I spent the whole afternoon in the library after that. The name 'Hecate' sounded too familiar, and I was determined to find out where I've heard it. And was starting with the Ancient Greece.
Whether or not any of this was my business to start with? I didn't really care. Harriet Potter and her ridiculous friends were up to something and I wanted to know what.
I did ask Madam Pince what she knew about any 'Hecate', but the only answer she gave was pointing at the magical world history section and a roll of eyes. I could have sworn I heard her mutter something about a 'self absorbed wannabe goddess' as she left to sort and re-sort the books on a different shelf.
A book about wizards in the Ancient Greek society would have been of great help, maybe, if not reading had to be so hard. I did find out that wizarding kind sometimes interacted with the muggles' gods, mostly some of the twelve Olympians. I read the listed names. First I thought I found the name 'Hecate' but when I checked more closely it stood 'Hestia', goddess of the heat-no, hearth,(stupid letters!) and home, once an Olympian, then replaced by a god whose name I at first mistook as Dinosaurs, but checking it again, it spelled D-I-O-N-Y-S-U-S. 'Dionysus', some whine god- no, wine god. An H can do much, apparently.
I found out, eventually, that the gods was not that pleased with wizards not wanting to worship them as the muggles did. Hecate was apparently a goddess over magic, but not the same kind of magic as the wizarding kind was practicing. She was instead the one who controlled the Mist, with a capital M.
When the reading started to give me a headache, and I also realized I had missed the last class of the day, I decided it was enough for one day. I still hadn't figured out what the golden trio was up to, but that had to wait. I now had to take a detour to the hospital wing before my detention with Professor Snape.
Madam Pomfrey was very helpful with the headache but got a bit suspicious when she heard the cause of it.
"Do you have some trouble with reading, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked me.
"What-no! I was just extra tired after today's classes, that's why the reading gave me a headache." I said.
The matron eyed me for a moment before she decided to just trust my word.
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Let me just give you this advice. When you're tired, it's time to rest, not study. No matter how far behind you may be."
"Of course, ma'am!"
I ran out and headed to the dungeons for detention. Professor Snape was already furious with me, no need to make it worse. And no way was I to complain about reading to the school nurse. Other people had no problem reading jumping words and letters, therefore, neither did I. Period.
I knew right away that the voice coming from the potions classroom was Harriet Potter's. Her American accent was one of the first things I had noticed about her when we first met, and I recognised it easy. I stayed outside the closed door to listen.
"But, what about my classes? There is still three weeks left of the term."
"The final exams has been cancelled, as you already know, and I've already talked to Professor Dumbledore. He has given his permission." Professor Snape.
"But- Did Chiron really say that we had to leave tomorrow already?"
"As a teacher, I suppose I should be happy that you enjoy school so much, but yes. Chiron made it very clear that you need to get to camp as soon as possible. We will be leaving tomorrow morning and be in New York in the afternoon."
"I could go by myself. Don't you still have to teach other classes?"
"Professor Dumbledore has found a stand in for me who will teach for the remaining time of semester. Also, you know how dangerous it would be for you to travel all alone. Monsters attacking you are almost inevitable. That is why I will accompany you to make sure you reach camp alive."
"But-"
"Listen, Harri, if you want to help your father and prevent Zeus from going ballistic, it is necessary for you to finish your quest before summer solstice. But if you were to stay here until the semester ends, it would already be too late. Do you understand?" Professor Snape sounded uncharacteristically sympathetic, which still wasn't a lot of sympathy, but still.
"Yes, Severus, I understand that..." Potter had apparently given up arguing now.
"Good, now go pack your things. We'll be leaving at five o'clock tomorrow morning, so I suggest you go to bed early."
"Yes, Professor."
Too late I realised that Potter was heading for the door. I only had time to take a quick step back before the door opened and I found myself face to face with Potter. Her green orbs bore into my mind as our eyes locked. As if she was using legilimency to seek through my mind for the reason of my presence. She wouldn't have needed to, however. "He was eavesdropping!" was probably written all over my facial expression. I couldn't move, she had trapped me in the spot with her eyes only.
I thought for a moment I felt a sent of ocean breeze. I didn't know what to say, but my mouth decided to play me a horrible prank.
"Now, what are you doing here, Potter? Got in trouble already after last time?"
Potter frowned at me as if I was some awful tasting Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean that she wanted to spit out.
"I'm here because I had to ask Professor Snape something about our potions homework. Unlike you who got detention, in case you forgot that."
She walked past me towards the stairs that would most likely lead her to the Gryffindor common room. Her hair flowed behind her like wild ocean waves on a windy day. She took the cent of ocean breeze with her as she was about to leave. But of course my tongue was not done.
"Do you always spend your summer holidays in New York, Potter? It would explain that ridiculous accent of yours!"
She turned around and looked at me like I just grew a second head.
"You should go visit the infirmary, Malfoy. I think your failed potion did some weird stuff to your brain."
Then she left. I just stood there, wondering why I couldn't just have stayed quite.
Then I heard the door behind me move.
"How nice of you to show up at last, Mr. Malfoy. Now hurry up, there is a good pile of cauldrons with your name on it, waiting to get cleaned. I don't have all evening, get to work."