HERMIONE

I laughed at Annabeth's face when he saw the Hogwarts Express. Harry and Ron kept fawning over Percy and closing his mouth for him, only for it to flop back open seconds later. I blushed a little as his startled gaze rested on me, and had to scold myself furiously.

He is Annabeth's! Yelled to myself. You cannot have a crush on him!

The bright scarlet steam engine still impressed me every time I saw it as well. I could understand how the demigods must be feeling. Even Nico, whom I had understood seldom showed emotion, had wide eyes and his lips slightly parted in shock. I smiled kindly and touched his shoulder as Leo whistled at the train.

"It amazes me every time," I told him. He just nodded numbly before closing his mouth and cuffing Leo upside the head as the demigod shot a canon of questions at me about how the Hogwarts Express worked. I figured he'd gotten over the whole 'hog warts' thing by now, so answered everything I could; which turned out to be only about forty percent. After dropping a bit behind Leo to leave him rambling to himself, I walked towards the glorious train with Annabeth.

"Just ignore that doofus," she said, rolling her eyes at Leo as he shouted something incomprehensible, catching the confused attention of other students. "I'm the only one who gets what he says, and even then it's only about half."

I was very surprised at how similar Annabeth and I were. Finally, someone who would understand me when I became obsessed with our schoolwork! I had a feeling she might too.

"So, Hermione," Jason said as he and Piper came up beside me. "What happens now?"

I was a bit flustered for a second. Jason was extremely attractive – all the male demigods were in their own way, even Nico – but I knew he and Piper were together and I didn't have a snowballs chance in hell against a daughter of Aphrodite. I wondered if Piper's mum was messing with me on purpose – first Percy and then Jason.

I realised I hadn't answered Jason's question. Going a bit red, I replied.

"Now we have to get our stuff onto the train, then go find an empty compartment."

Jason nodded and fell behind Annabeth and I as we walked the last few meters to the door. I opened it and pulled my trunk on, making sure everyone was behind me. I was a Prefect, after all.

As I expected, Ron didn't bring up the rear. He was in the middle, lugging his trunk and chatting with Harry and Percy about something. I coughed loudly, getting their attention. I looked at Ron with a disapproving expression.

"Prefect duties, Ronald," I chastised. "Shouldn't you be bringing up the rear?"

Harry smiled apologetically at his best friend. Percy smirked and said, "Busted." Ron rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, before hurrying off the train again to attempt to help all the demigods on. Leo seemed to be having trouble.

He was leaning almost horizontal, trying to pull his trunk along. But either he had stuffed it to bursting or someone had jinxed it, the thing was not coming off the ground. I stayed in the doorway while Harry walked with the demigods to find a spare booth. I watched as Ron and Leo grasped the handle and pulled with all their might. The trunk still didn't move. I heard Leo curse in some language I'd never heard of before he unclipped the suitcase and started fiddling. I jumped down and went over. As I got closer, I could hear Leo muttering.

"Ugh, the weight stabiliser's steaming!" Then he went off on a stream of likely curse words in what I could tell as two different languages. Ron looked lost and shocked as Leo pulled a wrench and a drill out of his belt and started working at something inside his trunk with them. I was speechless.

"Leo, what exactly is that belt? Does it have an Undetectable Extension Charm?" I asked when I found my voice. Leo looked up for a moment, confused.

"What's that? And it's a spoil of war."

Then he went back to work. A few seconds later, he stood back up and shoved the tools back into too-small pockets, closed his trunk, and then lifted it with ease. Ron looked like he was going to faint. So did I.

Leo hopped on the train and looked around. Before I could point him in the direction the others went, the Latino boy had already bolted down the train corridor. He looked over his shoulder and grinned at Ron and I.

"See you guys at the carriage!" He shouted, before sprinting away and ducking into a compartment. I nudged Ron.

"C'mon. Prefect booth."

We walked in the opposite direction to our friends.

The only reason I updated so early is because of CandyKicker390, who I sadly live with, so she bugged me senseless. Review!

Jasmine Out!