It has been decided. The second version of Chapter 2 will be the plot continued. I even wrote both chapters yesterday. It took until mid-night seeing as I'm easily distracted and stuff... Well! Here's your update.
Disclaimer: Nothing is owned by me here.
When the doors of the biggest ship opened, all kinds of children from ages eleven and up piled out of the ship. They carried bags that might have had their equipment in it and they all wore t-shirts with the words 'Camp Half-Blood' on them with a Pegasus.
Harry felt insulted of course. When he had heard of the camp name, he tried to keep his cool by not losing himself. Now, he was fuming. These people dare be prejudiced like all those Slytherin's. How could they do that? Who knew Demi-god's did such?
…
Well no one actually. Harry didn't even think anyone knew Demi-god's existed except for the Demi-god's themselves.
All the Demi-god's piled out and stood in rows in front of their ship. There were about 100 people there. There were a lot of rows as well, going from shortest to tallest. Or youngest to oldest. But there was one older person standing in front with a banner in hand, looking like the leaders of that row.
The one that freaked Harry out the most was the banner with the wild boar as well as the scary – but pretty – looking girl holding the flag. It was the fifth row. And Harry couldn't look at the banner that belonged to the seventh row. It was so gold and shiny and flashy and… flashy… It was also warm! But Harry liked the twentieth banner. It shimmered and glowed, showing different battles using magic. The banner itself was green, but it seemed to shimmer all colours.
Or maybe it was the rainbow banner beside it.
The ship with the purple banner had people piling out right after as well. They all either wore armor or purple capes. They looked even sterner than the ones in the orange t-shirts. They stood with the ones in orange, standing behind a certain banner. Harry noticed that the people who stood behind a certain banner had a similar feature. Like the eleventh banner. They had the mischievous looking ones who'd belong in either Slytherin or Hufflepuff.
Mostly Slytherin.
They looked like trouble. Especially the two brothers standing side by side in front, holding the banner. Well, Harry assumed they were brothers. They looked exactly the same except one was taller than the other. They had that look in their eye that made Harry look over to the Weasley twins, who were smiling mischievously. Harry looked back at the Demi-god's.
The people from the last ship walked out with a silver banner with the moon on it. It was glowing even more than the gold one under the moonlight, making the gold one dim down a little letting the sun appear on the banner. And it seemed to be the banner's version of a pout.
And the people were all girls with a dim silver glow around them. Well except for the nine year old red-headed girl who seemed to glow more than the others. Also the other group of girls wearing black attire. There was one girl leading them who was wearing a leather suit with a golden chain belt around her wait. They all carried bows and arrows and wore silver and black attire. The red-headed girl was accompanied by two giant silver wolves the sizes of bears. Or elephants. As the red-haired girl passed, every Demi-god bowed down and said,
"Lady Artemis."
The girls behind this 'Lady Artemis' squeezed in between row number seven and number eight, making it number eight now.
A centaur walked to the front and bowed down to the girl.
"Lady Artemis." He said and stood from the bow, the Demi-god's following his example. The girl gave a small smile.
"Chiron. Zeus had asked me to come accompany you through this…project and I shall be here throughout the entire year. Afterwards, I will have to leave with my hunters." She said and the centaur nodded.
"I see. Well, it would be an honor having you here, My Lady." He said and turned to the crowd of wizards, who were silent the entire time. He smiled and walked forward. "Dumbledore, old friend. How nice it is to see you."
"Oh Chiron, what an even greater honor to see you. How have you been all these years?" Dumbledore asked, shaking Chiron's hand.
"I've been doing my job. Training heroes to be the people they should be. And helping everyone recover from the last two wars. It has been hard for these children." Chiron said and let go of Dumbledore's hand. Dumbledore's gaze moved over to the red-headed girl and he bowed his head.
"You must be Lady Artemis. It is an honor to meet you, My Lady." He said and Lady Artemis smiled.
"The honor is mine. Now shall we go inside? Hunters would like to be warm inside. The cold would be no problem if we had a fire." She said and Chiron looked back at the Demi-god's, just to see the ones in orange fiddling with weapons in hand while others had small conversations. Though most were having fights already. Mostly begun by the ones with the boar on their banner.
"Yes. We should get inside before my campers start a fire and burn everything down or several get severely injured." And as he said this, Chiron seemed amused.
Hermione looked horrified.
"Severely injured!? They let children to handle weapons!? This is an outrage!" she whisper/yelled.
"Maybe there is a good explanation." Ron said, though he didn't seem to convince himself that there is a good explanation.
"Very well." Dumbledore said before turning and walking towards the school entrance
ΔΔΔ
After getting over the arrival of the Demi-god's, students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang.
As they recrossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked –
"Oh I don't believe it. I haven't got a single quill on me-,"
"D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?"
Harry frowned when he heard snickering behind him. He turned around and saw the two identical Demi-god's a few rows back holding five quills in hand, some Galleons, lipstick and three wands in hand.
"This is too easy." One said
"I know right!?" the other said
"Really," Hermione said loftily as they passed the girls who were now frantically searching for the lipstick.
"I'm getting his autograph if I can," said Ron. "You haven't got a quill, have you, Harry?"
"Nope. But they seem to have eleven of them." Harry said and pointed at the two thieves. Ron was about to walk over when a girl with green eyes and brown hair walked up to them, her hands crossed sternly over her chest.
"Where did you two troublemakers get those?" she asked
"We borrowed them." The taller one said with a smug look, while at the same time the shorter one said, "We stole them," with a love struck look. The tall one gave him an incredulous look.
"Dude! I get that you're in love with her, but why!? We're supposed to be the famous Stoll brothers! Not the working one and the 'in love' one!" he said
"I'm not in love with her!" the short one said.
"You boys better return all those things or I'm returning you back to camp. The hard way." The girl said with a glare and the boys sighed.
"Yes, Katie." They grumbled and began walking away. The girl smiled in satisfaction and followed them.
"Well, you lost your chance." Hermione said. They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads.
"It's not that cold." Said Hermione defensively. "Why didn't they bring cloaks?"
"Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed. "Over here! Hermione, budge up, make space-,"
"What?"
"Too late." Ron said bitterly
Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table. Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle looking very smug about this.
The Demi-god's all stood at the entrance, probably waiting for something to happen. They were talking amongst themselves. The three legged stool was in front yet again. Professor McGonagall stood next to the stool with the hat in hand before putting it on the stool. As he watched, Malfoy bent forward to speak to Krum.
"Yeah, that's right, swarm up to him, Malfoy," said Ron scathingly. "I bet Krum can see right through him, though…bet he gets people fawning over him all the time… Where'd you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him space in our dormitory, Harry… I wouldn't mind giving him my bed. I could kip on a camp bed."
Hermione snorted
"They look a lot happier than the Beauxbatons lot," said Harry. The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, impressed.
Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his moldy old tailcoat in honor of the occasion. Harry was surprised to see him add ten chairs. Five on either side of Dumbledore.
"But there are only three or four extra people." Harry said. "Why is Filch putting out ten chairs? Who else is coming?"
"Eh?" Ron said vaguely. He was still staring at Krum. When all the students had entered the hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filling up to the top table and taking their seats. Last to enter was Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Chiron and Lady Artemis. The only difference with Chiron was that he was in a wheelchair. How? Nobody knows. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume sitting down until Madame Maxime sat down on Dumbledore's left side, and Lady Artemis sat next to her. Dumbledore remained standing and a silence fell over the Great Hall.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and – most particularly – guests." Dumbledore said beaming around the foreign students. Harry noticed some ghosts looking nervously at the Demi-god's. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."
One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.
"No one's making you stay!" Hermione whispered, bristling at her.
"And now for some important announcements." Dumbledore said. "The Quidditch pitch is off limits as the Demi-god's are going to be training there, unless invited or if you volunteer to be a training dummy." Harry swore he saw smirking from the scary looking kids at the group of Demi-god's. "The Demi-god's will be participating in the Triwizard Tournament. The rules apply to them as well. Right now, they shall be sorted into their Houses and they shall be treated as normal Hogwarts students. I was also told to tell you that do not fear if there is a random roar or hiss from somewhere. The Demi-god's will handle it. I'm not sure what it means, but I hopefully won't find out." Hermione scowled. "Now, they shall be sorted." Dumbledore sat down.
"Chase, Annabeth!" a pretty blonde girl with an athletic body and grey eyes walked up front with her head held high and an aura of pride around her. She seemed relaxed and tense at the same time. She seemed slightly harmless. Well, she would seem harmless if she didn't have the bone knife strapped to her thigh. Harry couldn't help himself but noticing that all these people looked godly. Annabeth sat on the chair and Professor McGonagall put the hat on top of her head.
"Gryffindor!" the hat yelled out and the Gryffindor table cheered. Annabeth smiled and made her way to the table, sitting right next to Ron who stared at her in awe.
"Di Angelo, Nico!" a boy with shaggy black hair and sickly pale skin walked to the front. He let out an aura of death. His eyes were dark from behind his hair. The ghosts seemed to tremble as he passed them. Even Bloody Baron, who stood up and bowed. He gave a small smile and a nod, making all the other ghosts bow as well. He had his hands in his pockets, a black sword hanging from his waist. He sat down on the chair and let out a sigh as the hat was put on his head.
The hall was silent and everyone waited. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Five minutes. Seven minutes. Then the hat finally yelled out, "Slytherin!" in a slightly quivering voice. The Slytherin table clapped and cheered and Nico went over there, sitting right next to Draco who greeted him. Nico raised a brow and shook his hand. Harry watched curiously as Draco immediately pulled away after touching his hand and Harry saw Malfoy's lips say, "…so cold…"
"Gardner, Katie!" the girl Harry saw earlier scolding those boys walked forward, a calming smile on her face. As she passed, Harry caught a whiff of her scent. Strawberries and flowers. Nice.
She sat on the chair. The hat was put on her head and she frowned slightly. Probably hearing the hat talking to her.
"Hufflepuff!" the hat yelled. The Hufflepuff table of course welcomed Katie in open arms.
"Garret, Malcolm." A boy with grey eyes matching Annabeth's as well as the athletic body and blonde hair walked up to the front. He had the same posture and look Annabeth had. Except he had a book by his side written in a language Harry didn't recognize. Malcolm sat on the chair and the hat was put on his head.
"Ravenclaw!" echoed around the hall and Ravenclaw clapped as Malcolm went over to sit with them.
This kept going on and on. Most of the children with the angry and scary faces went to Gryffindor or Slytherin while the ones who looked like those thieves went into Slytherin or Hufflepuff. Mostly Slytherin. But here was an interesting one.
"Grace, Jason!" a boy walked up to the front. He was built and big with sky blue eyes, glasses and a scar on his lip. He had that certain leadership aura around him. He was fingering a coin in hand that was about the size of a cookie. It was big. He sat down on the chair and sighed. The hat was soon on his head and everyone waited.
It was ten minutes and Ron was already moaning and groaning.
"Oh come on! Won't they just hurry up already?" he asked and Hermione shot him a look.
"Oh, just be patient. They might be a bit complicated. Like the di Angelo boy." Hermione said.
"Gryffindor!" The hat finally yelled and the Gryffindor table clapped. The guy sat next to Annabeth and they both shared a hug. Harry thought they were probably dating or something.
"Grace, Thalia!" an angry looking girl walked up front. She had pale skin and electric blue eyes and well as black hair that had electricity crackling around it. She was wearing silver and black attire and had a silver tiara on her head. She had a silver glow around her. Dimmer that Lady Artemis' but brighter than the others. She was muttering something under her breath and when she reached McGonagall she said,
"I don't like my surname. Please don't call me by it." And then she sat down. The hat was put on her head. And guess what? Even more waiting. And this one was longer.
"Gryffindor!" Thalia made her way next to Jason and they fist bumped.
Things kept going. No more long Sortings. Well, that's what Ron was hoping until this odd guy stepped up.
"Jackson, Perseus!" Annabeth giggled at the name. A boy who had a small blush on his face walked forward. He was big and built like Jason, but not as much. He seemed leaner and taller. His skin was tanned as if he spent too much time at the ocean, his black hair was a mess on his head and his sea green eyes were unnerving. In a way, this guy looked like an older and better version of Harry. He seemed to be attracting too many girls because very soon, many girls were red from him just passing by.
He sat on the chair, fiddling with a cheap pen in his hands. Professor McGonagall put the hat on his head and the boy sat up straighter and narrowed his eyes.
This guy might be seriously difficult because Harry was sure he took twenty five minutes.
"It might be taking a while because his brain is full of kelp." Annabeth said in amusement and the Graces' laughed
"True." Thalia said
"Gryffindor!" the hat yelled and by this time, Percy was already bored out of his mind. He was sure he already wrote Annabeth's name in different sizes and fonts onto his arm with his pen in writing form. He stood up and made his way to the Gryffindor table. Jason made space between himself and Annabeth, allowing Percy to sit in-between.
"Hey Superman, Pinecone Face, Wise Girl." Percy said, nodding at Thalia and Jason. He turned to Annabeth and smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Annabeth smiled lightly and Harry noticed most of the blushing girls sigh sadly and look envious.
When the sorting was finished, Ron was relieved. Most of the kids who had some of Annabeth's features went to Ravenclaw. Percy and Nico seemed to be the only ones who didn't have a feature that looked like anyone else's.
"The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," Dumbledore said. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"
He sat down and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward to engage in a conversation.
The plates in front of them filed with food as usual. The house elves in the kitchen seems to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them that Harry had never seem, including several that were definitely foreign.
"What's that?" Ron asked, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding. The Demi-god's seemed to have heard them because they intervened.
"That's Bouillabaisse." Annabeth said as if she expected Ron to know.
"Bless you." Ron said
"No. It's French." Hermione said after shooting Annabeth an impressed look. "I had it on holiday summer before last. It's very nice."
"I'll take your word for it." Ron said, helping himself to black pudding. Percy gave Annabeth a look before shrugging and helping himself as well. And more food. Seriously, his plate couldn't hold all of that food.
"You'll choke." Hermione said to Percy. Percy looked at her.
"I've never choked before. Just the perks of being a teenage boy." Percy said and winked, causing Hermione to flush red. Percy stared at his plate of food and looked over at the front of the table.
"Don't even bother. I've told him this over and over. He just doesn't listen to me." Annabeth said. "Why do you think he's gotten us killed most of the time?" Hermione gaped.
"Killed!?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Oh yeah. It's a normal thing really. Waking up, getting dressed, eating, and preparing to fight for your life." A boy named Leo said with a shrug. He was very… elf-like.
"Normal!?" Hermione screeched louder.
All of a sudden, a golden brazier appeared in front. Every Demi-god stood and walked over. They took a portion of their food and put it in, muttering something before returning to their seats. For some reason, when Nico muttered something, the room got a little colder before being warm again. Harry saw Severus give Nico a nod and a tiny smile. Nico smiled at waved at him like, Hi mommy! I'm on TV!
"Oh yeah." Jason said, before going over to the brazier. When the demi-god's came back, Ron was looking at them in horror. Then they began eating.
"What was that?" Ron asked
"We sacrifice a portion of our food to the gods. It's an ancient Greek tradition." Annabeth said. "In translation, we have to if we don't want to be struck down."
"Excuse me? Are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"
It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed at Dumbledore's speech. She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes and very white and even teeth.
Though she still didn't get near the Demi-god girls. Especially all the ones who like squealing and gossiping and wear a lot of make-up.
Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.
"Yeah, you can have it." Percy said, pushing the dish towards the girl who was hungrily eyeing Percy. Annabeth rolled her eyes at how oblivious her boyfriend was.
"You 'ave finished wiz it?"
"Yeah." Ron said breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent."
The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he'd never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to bring back Ron.
"She's a Veela." He said
"A what-a?" Leo asked with a confused look on his face
"A Veela." Hermione said and left it at that. No explanation. "And she isn't one. I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot."
"Really?" Percy asked with an amused smile. "I don't see that."
Indeed, many boys' heads turned and some of them were temporarily speechless, just like Ron, when the girl passed by.
"I'm telling you! She's not a normal girl!" Ron said, leaning so he had a clear view of her. "They don't make them like that at Hogwarts."
"What did you expect from a school Demi-god's call Pigskin?" Leo muttered before shoving food in his mouth.
"They make them okay at Hogwarts." Harry said without thinking. Cho happened to be sitting only a few places away from the girl.
"When you've both put your eyes back in your heads, look at who's arrived." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.
She was pointing up at the staff table. Two of the remaining seats have been filled up, leaving the other four empty. Ludo Bagman, now sitting beside Chiron while Mr. Crouch, Percy's – erm- Percy Weasley's boss, was beside Lady Artemis. Even though he didn't look nervous sitting next to the now nineteen year old girl, his eyes had panic in them.
"What are they doing here?" Harry asked in surprise
"They organized the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they?" Hermione said. "I supposed they wanted to be here to see it start."
Percy looked up. "They're here?" he shared a look with Jason. They both nodded before standing up.
"See you guys later." Jason said and he and Percy went up to the staff table, followed by a Demi-god girl from Ravenclaw known as Reyna and a huge Asian guy from Hufflepuff whose name was Frank. They sat in the remaining seats, surprising everyone other than the teachers and the Demi-god's.
Once the plates have been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up. A pleasant sort of tension filled the Hall. Harry felt a slight thrill of excitement, wondering what was coming. Several seats down from them, Fred and George were leaning forward, staring at Dumbledore with great concentration. Well, Fred seemed to be staring at Reyna, but Harry wasn't so sure.
"The moment has come." Dumbledore said, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket-,"
"A what?" Annabeth muttered and Thalia shrugged.
"- just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation," – there was a smattering of polite applause – ", and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."
There was a much louder applause for Bagman than for Crouch. Perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked more likable.
"Also, let me introduce Jason Grace, former Praetor of Camp Jupiter, a child of the Second Great Prophecy and Pontifex Maximus. Son of Jupiter and Hero of Olympus." There was a hesitant applause, since they didn't know what anything meant.
"Reyna Ramírez-Arellano, Praetor of Camp Jupiter, Daughter of Bellona and Hero of Olympus." This applause was a little louder since they understood half of what was said.
"Frank Zhang, Praetor of Camp Jupiter, a child of the Second Great Prophecy, Son of Mars and Hero of Olympus." Everyone just kept clapping. Now they were bored. Can't they just announce more information about the Triwizard Tournament already?
"And Perseus Jackson, former Praetor of Camp Jupiter, child of the First and Second Great Prophecy, Leader of Camp Half-Blood, Bearer of the Sky and the Mark of Achilles, Survivor of Tartarus. Son of Poseidon and twice Hero of Olympus." This applause was an applaud of shock on how one person can be all that.
"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months to arrange the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Chiron and Ms. Ramírez-Arellano on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts. The casket, then, if you will, Mr. Filch."
Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels.
"The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman." Dumbledore said ad Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will tests the champions in many different ways… their magical prowess – their daring – their powers of deduction – and of course, their ability to cope with danger."
"Percy's got this one in the bag." Annabeth muttered. Harry frowned, wondering what she meant.
"As you know now, there will be four champions competing in the tournament. A small change from our usual three," Dumbledore said calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector; The Goblet of Fire."
Leo smirked, but Annabeth gave him a stern look, making him deflate.
Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped it upon the top of the casket three times. The lid creaked open slowly. Dumbledore reached in and took out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. He closed the casket and put the Goblet on top for all to see.
"Anyone wishing to submit themselves as a champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet." Dumbledore said. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return names of the four it has judged worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.
"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross the line." Dumbledore said. "This tournament is to not be taken lightly, once a champion is selected, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet.
"Finally, I should announce that the next morning, the Demi-god's would like to demonstrate their prowess by having a war game called, The Big Three vs. Everyone else. It will take place on the Quidditch pitch at approximately eight in the morning. You do not need to be there. But it was a mere suggestion for you to be there. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."
"Do you think the age line allows physical or mental age?" Thalia asked
"Probably mental. So that means you and Nico can actually enter." Annabeth said.
"That would be awesome. Seeing myself zap everything with lighting. Or see Nico resurrect the dead and make them win for him." Thalia said. They stood up and walked towards the entrance, the wizards following behind.
"But seriously, Percy has this one in the bag. He's gone through things that would make matured people go insane." Annabeth said.
"What do you mean?" Fred asked.
"Well, during the year, we were in our second war. Against the Giants and Mother Earth. During a small little…quest, Percy and Annabeth fell into the realm of my uncle downstairs' basement." Thalia said. "Translation, they fell into Greek Hell and came back somewhat intact." Annabeth shuddered.
"I'm never going back there again." Annabeth muttered. Nico joined Annabeth, Draco clinging beside him.
"Annie," Nico began and Annabeth scowled, "this is Draco Malfoy. I think he might be a descendant of Athena. I mean, look at him." Annabeth eyed Malfoy, who was sneering and Harry, Ron and Hermione but said nothing.
"Hey, Neeks. I've just noticed that that guy with the greasy black hair looks like your father." Thalia said. Nico scowled.
"He is a descendant of Hades. That might be why. But please, no." Nico said. "So, who's ready to get their asses whooped tomorrow?"
"The others. Hopefully, Artemis won't let the Hunters fight. I really don't feel like being cream-pied by Percy." Thalia said.
"Too bad. You'll fight anyways." Annabeth said. "You always have to fight."