Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter (that all belongs to JKR) and I don't own Greek Mythology (that all belongs to some weird crazy geniuses.)
Author's Note: Hey guys! Ninja here. I understand that this is a very different story but I really hope you enjoy it and still read it. I put a lot of effort into this story. I researched Artemis, her traits, Greek food, Greek landmarks, Greek mythology, etc. It took a long time and a lot of effort. Please drop a review when you're done! :)
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Written for the International Wizarding School Championship, Round 5
School and Year: Mahoutokoro, Year 2
Theme: Ancient Runes - Artemis (her traits and personality)
Main Prompt: [Setting] - Labyrinth
Additional Prompt: [Character] - Herpo the Foul
Word count: 3,714 (excluding all notes)
Thanks so so much to my beta reader, Sophie (3cheersforidiots). She writes amazing stuff. Thank you and millions of virtual cookies and cakes to you in thanks for helping me with my stories! Thank you! :)
I would also like to give a shout out to my friend, Liz (LizJeanTonks) She is an amazing person and she writes amazing stories. Thanks, Liz! Millions of virtual cookies and cakes to you in thanks for your delightful conversation and help with Pandora's surname. Thank you! :)
And now for the story! :)
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Pandora Peregeia was in Greece, somewhere she had wanted to go for years. Ever since she had been a young girl, Pandora had been interested in Ancient Greece. She enjoyed studying the gods and goddesses and the stories of their lives. Sadly though, Pandora shared a name with the woman who let evil into the world. In Greek mythology, Pandora was known for her jar of disease, hunger, violence, and other forms of evil. She was told not to open it, but she did, letting all the evils escape into the world. For that reason, Pandora tried not to think about her Greek mythology counterpart.
Pandora often related herself to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, the moon, and nature. Artemis was said to be a huntress, and she enjoyed the company of animals. Artemis was playful at times, as was Pandora, and both Artemis and Pandora were said to have moments of wisdom. Artemis enjoyed solving puzzles and mysteries, another trait Pandora shared with her, but perhaps the most important trait of Artemis was her dislike of males. Artemis disliked them so much, that she would ask her huntswomen to steer clear of them all together, killing men that tried to take advantage of her or them. And Pandora, agreeing with Artemis once again, couldn't care less about boys and had never had, nor wanted, a boyfriend.
Being so interested in Greek mythology, Pandora had promised herself that as soon as she left Hogwarts, she would go and tour the land which she loved. Now, the day had finally come. She had graduated Hogwarts only two weeks ago and, immediately afterwards, planned a trip.
Now, after dropping the Portkey off in a grassy field, Pandora took a deep breath and smiled. She was finally here. The inn where she would be staying was just outside Athens, but sadly, it was in a Muggle village, meaning that she would have to keep her magical abilities to herself.
The village was small, so she found the inn easily enough, and Pandora quickly discovered herself in a small, but cozy room. As it was not even lunchtime yet, however, Pandora decided to leave, and, having researched this area well, she knew that there were a few museums nearby.
Pandora soon found herself in a beautiful museum full of gorgeous paintings and statues. There were statues of the gods and goddesses, and Pandora found herself gazing at the statue of Artemis for ten whole minutes. She returned to the museum multiple times that week, just to stare at the statues. She ate breakfast at the inn everyday, but afterwards, she would always venture outside to visit other museums and landmarks.
Pandora relished the time she spent at the Parthenon, a former temple dedicated to Athena. She delighted in gaping at the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus. One of the most awe-inspiring places Pandora went to was the ancient Theatre of Delphi, home to the sanctuary and oracle of Apollo.
She relished in the Greek food as well, such as delicious Souvlaki, which was a grilled meat and vegetable kebab served with pita chips and salad. The Moussaka was also extraordinary and probably the most famous Greek dish. It was made up of many layers of sauteed eggplant, minced meat, onions, and garlic. Pandora enjoyed eating Moussaka with a side of Tirokroketes, fantastic fried cheese globules. But the most enjoyable thing Pandora ate while in Greece was definitely the Baklava, a sweet and sticky pastry made up of thin dough, chopped nuts, and syrup or honey. That week felt like the most wonderful week of her life, but it also felt like the quickest.
On Friday morning, Pandora ate breakfast at the inn as usual, then left to visit another museum, which was showing an of exhibit on ancient Greek artifacts. Pandora spent close to three hours there, and the only reason she eventually left was her stomach, which was grumbling extremely loudly. Once she had visited the restaurant nearby and eaten a double serving of Souvlaki, Pandora sat in the nearby courtyard, finishing another Baklava. While she ate, she noticed something odd. A few feet away, where there should have been a stone wall, there was instead a wide, dark opening. Except for the odd opening, the wall was complete and perfect, separating a large shopping alley from the courtyard where she was now. She quickly poked the rest of the sticky deliciousness into her mouth, stood, and approached the peculiar entrance.
As she walked a few feet into the fissure, peering through the gloom, she suddenly heard cracking and rumbling behind her, and she turned just in time to see large boulders falling from the cave ceiling. They were now blocking the entrance and only small chinks of the sunlight shone through. After letting her eyes adjust to the darkness, Pandora looked around. A dark tunnel lay ahead of her, whereas a large pile of stone and rock lay behind her.
"Well, that's odd," Pandora said to herself. She pulled her wand out of her pocket, raised it, and aimed at the rock.
"Reducto!" Nothing happened. Thinking she might've pronounced the spell wrong or performed the wrong wand movement, Pandora aimed again at the pile of rubble.
"Reducto!" she yelled again, but still, nothing happened.
"Oh, no," Pandora muttered, disappointed and confused. "Okay. Let's try the non-magic way, then. Might be safer, anyways. No chance for Muggles to find out." She walked forward and tried to move some of the rocks herself.
Just as she moved a third chunk of stone, however, there was sudden flash of light, startling her.
"What on earth?" she said, blinking. After her vision returned to normal, Pandora saw a piece of paper stuffed into the rocks. She knew it hadn't been there before, so it must've appeared in accordance with the light. She pulled it out of the rocks gingerly, afraid of tearing it, and looked at it. It was so dark, however, that she couldn't read it.
"Lumos," she muttered, pointing her wand at the paper. As her wand tip lit, she was able to read the words.
Pandora Parageia, you have entered Herpo's Tomb.
"Herpo?" Pandora murmured. "As in, Herpo the Foul?" Herpo the Foul was a famous Greek Dark wizard and the first person to ever create a Basilisk. He was known as one of the most evil wizards of all time, just slightly less so than Grindelwald; not to mention Herpo was also a Parselmouth. In Pandora's opinion, he was even worse than Hades, the god of the Underworld. She looked down at the note and continued reading.
You will have noticed by now that magic will not aid you in your escape; however, it will help you to reach your eventual escape. To find your way out of this ancient, cursed, and desolate place, you must traverse its tunnels, escape its traps, and solve its queries. You have been deemed worthy and accomplished enough to understand the complications and demands of this journey. Beware, for many dangers lie beyond this passage. There are three obstacles to pass. All three will test your Greek knowledge; however, one will test your magical skill, one will test your memory, and one will test your courage and valor. The prize is your life. Below, you will find a map to aid you in your odyssey.
Pandora looked down at the bottom of the paper, and, sure enough, there was a small map that looked like a maze.
"Wait a moment," Pandora said, thinking quickly. "This must be some sort of labyrinth." She read the last bit of the letter, hoping for more information.
If you walk forward through the tunnel, you will find a door. The first obstacle is placed before it. Good luck.
"Alright, well, what do I do?" muttered Pandora, folding the letter and placing it in her pocket. Pandora proceeded to have an inner battle. A moment later, she made a decision. "Well, there's really only one option. I guess I'll find this door."
Pandora walked through the passage, holding her lit wand aloft. The tunnel was dim and cold, and it felt as though something terrible had happened there. Pandora turned left and right, following the small map. There was dot which had a little number one next to it, so she followed the map there.
After a few minutes of silent walking, Pandora turned right and found the door. It was beautiful but in a terrible way. It was black and made of iron. But the door wasn't what frightened her most. No, it was the creature on the ground near it.
A snake slithered along the floor, backward and forward past the door. Pandora recognized it. It wasn't just any snake. It was an Amphisbaena. A deadly serpent from the Ancient times of Greece, with two heads, one at each end. It did not eat humans, but its stare would paralyze any human who looked at it. You would not be paralyzed forever, but without treatment, you would be gone long enough to starve to death, if you did not die of dehydration first. Pandora backed away slowly and went around the last bend in the tunnel.
"What do I do?" Pandora muttered to herself, running her hands through her hair. "Calm yourself," she said, and she slowed her breathing back to a normal pace, although her heart was beating faster than ever. "What does the Amphisbaena eat?" she thought aloud. She remembered reading about them in a book of Ancient Greek Mythological Beings.
"Ants," Pandora remembered. "Ants. It only eats ants." She forced a smile, took a deep breath, and walked back towards the snake, avoiding its gazes. She pointed her wand at the ground next to it and conjured a dozen scuttling, black ants. The snake stopped its pace-like movements and slithered forward to eat the ants. One of its forked tongues poked out of its mouth and ate half of the ants. Then it turned, and the other head ate the remaining ants. After all ants were gone, the snake slipped away into a small crevice in the wall, leaving the iron door unguarded.
Just as the snake's second head was disappearing, a flash of light, identical to the first one at the cave-in site, momentarily brightened the cave. Pandora covered her eyes as a new note appeared. The note was stuck to the iron door somehow, but Pandora pulled it away easily and read it quickly.
Congratulations, Pandora, you have passed the first obstacle of Herpo's Tomb. There are two obstacles remaining. The next task will test your memory of Greek history. Prepare yourself.
She looked at the map and saw a little number two next to another dot and followed the directions to a small chasm. As she walked, dropping her wand into her pocket, she ran through all the gods, goddesses, and their feats in her mind. When she finally reached the chasm after many more twists and turns, she was surprised to see a small desk and chair standing there, a piece of paper, a quill, and ink atop the desk. She walked forward curiously, shoving the map into her pocket and picking up the paper, as she sat down in the chair. It seemed to be some sort of examination. There were four questions, all centered around Greek mythology. She picked up the quill and read the first question:
1. While Ares oversees the bloodier aspects of war, what aspects of war does Athena oversee? Pandora thought quickly and wrote down her answer. Defense, strength, and righteous battle.
2. Once Theseus had slain the Minotaur, how did he escape the labyrinth where the event had taken place?
Pandora did not have to think hard about this one either, as this myth in particular was one of her favorites. She wrote the answer. He followed Ariadne's golden thread out of the labyrinth.
3. When Atlas led the Titans into battle, what was the punishment bestowed upon him by Zeus?
Another one of her favorite myths, Pandora answered this question with relative ease. It was only when she was finished writing the answer, to hold the heavens, that she realized the exam was too easy. As if, something extremely terrible was coming. She looked at the last question.
4. You share a name with a character from Greek Mythology. What did she do?
Pandora did not have to think hard about this question either, for she knew the terrible thing her Ancient Greek namesake did. She sighed and wrote the answer down. She released evil into the world.
As she placed the period at the end of her final sorrowful sentence, another flash of light replaced the exam with another note. Pandora flinched slightly.
You have answered well, Pandora Parageia," read the note. "You have passed this obstacle with ease. However, the next obstacle will define you as worthy to pass and worthy to live, as it is dangerous, difficult, and a despicable sight. The note ended there. Pandora stared at three words. "Worthy to live."
"Well," she muttered. "I've made it this far," Pandora stood up, determined. "I'm going to finish this." She pulled the map out and found the small number three. She followed the map to the place where the third challenge would take place. Her breathing quickened and thoughts of Greek monsters thundered through her mind. What she imagined, however, was not as terrible as what actually lay before her.
As she reached the last turn, she stopped. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, remembering her classes and her love of magic. She opened her eyes, swallowed, and rounded the last bend.
Pandora's hands flew to her mouth as she saw what lay before her eyes. Bodies. Everywhere. Dozens of them. Some were crumpled, like pieces of paper, some splayed out in odd positions, as though they were dead spiders, some bruised and bloody, some peaceful and sleep-like, and some with limbs missing. Pandora felt sick, and she turned away, facing the stone wall.
"Oh my god," she whispered over and over, sliding down the stone wall, trembling. "I'm gonna die, just like all of these poor people." Immediately, once the words had left her mouth, she saw a flash of light in her peripheral vision. She looked around hesitantly, trying to not to look at the piles of human remains. She picked the note up off the stone floor.
You have nearly completed this ordeal. As you have noticed, many people reach this point in the journey, but they all have failed to pass. Against the wall, you will find an array of weapons and items to aid you in your mission. The creature that lies behind that door is deadly and will not hesitate to kill you.
Pandora looked around at the surrounding walls and her jaw dropped. She hadn't noticed it, because of the corpses, but now . . . Pandora saw dozens of different weapons hanging on the wall to her right. She gaped at them. Bronze and silver swords, golden shields, shimmering daggers, and deadly arrows. Next to the shelves, there was a normal looking wooden door, behind which she assumed was the creature. She tore her eyes away from the arsenal and finished reading the note.
I urge you to choose wisely, for the demon you will face is a Manticore. Good luck.
Pandora dropped the note, her hands shaking in fear and desperation. "Good luck? Oh, Merlin!" she yelled, her voice echoing between the stone walls. "No, no, no, no!" she yelled, a few tears of fear trickling down her cheeks. She leaned forward, her arms clenched around her knees, trembling as though she was freezing solid. A Manticore? One of the deadliest creatures in history that she had to fight all alone, with only a stupid piece of metal to help her. "None of these weapons will help me," Pandora thought.
But as depressing thoughts began to surround Pandora's soul, a glimmer of hope and bravery was suddenly sparked. I've always related myself to Artemis. And indeed she had. She had always loved the goddess of the hunt. The woman who protected her friends and who was playful yet wise. The woman who was strong and determined and never shied away from conflict.
Pandora pushed herself up shakily and wiped the moisture off her face, fixing a steely look onto her face. She walked back towards the wall of weapons. She looked at each one, but none stood out to her. Then, as if she was reading the sentence from a book, words floated in front of her mind's eye. The Manticore is extremely well-defended by armor all over its body, along with a fatal venom secreted from its tail, protecting it from nearly all defensive spells and charms. The Manticore is only susceptible to hypnotism, although it has very rarely . . ."
"Oh," Pandora said, comprehension dawning on her. "I know what I'm going to do." She pulled out her wand and conjured a small medallion and a long string. After prodding the string through a small hole in the top of the plain gold medallion, Pandora sat down again, pointed her wand at the it, and began adding small details to its front.
After ten minutes, the medallion had a simple, hypnotic spiral design on it. However, in case it didn't work, Pandora took two small sheather daggers and slid them into her belt, as well as a small shield. She breathed deeply and walked forward to the wooden door. She opened it. It was darker than the tunnels behind her, and she suddenly felt cold.
And there, the Manticore stood. It was a magnificent and frightening creature with the body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion, and the head of a human. Its amber eyes stared at Pandora, but it didn't move. It seemed to be waiting for something. Pandora's heart raced faster than ever, and her hands were shaking so badly that the medallion swung violently. Images of her family and friends flashed past her eyes, but her mind was focused. She took a few hesitant steps toward the beast, gripping the string of the medallion tighter than ever. Her gaze flicked to the area behind the Manticore. She saw a wooden door, identical to the one she had just passed through. The Manticore noticed her and padded forward a few paces, blocking the door with its large tail. Pandora froze as its eyes met hers and saw the hunger within them. She held up the swinging medallion and exhaled. She began swinging the medallion at a rhythmic pace. The creature's eyes flickered as its gaze turned to the pendant. It grew still and its breathing slowed. Pandora sighed deeply with relief as its eyes turned milky and blinked sleepily. She walked past it slowly, keeping the medallion swinging and her face on the Manticore, and approached the door behind it. Once she was close enough, she turned away and opened the door. But, just as she put a foot through the doorway, she heard something close behind her. She turned, instinctively pulling a dagger from her belt, and was suddenly facing the Manticore's demented human eyes. Its hot and fetid breath warmed her face, and bile rose in her throat. Her mind froze and instincts kicked in, and, without hesitation, she gripped her dagger and raised her arm quickly, aiming for the creature's heart.
She embedded the dagger in the Manticore's chest. Dark blood spilled out onto the floor and her outstretched hand, and the creature fell over. Dead. Its amber eyes never to see anything again. Pandora stood frozen for a few minutes, eventually edging out the door.
Her eyes, so used to the dark tunnels, were suddenly blinded by golden sunlight. She clasped her fingers over her eyes, letting them slowly adjust to the bright light. She was in the courtyard again. The courtyard where it had all begun. She was dimly aware of her feet leading her back to the inn and up the stairs to her room, taking her to bed immediately.
After a long day of sleep and recovery, Pandora sat up in bed. The events that had transpired earlier seemed so unrealistic, that she wondered briefly whether it had really happened. It was then that she saw a note on the small desk in the corner of the room. She read it and remembered everything with perfect clarity.
The note read, Congratulations, Pandora Parageia. You have completed the treacherous odyssey through Herpo's Tomb. Your quick thinking at the conjuration of ants to distract the Amphisbaena was impressive. Your knowledge of the Greek Gods and Goddesses was equally impressive. However, your triumph over your fears at the prospect of fighting a Manticore was what impressed us most. You have pleased us immensely, and you would have pleased your Greek hero, Artemis. You will hear from us later in your life. Αντίο. Pandora stared at the note. It confirmed that her journey through Herpo's Tomb had actually happened. She had traversed a dangerous tunnel. She had defeated a Manticore. She had proved herself worthy of Artemis.
She felt more empowered and stronger than ever. Later, for breakfast, she ordered three Baklavas and feasted. A few things still confused her, though, like how they knew her name, how they knew she loved Artemis, and how they would contact her later in life, but what concerned her the most, was the number of bodies she had seen near the end of the tunnel. How many people were there? How many people had gone missing from their towns and families? How many people had died, while she survived?
A few weeks later, after reporting the tunnel to the Ministry of Magic, Pandora delved into Greek Mythology more than ever. She studied the stories in more detail than ever and even met some Greek Mythology experts. The reason was one thing. The final note had said, "-you would have pleased your Greek hero, Artemis," and those words sunk deep into her heart, and they would stay embedded in her soul for the rest of her days.