Chapter 10

Harry

Although I wondered why Dumbldore had picked Ron over me as Prefect, I was truly happy for him. So often he was in the shadow of myself on the fighting evil thing, but he was there every step of the way and had done more than just about anyone to help me. Academically we were both in Hermione's shadow of course. So it was good and right that Ron got the recognition he deserved. The down side was that for the first time I wouldn't be riding with them to Hogwarts as they would rounding up the first and second years and making sure they got where they needed to be without too much harassment from the upper classmen.

I saw Ginny, Neville and an odd blond girl who was reading a magazine upside down through those cheap sunglasses you get at touristy places and thought to wait for them but figured they would catch up. I really just wanted to find a space that wasn't occupied, but the Order had made sure I was so late that the train started moving as soon as I stepped on it seemed, and all the compartments were full. All but one.

Even from a distance it felt cold, and everything about it said "leave me alone." No one really tried to enter it, everyone just walked past it, mostly picking up their pace as they did. I looked in and saw its sole occupant to be the kid in black. Everything about him said "Go away." He appeared to be asleep, and he still seemed terrifying, and I was not immune to this feeling of cold that permeated his presence. Across his lap lay the most beautiful wand, and beside him the black sword that he had used to dispatch the dementors a week earlier.

Ginny and Neville approached from behind me.

"We might as well go in." Neville said, as the blond girl joined us.

Neville turned the knob and entered. The kid in black didn't even look up. He just said with an American drawl, "Yer late."

The kid in black was no longer solely wearing black. Instead, he was wearing a blazer with some sort of crest on the pocket, white shirt, purple tie, black slacks and combat boots. Having not had a chance to thank him before I was at a loss as to what to say to him now.

"I didn't know I had an appointment."

"We expected you 10 minutes ago, come on, lets go, I can introduce you to everyone. Who are they?" He asked.

"My friends, Neville and Ginny, and, uh"

"Luna Lovegood, I'm from Ravenclaw" the blonde said.

"Wait, who are you? And how did you know I would come to this compartment?" I asked as he reached for a door that was on the outside wall of the train.

"Nico. Nico De Angelo. The compartment is enchanted to deter all but the truly brave."

"Well, uh, thanks for the, uh, other day." I stammered, not quite sure what to say.

"No worries. It was fun. I've always had a way with the undead. Come on, we only have a few hours until the train arrives. If you say they're okay, your friends can come with us."

"What, oh, uh, sure. I've known Neville and Ginny since first year, and uh Luna, well I just met her."

"Her father publishes the Quibbler, they are big supporters of you Harry." Ginny said.

"Well, there you are. Pleased to meet you Luna." Nico said as he turned the knob on the small closet door. "Right this way, everyone will be waiting."

I gasped as we entered. The foyer was huge and led into a ballroom that was even larger. Hallways went right and left on two levels of the ballroom which had a magnificent spiral stair case on either side. The walls were wood paneled, walnut I think and not the sort you buy at a home store, with lighting sconces every few feet. Nico led us down a hall and began speaking.

"The whole thing exists in parallel space, I don't know how it works, and if Leo does he's not saying."

"Who are you people?" I finally asked.

"Hazel will explain all that. I'm just escorting you in because you've seen me already. This sort of thing isn't usually my job."

"What is your job?" Neville asked.

"Killing things. Making sure they stay dead. I'm the Lord of the Undead and Prince of Ghosts." Nico said plainly, as if that was the sort of work anyone might do. Hearing this Ginny took hold of my arm as if scared. I couldn't blame her. Nico carried himself like one of the Aurors, only one that had destroyed more than his share of Death Eaters. It was clear from the way he carried himself that he was ambivalent as to killing more of them and only mildly interested in his own survival. And I couldn't be sure whether his "Lord of the Undead and Prince of Ghosts" titles were real or not.

"You're quite good at if from what I saw." I said as we entered what appeared to be a large dining hall, much like the one at Hogwarts, only this one lacked a stage and was empty other than tables and chairs at the moment. We crossed this, went through a door and up a short spiral stair case and were suddenly in a library. Seated around a long table covered with a map of Hogwarts and the surrounding area were eleven people about my age. The guys were all dressed like Nico, but the girls, well, they were dressed like something from a fantasy. It wasn't just that they were dressed in typical school girl uniforms, it was that each was so profoundly beautiful it was impossible to not stare. After a moment Ginny cleared her throat and brought me back to reality.

One of the girls giggled at me, while the others smirked and continued to pose like models. The guys all stared at me dead serious. Nico went to the table and sat next to a tall blond guy.

"Hazel, this is Harry Potter, and his friends Ginny, Neville and Luna." Nico said.

The most approachable one of them stood up and offered her hand. "Its a pleasure to meet you at last Mr Potter. Myself and my team stand ready to assist you in your quest."

"Uh, my quest?"

"Yes. Your quest to find and kill Voldemort. That is why we're here, well, that and that our school was destroyed by floods. America wasn't involved in your last wizarding war, but that oversight has been corrected and we are here now. Let me introduce everyone. This is Reyna, our second in command and strategist."

As she said this a beautiful Hispanic girl with long black hair gave a slight nod. She then turned to the lorry of a guy sitting next to her and said "This is Frank, he's, uh, well, he's my boyfriend and one of our best fighters. He conducts our team drills.

Hazel turned to a girl with blonde hair who looked muscular all over, but in a feminine way if that makes sense. "This is Annabeth, our tactician and close quarters combat instructor, and her boyfriend Percy."

"Hi Harry, nice to meet you. I'd be proud to fight at your side. I've heard about you giving Voldemort the beat down, I'd love to compare notes sometime. " Percy said, and he seemed sincere.

"You're record is impressive from what we've been told, especially considering you've been basically unarmed." Annabeth added.

"Uh, do all you guys carry swords?" I asked.

"I didn't for a long time, but I do now. Before last spring I only carried a knife." Annabeth answered.

"And I've only carried a spatha, but I was recently issued a saber for this quest." Hazel added, the continued, "This is Jennifer, Rachel and Piper, Jennifer and Rachel don't carry weapons at all, they go on pure magic."

Ginny grabbed my arm so tight it hurt. I couldn't stop staring at Jennifer and Piper. They were unearthly beautiful.

"Nice to meet you" Ginny said, but she didn't really sound like it was nice at all.

"Yes, its very nice to meet all of you" Neville added as he stared at Reyna.

"Oh! You can talk! I was wondering!" Reyna exclaimed with a smile.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I can talk, uh um. Sorry." Neville finally got out.

"Don't be sorry, I think shyness is cute in a guy and I sense you are very brave when you need to be." Reyna smiled.

"Ahem" Jason cleared his throat.

"I'm getting there Jason, be patient, Harry, this is Jason and Leo. Jason is our air mobility guy, and Leo is our engineer. And they are the boyfriends of Piper and Jennifer." Hazel said, and Ginny relaxed her grip on my arm.

"And that leaves Will, our healer, and you've met his partner Nico. That's everyone! Have a seat and lets get to know each other."

"So how long have you two been a couple?" Jennifer asked Ginny.

"Oh, uh, we're just friends, I mean, really good friends" I replied.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. Perhaps you two should talk, I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to mention it, but both of you wear your feelings where they are easy to read." Jennifer said.

I looked at Ginny and she looked up at me. Her eyes confessed that Jennifer had not been wrong, and at that I realized that Ron's sister thought I was as special to her as she was to me.

"We'll talk later" Ginny whispered and I grinned.

"Just don't tell him she's pregnant" Percy mumbled which caused everyone but us to laugh.

"Sorry, inside joke, that is definitely not funny! I'll explain later" Annabeth said.

"Before we get too far, do any of you know these people?" Leo said as he slid a golden half sphere across the table. It was flat on the bottom and had a screen angled on one side from bottom to top. The picture on the screen clearly showed Ron and Hermione in the train compartment look around as though lost.

"Yeah, that's my best friends, Ron and Hermione. They are probably worried that we disappeared.

"Oh! We must meet them too! Nico, Will, would you be so kind as to fetch them for us?" Hazel asked.

"It would be our pleasure" Nico smiled.

Reyna and Neville were talking, as was Annabeth, Piper and Luna. The rest of us waited quietly until Jason asked "So is there a big difference between the instruction at Hogwarts and at Mather-Knap?"

"Well, I think probably so. I mean, we don't learn how to fight with knives and swords for one thing. Before Nico rescued us I was going to cast a patronus to drive the dementors away."

"So it doesn't kill them?"

"No, not as far as I know. Until that day everyone thought they were immortal. I have only driven them off. Is that a spell you learn?"

"What? Patronus? Of course" Percy said as he drew his wand and cast the most gigantic, fiery patronus I had ever seen. It was an owl that seemed both solid and made of flaming ether. His patronus was so bright it nearly blinded me. I wonder what it would do to a dementor. If any could kill one, it would be this.

"Wicked." Ron said as he shielded his eyes from the brightness on entering.

Percy dropped the spell and everyone's eyes adjusted. "You really need to learn to ease up on that some" Frank said.

"Whatever for? That was awesome!" Hermione nearly shouted, before falling dead silent and looking at all of the girls one at a time.

"You,,,, you were all in my dream." She said.

"Yes, you've met us, and met some of our mothers, but lets talk about that later. How are you Hermione?" Hazel asked. "It is good to see you again and to meet you in this reality."

"Good. Confused, but good."

"Well, after dinner we will show you around the Leodis and have time to talk about all that. Okay?"

"Uh, Okay."

"She met your mom? Percy asked Annabeth.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry" Percy grinned, causing Annabeth to elbow his side.

"Show some respect. Besides, for once we're getting along."

"Where are you from in America?" Neville asked.

"Well, I suppose like your student body, we are from all over. Piper is from Oklahoma by way of California. Leo is from Texas, Reyna is from Puerto Rico, Percy is from New York, Annabeth from San Francisco. We are a mixed bag. But our school is in Danvers, Massachusetts, or was, before the flood wiped it out. Its being rebuilt but for the next year or two we get to visit Hogwarts so as to assist on Harry's quest and prove that Americans can fight in a wizarding war."

We talked a bit more then someone suggested lunch. Since none of us had eaten since breakfast this seemed like a good idea, but rather than go out to the dining car we went to the next room, the huge dining room we passed on the way in, and found one of the tables already prepared and our favorite foods waiting.

"Whose home is this?" Neville asked.

"Mine and Leo's, but the team is welcome to use it. We have much more room than we need. Anyone want to swim after lunch?" Jennifer asked.

"You have a pool in here?" I asked.

"Sure" Leo answered. "Why wouldn't we? Doesn't Hogwarts have a pool?"

"No, just a lake. And swimming in it can be risky what with the mermaids." I replied. "I did it last year and I don't recommend it."

We didn't swim but continued getting to know one another until Hazel announced it was nearly time for the train to arrive. Only Ron and Hermione had their robes on, but our suit cases were brought from the compartment and were each in a bedroom. As she showed us the way there, she pointed out that Ron was in the room beside me, while Ginny and Hermione were across the hall. Herminone protested that she already had a perfectly fine room at Hogwarts, until she saw the opulence of her quarters here. It had its own study room, library, loo, dressing room, a gigantic bed with a canopy over it, sitting areas... all in all it was larger than the entire girls area of Gryffindor tower. Ginny and Ron's were much the same. Neville and Luna didn't have rooms but were told that arrangements would be made. Luna pointed out that if the Leodis was in Gryffindor Tower she wouldnt' be able to access it at night in any case which truthfully saddened me. She was weird, but Ginny thought highly of her.

We arrived back at the compartment just as the train pulled in. Ron and Hermione had to go supervise the first years to the boats. Technically the Americans were first years, but they had no intentions of riding the boats, and no one seemed very intent on making them. Leo was the last out of the Leodis, and the only one carrying any luggage, a gold suit case. He manipulated the door we came through and it too folded down into a medium sized suit case.

"I love magic!" I said as he folded it down.

Leo had me hold the case for a moment and press my hand on a panel on the back while he manipulated the latches.

"Okay, now its programmed for you. You can come and go as you like, and bring almost anyone with you, so long as the security system detects they are loyal to you. If anyone tries to open the door that isn't programmed in, they only see a small closet, so we have to get Ron, Hermione and Neville in it to. Neville, Ginny, come here!"

Once Neville and Ginny were on the accepted list we were ready to go. The order had told me that the few hundred yards between the train and the gates of Hogwarts were to be the most dangerous of the trip. I was under instructions to not give fight if attacked, but to run to the gates as quickly as possible. Right. I wasn't going to let anyone fight for me.

A chunk of the Americans went in front of Neville, Luna and I, and the rest were tight in behind us. I realized they were on alert too as though they were expecting a fight, and wondered what their real purpose was in being here. It seemed as though they were guarding me.

We all expected an attack, from what we did not know. What we didn't expect was for Reyna to scream "Scipio!" at the top of her lungs and run to the nearest carriage.

"What are they? I asked as I saw Reyna hugging what appeared to be a horse skeleton, albeit one with bat wings.

"What are what?" Ron said, he and Hermione having caught up from their duties.

"They are Thestrals" Luna said. "They can only be seen by someone who was seen death. That is why Ron can't see them. You're not crazy. They are the remains of a winged horse that has been killed. Since they are magical creatures sometimes Pegasus and Hecate favor one and ask Hades reincarnate them. They come back as Thestrals until they are given the love to become what they were again by someone who knew them before.

Reyna was in tears. The thestral's body began filling itself in, its wings growing long black feathers, there was no doubt it was quickly becoming a Pegasus.

"Potter, why not have your American friend get out of our way so we can be on about our business?"

I looked up to see that the carriage Reyna's pegasus would be pulling carried Draco, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle, all of whom were snickering at Reyna.

Reyna didn't care, but I did.

"Why don't.." was all I got out before Piper stepped up.

"I got this" She said, then turned to Draco, "You must be Draco we've heard so much about."

"Yes, and while I assure you I have no idea who you people are, I can assist you. I can see you've already fallen in with the wrong sorts. In England, who you choose to associate with as a witch or wizard will determine who you become. I can help you pick the right sorts, but you certainly can't..." Piper cut him off. Her looks were devastating, Draco, Goyle and Crabbe were already hopelessly outclassed, then she spoke. Her voice carried power, you simply had to obey it. Thankfully, it wasn't directed at me.

"Draco, Draco, Draco... so pale and thin. You look like an anemic street urchin playing dress up. You should start working out, gain some muscle mass and do something about your hair and complexion, then, in a few years, maybe, we might let you hang with us. In the mean time, why don't you and your loser friends pick up your luggage and walk to the gates, you need the exercise, don't you?"

"Come on, lets walk, we can carry our luggage. We need the exercise" Draco said as he rose from the carriage, and the others agreed. They trundled off just as a beautiful black pegasus came into view for everyone to see.

"Percy! Jason! Scipio is back!" Reyna said with tears dripping down her face.

"Just in time too!" Leo said as he handed me the wooden suit case and manipulated the handled on the gold one. "Look up kids, we got company!"

In the darkness above I saw a skull formed in the clouds and several black columns of apparating wizards came down. In addition four dementors came through the clouds as well. I drew my wand and several things happened at once.

"No!" Piper said to me, and I knew I could not fight either the Death Eaters or the dementors. "You guys and Hazel clear a path to the gate, anything gets in your way, kill it."

The effect of her voice must have carried over to Neville, Luna, Ron and Hermione as we all grouped up, back to back, with Hazel in front and Piper in the rear and began moving as a team towards the gate.

The scene was like an explosion of violence. Other students ran away from it thankfully and no one else tried to intercede. Reyna said something to the Pegasus who nodded. She jumped on its back, drew her sword and shouted something about "12th legion fulminata" and took to the sky. Frank transfigured into a giant eagle and rode up with her, while Jason simply rose up as if the wind itself was carrying him. That was strange enough, but then Leo did something with the gold suitcase and it folded out into a mechanical gold dragon, which took him aloft as he yelled something to the effect of "Camp Half Blood Kill 'em All!"

On the ground six columns of black smoke came down. The first three produced death eaters, all dressed in black with their silver masks. Each held a wand, but they shouldn't have brought wands to a sword fight. Percy was on them like a flash, he cleaved two in half before they had a chance to fully form and it was as though an explosion of blood and guts erupted. Nico got another one in the same shape, and both he and Percy slew one more each that had formed but was startled to in action by the scene of their dead friends around them. The last took off, landed atop the train, and attempted to fling curses with his wand, but Piper, Rachel and Hazel easily blocked them.

Finally the death eater grew tired of the stand off and attacked. He apparated right at us, just to the right of Annabeth who stood her ground and didn't flinch.

"You really are a slow learner aren't you?" she said as she swung her sword as though it were a bat in a game of American baseball and cleaved him in half as he began to solidify. Once again, gore went everywhere, but this time Jennifer waived her wand and all of it was deflected away from us.

By the time the fight was over on the ground, it was over in the air as well. Each of the airborne Americans had killed a dementor, and no one had even bothered with a patronus. We were almost to the gate when Leo slayed the last and came in to land. With a push of a panel on the dragon's neck it was back to a briefcase which he picked up. I would have thought a moment's celebration was in order, but Hazel merely said "Let's go" and we went through the gate.

Once under the protection of Hogwart's magic the Americans lightened up some. Leo was still all business as we waited for the column of carriages to come through. There was some confusion as to what to do, and Hagrid went to sort it out. Annabeth drew her sword and was about ready to attack him but we convinced her that Hagrid was our friend. Apparently the Thestrals didn't like walking through death eater guts and a couple of professors were going through the wreckage to attempt to identify the dead. Draco and his gang actually arrived, carrying all their luggage, before any of the professors or carriages did.

Leo hung the Leodis on the wall that surrounds Hogwarts and opened the door to the point that it was a double door. "Reyna, Go through the dining hall, to the left and down that hall to the double doors on the right. That's the stables. Or you can just put him in your room, but hurry back."

Reyna was still riding the pegasus and charged through the door. She was back in about three minutes and Leo had time to take the Leodis down and convert it to luggage as Snape and some trollish woman in pink arrived.

"Weapons... are not allowed... at Hogwarts" Snape said.

"What weapons?" Percy asked.

"The ones you just used. And I can assure you there will be a full investigation by the ministry. Now, hand those swords and knives, and..,., where is the dragon?" The troll woman demanded.

"Dragon? You must be imagining things." Piper said.

"I... okay, maybe not a dragon, whatever it was, you used weapons now hand them over."

"Again, what weapons?" Percy asked.

I realized this was that Umbridge lady from the ministry hearing. She was horrible then, and just as wretched now.

"Wait," I said, "first you accuse me of killing two creatures that can't be killed, and now you're claiming I have weapons that I clearly don't have? I guess next you're going to say that the Ministry left the children unprotected from the train to Hogwarts and allowed death eaters to attack along with dementors. Are you saying that the Ministry was negligent in protecting children mamm?" I nearly shouted.

Even Snape smiled. As wretched as he was, he wasn't as horrible as this bitch.

Piper began again, "You don't mean the Ministry was negligent do you? Because thats the only way the attack you're imagining could have occurred."

"No. There was no attack. The ministry was not negligent." She said with a glazed look.

Snape then said "Potter, you and your... friends, should take these next two carriages, and forget tonight.