few people gasped "or this world at all, but I believe you. Who would lie about such a thing anyways? That would be like me making up a lie about one of my cousins, aunts or uncles."
Hermione beamed at Pandora. Harry's expression was confused, but he nodded his head.
"Actually, Pandora, I was hoping that you could help too." Hermione said. Pandora lowered her eyebrows and frowned.
"I'm no good at magic with a wand. I told you that."
Hermione shook her head, "No, not with that. It's obvious you know combat, real fighting combat. I was thinking, maybe, you could go over basics with us for that. If he's really back, V-Voldemort, it'd be good to know as much as we can."
All eyes were now on Pandora. She was no teacher, but she was good in a fight. Eros nudged her arm after a minute.
"Oh, uh, sure. I mean, if anyone wants to learn, yeah I'll help. I've been fighting since I've been able to walk, but it comes easy to me because of who I am."
The others looked at her with confused faces.
"What's that mean?" Lee Jordan asked.
"Demigods are known to have ADHD, they can't really ever keep still. It's because our senses are heightened and we're always ready for a fight. Even without any training, fighting is just a part of who I am. It's a bit confusing, but I know enough to help out if anyone wants it."
"Do we get one of those cool swords?" Ginny Weasley asked.
Pandora chuckled, "No, unfortunately not. This was a gift from Hephaestus." She pulled out her dagger and let the others get a good look. They were obviously fascinated by it and Pandora smiled to herself. "It doesn't hurt mortals - er, humans, though. It's made of Celestial bronze."
"So if you tried to slice me in half it wouldn't work?" Luna questioned.
Pandora shook her head no, then jabbed her dagger at Luna's stomach. It went right through her as if the dagger was a hologram.
"Wicked." Fred Weasley said.
"Anyways," Hermione began, regaining the attention of everyone in the room.
She went on to talk about possible meeting times and places, before having everyone sign a piece of paper. After the small meeting had ended, Hermione had everyone sign their names. Pandora made Eros sign before she did to ensure that no one gave him any trouble.
Harry and Ron kept on sending glares toward Eros and it bothered Pandora. She couldn't understand why they didn't like him - Eros was the best person she had met since coming to Hogwarts. Luna was a close second.
Pandora looped her arm into Eros' as the two left the Hog's Head. He took her around to the shops and when they left later that day, Pandora was drowning in bags of sweets and goodies. She was hoping to send some back to camp for Wylan and Wilbur.
hello everyone :) i'm just popping in to say that I slightly changed the prophecy - it's not a major change. I just changed the second line so it sounded better. hope you are enjoying so far!
gia