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11. Winners, Losers and Ice

"You're getting better Thalia," Seth says, disarming me.

Again.
I try not to look back at Tyler, who has been chopping the heads and arms off of the dummies since Seth and I walked in for our sword-fighting lesson.

"C'mon Thalia," Seth says, his sword slicing the air three inches from my face, "stay concentrated."

I take a deep breath, trying to parry Seth's sword, only for him to disarm me again, Whitewash clattering to the floor.

"What is with you today?" He asks exasperatedly.

"I don't know, it's just-" I was about to argue the fact that the blind guy was better than me, but I knew that wouldn't work on Seth.

"Thalia, why don't you let me help you with that disarming technique?" Tyler walks up behind me.

I turn around, "I don't want your help, Tyler." I say, not trying to keep the venom out of my voice.

"I got your back," Seth whispers in my ear.

Tyler ignores me, "So you just start out like-"

"Mason," Seth says coldly, "take the hint. She doesn't want your 'expertise.'"

I can hear the quotes in Seth's voice around his last word.

The fake warmth in Tyler's eyes evaporates, "Listen Blind Boy, you-"

My fist clenches around Whitewash, "Say that again." I snarl though gritted teeth.

Tyler opens his mouth, his eyes turned to stone, but I raise my sword, ready to strike.

But Seth is still faster than me.

I watch the look of surprise on Tyler's face as the flat of Seth's sword careens past me, connecting with Tyler's face.

Tyler stumbles back, cupping his hand around his broken nose.

The look in his grey eyes is murderous and I can't help but smile.

I look over at Seth, who's trying to keep his cool composure, but I can tell he's dying to fall to the ground laughing.

The conch shell sounds, signaling dinner, and Seth and I start for the pavilion, leaving Tyler's menacing eyes behind us.

[[[[]]]

I dump half of my food into the fire as always, as my sacrifice to the gods.

On my way back to my lonely table, I try not to meet Tyler's gaze, knowing I'll burst out laughing.

Unfortunately, Tyler got some nectar for his nose right away so it isn't so mashed up, but he does have a cute white bandage on his nose.

Halfway through the meal, Chiron stands up and says, "Capture the Flag will be on Friday, so start finalizing your teams over the next two days."

A buzz breaks out across the pavilion. I see Sarah looking over at me, smiling and giving me the thumbs-up.

I guess Capture the Flag is a good thing.

Everyone starts to settle down, and there's a lull in the conversation when Rachael from the Hecate table stands up and shouts, "No!"

I don't know much about the Hecate cabin: only that the campers have varying abilities, Rachael is the cabin leader, and the blonde she's standing over is Emma.

I turn to look at Hecate's table along with everyone else.

"What?" Emma asks, trying to look innocent, but I don't think an innocent look has ever crossed that girl's face.

"I heard what you were thinking," Rachael says, "and it's not going to happen!"

So that's what her ability is. I think to myself. Mind reading.

I see a girl at the Aphrodite table turn back to her food, flipping her hair back over her shoulder and continuing to talk to her friend next to her. Apparently this isn't the first outburst from Hecate's table.

"What's not going to happen?" Emma asks, still trying to act innocent.

"They made me cabin leader for a reason," Rachael snarls.

"Oh that," Emma says, "I'm going to make it happen. And you're not going to stop me."

"You better not try anything you little-"

"Rachael. Sit down," Emma's voice has a new softer tone in it.

Rachael sits, her eyes glassy.

"Thank you. Now, say the words. You will make me cabin leader."

Silence.

"Say it."

"I will make-" Rachael shakes her head, bringing her out of her stupor, "No! You will not be leader!"

Chiron stands up then, "Thank you girls, for that lovely ending to our dinner, but that really is enough."

Emma turns away, her persuasive spell falling off of Rachael, and the meal continues.

[[[[]]]

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I roll over; it's just a dream. Snuggling down, I'm almost asleep again when the tapping gets louder.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

I bury my head under the pillow, "GO AWAY!" I mumble sleepily to myself. But the tapping gets louder still.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

I groggily sit up, staring at the door, which has begun to shutter. Someone's trying to get in! Fully awake now, my heartbeat begins to speed up.

Is it Tyler? Coming to avenge his broken nose? I try to steady my thoughts. He was a jerk, he deserved it.

Slowly, I see the door start to ease open. I crane my head to see who it is, but there's no one there.

I clasp my seashell tightly in my hand, ready to strike. I can feel the water inside rippling smoothly around.

The door stands wide open, the stiff breeze from the sea racing through the cabin and making the wind chimes above the door ring eerily.

The room grows colder and colder by the second.

Finally, I can't take it anymore. I start climbing down the ladder, but I'm shaking so bad, one of my feet slip off the rung and I crash in a heap on the floor with a loud squeak.

I stand up cursing, when I hear a snicker from the corner of the cabin. I freeze, my heart racing again. Just the wind, I tell myself, and walk across the rest of the cabin to tightly shut the door, and turn the lock.

I scurry back up the ladder, ready to bury myself back under the covers. But on the top rung, instead of grabbing the mattress to pull myself the rest of the way up, my hand clasps something thin and watery, something I can't see. I immediately let go, and with a scream, land in another heap on the cabin floor. Ouch.

By now, I'm just about hyperventilating. I run back to the door, trying to open it.

WHY ISN'T THE STUPID THING OPENING?

I hear a thud behind me, and start shaking the doorknob even harder. A stifled scream escapes me, as something tightens around my mouth. I start to scream even more, thrashing, kicking, anything to get away from… whatever's got me.

But whatever's got me is also stronger than me. It drags me to the middle of the cabin floor. I'm still kicking, trying to break free. My screams can hardly be heard under the invisible hand over my mouth.

"THALIA!" I immediately freeze when I hear my name. The voice came from right above me, but there's no one there. I know that voice too… but it's impossible…

"Thalia, I will remove my hand when you shut up." I guess it is possible… I stop moving completely, and the weight holding me down disappears.

I quickly sit up, "Albus?" I whisper, "Where are-?" With a slight whooshing sound, Albus is standing in front of me, a long, silvery cloak held under his arm.

My stomach drops into my toes and my heart almost stops. Albus just stands there, his green eyes glowing.

"How did you-?" Albus kneels down in front of me, grasping my hands in his. Is he remembering what has suddenly started replaying in my mind? It's hard to meet his gaze, and he stands up, turning his back on me to look out the window.

Finally, I can't take the silence anymore, "How'd you know I would be here?"

Albus doesn't turn away from the window, "Everyone's talking about you, Thalia. It wasn't that hard after you went to bed and everyone was still outside, pointing to your cabin and mumbling about Jackson's daughter."

Ouch. They call me Jackson's daughter? I'm starting to see why Luke used Mom's last name.

Silence rains down again, filling the cabin with a slight ringing sound. I want to turn away, look at anything but the back of Albus's head, but somehow, I can't.

"Sooo…"

I take a deep breath, "Sooo…"

More silence.

"I missed you." Barely more than a whisper, but loud enough to almost make my eardrums burst.

I turn my back on his, holding my breath. What to say, what to say… I know what I really want to say…

"I missed you too," I mutter quickly.

Crap, did I really say that out loud?

I can hear the smirk in Albus's voice, "What was that?"

"You know what I said."

"I do. I just want to hear it again."

I give an exasperated sigh, "You have got to be the cruelest person I've ever met."

"Fine then," I glance over my shoulder to see Albus throwing the cloak back over himself, hiding him from view, "I'll just go."

"Wait, Albus! Where- where'd you go?" I spin around in a circle, but Albus is nowhere to be seen. "I didn't mean it?" My voice comes out as a squeak. I turn in a circle again, "I know you're there, Albus… somewhere."

"I see you, Thalia."

"Yeah, I bet you can. How come I can't see you?"

"Invisibility cloak," I whip around to face the corner where Albus's voice came from. I walk over to the corner, slowly reaching out to feel… nothing. Where did he-?

"Boo." It's just a whisper, right in my ear. I scream, jumping backwards into Albus and knocking us both to the floor.

We lay on the floor, laughing hysterically. Albus pulls the invisibility cloak off, but before he can do anything, I take it from his hand, "If you want it, you'll have to get through me first."

My words hang like a thick blanket over us, smothering our laughter. Albus's eyes glow a vibrant green as he moves closer, closer, until the only thing separating us is the invisibility cloak. I lay back on the floor, Albus's face only inches from mine.

I close my eyes, remembering Albus's lifeless form by the stream, and my heart twists, "Don't," my lips just brush his as I whisper the word. I slowly open my eyes to meet Albus's piercing stare.

My stomach drops at the hurt I see in the greenness.

"It's just; you're going to be leaving soon… going back to London. I'll never see you again, and it'll just make everything harder… for both of us," My words come out in a rush, and Albus looks unconvinced. I'm letting him slide away, farther and farther away.

"Please, trust me." You don't know how much these past weeks have meant to me.

Albus gives a quick nod, and as he turns away, I see a glint of fire in his eye. He picks up the cloak, the watery fabric sliding between my fingers. He walks towards the door, throwing the cloak around himself.

"Albus –"

Albus stops at the door, completely invisible except for his head, "You're right, Thalia. I shouldn't have kissed you in Central Park. I let myself go, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed, or tried to kiss you –"

"Albus, that's not what I –"

"I know what you meant. I've been thinking about the same things. It's just… I can't stay away. It'd be better for both of us if I did but… Thalia, don't tell me to not come back."

"Albus, I'd never – "

But before I can finish my sentence, Albus flips up his hood, opens the door, and disappears into the night.

I almost didn't expect to see him again after that, but he came practically every night.

We never talked about him leaving, or that we both had ideas about being more than just friends.

[[[[]]]

Noel hurried down Knockturn Alley, constantly glancing back over her shoulder. She had just managed to get away, away from the rest of them, away from Father's hawk-like stare.

She dodged a haggard looking witch and ran the rest of the way to Borgin and Burkes. She stopped in front of the door and peered in through the window, wrinkling her nose.

Noel had only been inside Borgin and Burkes a couple of times, and she had no desire to set foot back there any time soon. Not because the things inside scared Noel, but because they stank of Death Eaters.

It was quite disgusting – to Noel.

Noel stepped down the alley to the side of Borgin and Burkes. The ground was littered with brittle rat skeletons, and Noel walked carefully so as not to get any blood on her boots.

The farther she went, the darker it got, and soon she couldn't see four feet in front of her. She pulled her wand out of her boot, and whispered, "Lumos!" A little blue light lit at the end of her wand, to reveal Peter standing not a foot in front of her. Noel jumped in surprise. Peter smiled, his face contorted in the faint light.

"I knew you'd be late."

"I'm sorry. You have no idea what it's like with him watching you every second of the day."

"At least you're here now," and Peter steps closer.

"I have something to tell you," Noel says in a rush.

Peter's eyes flicker expectantly. Noel takes a deep breath and shoves her wand back in her boot. The sudden darkness weighs on Noel's eyes, but Peter quickly lights his wand. This is what she'd been waiting for, how would he react?

Noel took another deep breath and concentrated. She slowly felt herself begin to shift. Noel closed her eyes. It wasn't painful. Not as painful as the first time anyway.

When she opened her eyes again, she could see everything clearly, the buildings on either side, the shattered skeletons under foot – well… under paw actually, and the shocked look on Peter's face.

Peter knelt down in front of her, looking into her eyes. She knew they were her distinguishing feature; all Animagi had one. Noel tried to figure out the look on Peter's face. It wasn't a look she'd ever received before, and one she hoped never to get again.

Noel concentrated on changing back, the claws retracting back into the hands, the fur growing back into her body. Soon she was herself again, standing over Peter as he stared at a spot behind her. Noel knelt back down in front of him, trying to meet his gaze, but he wouldn't look at her.

"Are you angry?"

"Do I look angry?"

Noel didn't answer this question. In fact, this silence, this was even worse than outright anger, this was pure disappointment.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Peter finally asks.

"You would've told me not to do it."

"You shouldn't have done it, Noel. Do you know how much trouble you'll be in if you get caught? Not being registered and everything –"

"How do you know I'm not registered?"

Peter gives her a look.

"All right, I'm not registered, but –"

"Do you know what an unregistered Animagi sentence is, Noel?"

When she didn't answer, Peter continued, "Azkaban, an undetermined amount of time. Most likely a life sentence."

Noel didn't say anything. She'd known this of course; she'd known this the moment she'd started in her third year.

"Why did you do it?" Peter finally asked.

Noel remembered in her third year learning about Animagi. She'd stolen the book out of the restricted section that night. She'd never really had a reason for becoming one, but she kept at it. She kept at it and kept at it until her fifth year when she met Peter. And that was when she had a reason.

"I did it for us, so I could be with you."

Peter shook his head, "You are with me, Noel. Every second of everyday, you're with me."

Noel nodded, "You're with me too."

Peter stood up, and backed silently down the alley, the wand light quickly fading, leaving Noel sitting in the darkness.

[[[[]]]

Friday comes quickly. The camp is buzzing with plans for that night's game of All-Camp Capture the Flag.

"Don't worry about it," Sarah reassures me on the way back from dinner Thursday night, "it can't possibly be as bad as my first game. I lost it for my whole team, was ignored for a month… but everyone's okay with it now!"

"What happened?" Though with Sarah, I'm not sure I really want to know.

"Long story. Involves a donkey, a few bumblebees, and a couple stray arrows." And I was right.

"And besides," she continues, "you're with us. You'll be fine, as long as you don't annoy anyone before tomorrow night – kidding!" She laughs, seeing the look on my face.

[[[[]]]

At 7:00 Friday night, the whole of Camp Half-Blood makes its way towards the edge of the forest. Everyone clad in heavy armor, armed with their swords, knives, bows, arrows etc., stops at the small stage where Chiron and Mr. D are standing.

"Welcome, welcome, come along, let's get on with this," Mr. D waves his hand impatiently, "alright, blue team, led by Tyler from Cabin Six has allied with cabins three, seven, eleven, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen." I look around at my teammates.

Some from cabin fifteen, Hypnos's cabin, god of sleep, have already started snoring on some moss just on the border of the forest. I glance at Sarah, who looks as if this is perfectly normal.

"On the other hand," continues Mr. D, "the red team, led by Lennox of cabin 13," I glance over to the red team to see a tall girl with long black hair, steel grey eyes, and a scary grin on her face.

I notice that some of the campers standing around her, mostly children of Ares, are giving her evil glares, clearly not happy that she's leading their team, "has allied with cabins four, five, nine, ten, fourteen, nineteen, and twenty."

Mr. D drones on, "As always, the whole forest is fair game, the flags must be prominently displayed, the creek is the boundary line, all magic items are allowed, however, unfortunately, maiming and killing is not. Dessert privileges will be lost if you decide to take such actions." I look around to see that everyone looks completely serious about this.

These people must be really serious about their desserts.

"Prisoners may only be disarmed, no matter how much it pains me to say it, and lastly Chiron, here, serves as battlefield medic and referee. Now go on, I don't want to see your faces anymore," Mr. D waves his hands as everyone begins flocking into the forest.

I follow Sarah and the rest of the Blue team to a large pile of rocks I know are called Zeus's Fist. Tyler, the tall, blonde counselor of the Athena cabin, treks up the rocks to stick the blue flag at the top.

It's perfectly visible, yet hard to get to.

Everyone starts moving towards his or her designated spots. As the conch shell horn blows, I stand at the edge of the creek, looking out into enemy territory.

There isn't much to do. I can hear the screams and yells of people fighting in the distance. My armor starts to get heavier and heavier by the minute. I play with the seashell necklace in my hand, wondering if there's any point to me being here.

I open the seashell, the waters of Whitewash swirling opaquely inside. I flip the seashell upside down, letting the sword reintegrate in my hand.

The cool hilt is oddly reassuring. I don't know how long I stand there, thrusting the blade of the sword into an invisible opponent, practicing everything I've learned after the past week.

Suddenly, a whoop and scream echo a lot closer to me than before. I whip around to see the tall dark girl from the red team, swooping down the hill with the blue flag waving behind her like a large raven.

Lennox, daughter of Hades.

I shift on my feet, ready to hit her before she crosses the creak. Luke, Tyler, and a couple other people from the Apollo cabin are chasing after Lennox.

A shriek from the other side of the creek makes me turn around to see Sarah, streaking along with the red flag billowing like a long cape behind her, four or five red campers brandishing their swords at her, trying to trip her up.

I make a split second decision. I run to the edge of the creek, raising my sword over my head and bringing it down to strike the water.

A wall of water explodes upwards, just as Sarah and Lennox reach opposite sides of the creek. I see it all happen in slow motion: Lennox hits the wall of water, bouncing backwards and hitting the ground hard, losing grip on the blue flag while Sarah keeps running, right through the water, the red flag clasped tightly in her grasp, to victory.

There's a silence, as the water rushes back down into the creek. I stand there panting, the sword held limply in my right hand.

Everyone stares at me. I try not to meet Lennox's gaze, which has almost gone red with hatred.

Chiron canters up, "Heroes, behold, the winners of tonight's capture the flag, the blue team." The rest of the campers start running up, and create a circle around Sarah, Lennox still sitting on the ground, and I.

They all stare at me, the sword in my hand, the red flag now turned blue in Sarah's hand.

Then, the blue team let out an earsplitting cheer, lifting Sarah and I onto their shoulders. I look back to see Lennox, sitting in the dust, surrounded by a mutinous looking red team.

I laugh. Glancing around for Luke, I see him standing next to Tyler. They're both grinning, and I grin back at Luke.

"Much better than my first game!" Sarah screams over the roar of the winners.