Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

Reading The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey

Year Two: I Become a Plumber


"Alright, who's next?" Annabeth asked.

"I'm feeling generous." Athena smirked at Poseidon, who brooded back at her. "Hand it here, Annabeth."

The book rose up from Annabeth's hands and spun as it increased to fit comfortably in Athena's grasp. Athena arched a brow.

"Impressive enchantment," she said.

The Seer popped his head it through a small circle of light. "Thank you."

As the Seer disappeared into his window of light, Apollo snickered. "Okay, I've got to get him to teach me how to do that."

Athena rolled her eyes and opened the book to the chapter they were on. "I become a plumber...well, that's an astute career choice."

"Read, Athena, don't comment." Hestia chided her.

The train ride to school had been a bit boring. To kill some time, Su and her had started on their muggle homework that Chiron had given them before leaving. Well, it was mostly Su who insisted they get an early start, something about a worm and a bird, Rhode had mostly tuned her out and just groaned at the prospect of doing her homework.

How come her friend was so educationally oriented?

She had met Ron on the train, who had a young girl with him who had long ginger hair.

Apparently, as Ron told them, her name was Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley clan and his only sister.

She was also a fan of Rhode Potter.

"Fangirl?" Apollo grinned. "Willing to do anything and everything..."

"Apollo!" Artemis scowled at him with a glare.

"What? I never said anything about doing something sexual. You jumped there yourself, pervert."

"I AM NOT A-!"

Hestia cleared her throat, cutting the goddess off. "We're reading now."

"...Yes, Aunt Hestia." The twins shared a look, one promised pain while the other was amused, before they settled back and Athena continued.

Yeah…that was annoying. She was so disturbingly overeager. Worse still, she seemed to honestly believe all the nonsense the Wizards seemed to say about her being some kind of magical savior and so practically worshipped the ground she walked on. In Rhode's eyes the girl's behavior was plain distasteful.

"We're not worthy." Leo held his arms out as he bowed at the waist.

Piper shoved him and shook her head as he laughed.

Instead of going by boat, as Second Years they had to go by the coaches that were pulled by some freaky skeleton horses. When Rhode commented on this, the wizards just told her she was seeing things and that the carriages were self-pulling. Su and Lee could see them too though, she was sure, the Ravenclaw had looked at them curiously while her housemate had petted one's flank. Weird, maybe it was a demigod thing. She talked to the freaky horses and learned from them that they were created based off an idea between Poseidon and Hades.

"...When was this?" Zeus asked his brothers, both a bit sheepish or far too innocent.

"Oh, you know..." Hades shrugged and mumbled under his breath while Poseidon whistled a jaunty sea tune.

"When. Was. This?"

"Hades' bachelor party."

Hades shot Poseidon a betrayed frown and Poseidon shrugged. "Either we tell him now or he won't shut up about it."

"Yes, but did we have to tell it in front of Demeter?" Hades asked flatly.

"...Ah, right." Poseidon winced as Demeter sent him a furious glare. All his 'innocence' in Persephone's abduction was now voided.

"Bachelor party?" Zeus frowned. "Why wasn't I invited?"

Hades rolled his eyes. "You were far too occupied with kingly duties..."

"But I love parties!" Zeus glared at his brother. "You didn't invite me because you were jealous!"

Hades snorted. "Heaven no. I just didn't want you to turn my bachelor party into your party."

"You do like to be the center of attention, Zeus," Hestia said with a nod of agreement to her brother. Before he could speak up she raised her hand. "Save the argument. We were reading?"

"...Fine. But I want to discuss this later." Zeus glared at his brothers, who rolled their eyes.

Rhode thought they must've been drunk when they came up with that.

"More or less." Hades and Poseidon nodded.

Zeus huffed.

The feast was good and fattening like last year. During the course of it, they were introduced to their new DADA professor, George Lopez, or whatever his name was.

"Now that's a defense teacher," Leo said with a grin.

Rhode's ADHD mind honestly didn't care. Anyway, he was some blond haired pretty girl-guy with a smile so bright, Rhode questioned if he was a legacy of Apollo or something.

Apollo shuddered. "I hope not."

"Be like that runt Octavian again, wouldn't it?"

Apollo sent a seething glare to Ares, who smirked back at him.

After that, it was off to bed and the first day of classes were upon them.

Transfiguration was the most memorable class on that first day. McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but this one was a tough one. Rhode had made sure to practice her magic over the summer, both her and Su made sure to brush up on that as they did their summer homework together while at camp. But even with all that practice, the class was still tough. She had to turn a beetle into a button. Letting her creative side flow, she made half a dozen perfect dress buttons that were green, but went a step further and made a little wave pattern in them. Huh, maybe she could give them to her dad for Father's Day or something?

Poseidon smiled at the thought.

Percy frowned. "Green? Why green?"

"Well, I know what most of your arguments are going to be about," Thalia said with a smirk.

"Shut up, Porcupine face."

Still, out of everyone, Granger made the most buttons, but Rhode considered them to be plain and uncreative. Like the girl herself.

"Shots fired." Hermes smirked in amusement.

"What do we have this afternoon?" Rhode asked Ron as they headed towards lunch.

"DADA." Ron grunted, looking annoyed.

"Who's teaching that again?" Rhode furrowed her brow, she couldn't remember.

Ron gave her a bewildered look, "Lockhart."

"Oh," Rhode nodded, "Right, that guy." She had no idea who that was.

"...Oh, this is going to be amazing." Frank grinned and sat forward, his eyes on the screen.

After lunch the two friends went outside into the courtyard, talking about their summers for several minutes as they relaxed before DADA when Rhode's senses alerted her that she was being closely watched. Looking up, she saw a very small, mousy-haired boy staring at Rhode intently. He was clutching what looked like an old style camera. A classic she noted.

"Early nineties," Hephaestus said.

"Ninety-two, ninety-three maybe?" Leo hummed.

"An additional flashbulb," Annabeth said.

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Okay...I think we get it."

The moment Rhode looked at him, he went bright red. Weird.

"Aww...a little crush," Aphrodite cooed.

Poseidon frowned. He couldn't fault the boy, but if he used that photo for anything inappropriate...Poseidon's grip tightened around his trident.

"Alright, Rhode? I'm - I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be alright if - can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"…By Olympus I have a paparazzi." Rhode's jaw opened a bit. "But why a picture of me?" she asked after getting over the fact. It honestly made no sense to the daughter of Poseidon.

"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward.

"He's too eager." Percy frowned.

"Well, well...Percy knows how to be a good big brother," Apollo smiled.

Artemis slapped his head. "I'm not the younger."

"Ow! Dad! Artemis hit me, again!"

"Enough," Hestia frowned. She looked to Athena.

"I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning bolt shaped scar on your forehead-" At this, his eyes raked Rhode's hairline for a moment even as he continued, "-and a boy-"

Rhode's hand clamped over his mouth since he was chattering so fast. But his muffled voice kept talking, annoying Rhode. She let go for a moment, letting Colin continue.

"-maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

"Being kind while also being popular is good!" Aphrodite smiled.

"Shame not all your children can be that way," Artemis said with a smirk.

"Who asked you, prude?"

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Evans?"

Pitchy and annoying, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked by his large meat shields, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Rhode Evans' giving out signed photos!"

"No! I am not!" Rhode shouted back, getting up and glaring at the blond twit, a hand on her hip, "Why don't you and your pets scat before I give them the same treatment as last year. I feel my annoyance building and I could use some punching bags." She said, her right fist punching her left palm eagerly.

Crabbe and Goyle took a step back with fearful eyes. Despite getting bigger, Rhode still scared them.

That was good.

"Size isn't everything."

"That's what guys with small ones say," Ares smirked at Frank.

"...I'm your son."

"Comes from your mom's side."

"Excuse me?" Poseidon asked with a glare.

"...Uh...Never mind."

"You're just jealous," Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck, piped up.

Rhode gave a groan, little kids should not be talking right now. It got in the way of the banter.

"Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

"It doesn't." Apollo shrugged. "People around the world suffer that greatly.

Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way. Rhode cracked her knuckles right back, getting a whimper from the fatty.

Rhode walked right into Malfoy's face, "Come on, loser. You bark so loud, but you don't have any bite. You know that, I know that, everyone here knows that…even daddy knows that." She mocked him.

Malfoy went a blooming red at that, "Well at least I have a father unlike you, Little Miss Orphan!"

Poseidon snorted. "The boy would've offended me, had I not met her in the last chapter."

"Another thing we need to talk about." Zeus frowned at his brother.

Poseidon rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

That got some gasps from the crowd, but Rhode hardly even bat an eyelash.

"That's all you got?" Rhode chuckled, "Wow, spoiled little trust-fund babies like you really are sheltered." She gave a shrug, "Go back to sucking mommy's milk. Then, after a few years, try again."

"Burn." Leo laughed along with the other demigods.

Snickers broke out in the courtyard as Malfoy's face became a deeper red from the humiliation. He was about to, poorly mind you, counter when a voice broke out.

"What's all this, what's all this?" some blond dude with gleaming teeth was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Seriously, who was this guy again?

"Now that, Leo Valdez, is a burn." Apollo chuckled.

"Rhode Potter." He beamed at her, making the daughter of the sea raise an eyebrow at him.

"Who are you?" she asked, getting weird looks all around.

The man balked at that, but quickly laughed to cover his embarrassment.

"Oh, Rhode, Rhode, Rhode," why was he repeating her name? "Such a kidder." He laughed merrily and came closer, attempting to throw his arm around her.

"And...saved." Apollo smiled at the moment he witnessed. Priceless.

Bad move.

Rhode's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, twisting it painfully, getting a yelp from the man as his knees bent and his arm was shifted behind his back as Rhode held him in an arm lock. It was saying something, when a twelve year old was manhandling a grown man. But then again, Rhode was a demigod, they tended be stronger than your average mortal.

"Q-Quite the grip you have." The man chuckled painfully and looked at the gaping crowd, "You see, this is a little something I've taught our young Pott-ow! Oh sweet Merlin!" the man exclaimed when Rhode shifted his arm upward with annoyance on her face.

Poseidon smirked, a twinkle in his eyes. Good girl.

Colin took a picture of the scene, but Rhode was too engrossed with informing this guy of some facts to care.

"First off, you didn't teach me jack, mister…uh, whatever your name is." She said, glaring at him, "Next, my name is Evans. Learn it, got it?"

"Yes, yes of course!" he said with clear tears in his eyes.

"Good." Rhode nodded, "And finally, no one touches me…ever.

"No boys. No girls. No relationship." Poseidon nodded firmly.

Aphrodite smirked. "Yeah, that'll last all of two, maybe three more years."

Clear?"

"As a bell." The man squeaked out as Rhode put more pressure on his twisted arm when he failed to answer her in time.

"Cool." Rhode nodded and let him go, pushing him forward, as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon classes, "I've got class, come on Ron." The daughter of the sea said to the ginger.

"Off you go, move along," the weird guy called to the crowd, rubbing his arm painfully even as she set off back to the castle after Rhode. He tried to talk to her, but Rhode just outright ignored him as they made it to the DADA classroom. Rhode dropped her stuff in the back as she took a seat near the door.

"Smart. I should do-"

"Sit at the front and take notes." Annabeth interrupted her boyfriend.

Percy frowned. "But then they'll call on me."

"Rationally speaking, they're more likely to call on you in the back to make sure you're paying attention," Annabeth said. "If you sit at the front, away from the window, you won't get distracted as easily and it'll be more likely that you get all the information that you need."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Like that works..."

Annabeth sent him a look. "I may actually like to learn, but that doesn't mean I don't get distracted by my own thoughts. Sitting at the front shows that you care about what the teacher has to say, taking notes allows your brain to process the information not only audibly, but kinesthetically, your mind remembers the motions your hand makes and recognizes the words you've written. Not everything a teacher teaches will be on the internet or in the textbook."

Leo snorted. "Yeah, not on the internet."

"Would you rather surf the web for hours at a time just to focus on one question, or know all of the question answers on your homework?"

"...Point taken." Leo conceded to that.

Athena smirked proudly as Annabeth settled back into her place next to Percy while some of the Olympians looked impressed.

Ares looked at Athena. "Hey, why aren't you reading? I fell asleep a second ago."

Ron sat next to her and he, along with everyone else, was just staring at her. Well, the girls were glaring at her for some reason. Seriously, what was their deal?

"You mind?" She snapped at them, giving them one of her patented death glares, making the class snap forward, many of them after flinching.

"I can't believe you did that." Ron said to her.

Rhode shrugged, "I don't like strangers touching me."

"That Colin kid got a picture of you, you know." The ginger informed her, making Rhode frown.

"Damn, I need to get that then. Like Hades a picture of me is floating around."

"Talk to him back at the dorm later." Ron suggested.

Rhode nodded to that, "Yeah."

"Aw, but he needs to start collecting..."

Poseidon's glare made Apollo laugh nervously and trail off into uncomfortable mumbling.

Artemis gave Poseidon an approving nod, which made him smirk and look back at the screen.

When the whole class was seated, that weird guy cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"You thought I had an ego," Apollo said.

Artemis crossed her arms with a grimace. "I wish to fill this man's full of arrows to replace the hot air within it."

"He could use a reality check," Thalia said with a scowl.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

"Well, he's either related to Apollo–"

"Even I'm not that bad!" Apollo frowned at Hermes.

Artemis gave a slight nod.

"Or he's related to Athena," Hermes said.

Athena gave him a burning glare. "No child of mine would target the mind."

"I said related." Hermes pointed out.

Athena's glare hardened and was accompanied by Annabeth's.

Hermes shrunk. "Or-or, he is a legacy of Apollo."

"Whose side are you on?" Apollo asked with a frown.

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

To Rhode, it just sounded like one of the adults from Charlie Brown.

"Best representation of authority, ever." Poseidon smirked.

"I loved Schultz." Apollo sighed.

Seriously, who was he?

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about - just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in-"

"Please. Please kind Fates..." Apollo begged as he looked up and put his hands together. "Please don't let this guy be related to me."

When he had handed out the test papers out to everyone he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!"

Rhode looked down at her paper and, with squinted eyes, read:

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart s favorite color?

Blue.

"That's reasonable." Percy nodded.

Annabeth patted her boyfriend on the shoulder. "Percy, sweetie...Rhode doesn't like Gilderoy."

"And?" Percy stared at Annabeth before it clicked and he gained the most horrified look she'd ever seen on his face. "No..."

"Yes."

"...That bitch."

"PERCY JACKSON!" Hestia glared at her nephew and then at his father, while the other four children of Rhea laughed at Poseidon's brooding face.

"Salty language he has, isn't it?" Hades asked with a smirk.

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

To wear ribbons in his hair when no one is looking.

"Ah, like Ares."

"You put those in my helmet, you runt!" Ares roared at Hermes, who held his sides in laughter.

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

Who?

"Oh, joy. The cheek is hereditary," Zeus said dryly.

Poseidon smirked. "Of course."

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

A gun to shoot himself with.

"...Dark." Leo mumbled.

"Thirty minutes into that test and I'd react the same way," Thalia said firmly.

Half an hour later, the blond guy collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

Rhode had to, inwardly, admit, that was pretty fun.

"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti.

"I'll make note of not reading that," Piper said with a roll of her eyes.

And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdens Old Firewhisky!"

"Well, he can't be that bad..."

"You're only saying that because he mentioned an alcoholic beverage." Athena glanced at Dionysus.

He shifted slightly under scrutinizing gazes. "...I did not."

"Yeah, and Ares doesn't have a hard on for weapons of mass destruction," Hephaestus grunted.

Ares smirked. "Aw, you do listen to me when I talk."

"Hm? Sorry, I was thinking about replacing your chariot's engine with a banana." Hephaestus smirked. "I was afraid you'd eat the banana though."

"...Funny." Ares growled.

He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at the man with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Granger, on the other hand, was listening to the blond twit with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.

"... but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Granger raised a trembling hand.

"Well, I think I know who just had her first orgasm." Ares smirked. He grunted when the pole of Athena's spear crashed down on his head. "Ow."

"Perverted Neanderthal," Athena said with a scathing glare.

"Excellent!" beamed the teeth bleach using professor. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business-"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard-kind!

"Talk to me when you've faced a Minotaur. Twice." Percy grunted, still sour over the answer to the favorite color question.

You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

In spite of herself, Rhode sat up for a better look at the cage. The guy placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.

"I must ask you not to scream," said the guy in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

"Them what?" Thalia asked. "Fairies?"

Leo turned to her. "Have you even read Harry Potter?"

"I tuned in and out when I had to read it for school." Thalia shrugged.

Annabeth frowned at her. "How'd you get that A on the English test?"

Thalia looked away. "Please keep reading."

"She cheated." Apollo smirked. Artemis smacked his arm and he shrugged. "That's the truth."

"Thalia!" Annabeth gave her friend a disappointed frown.

"Thanks, Apollo. Thanks so much."

"It's what I do, kid."

As the whole class held its breath, Rhode just giving a solid blink, the guy whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

"Pixies?" Thalia asked.

"You have no right to speak right now," Annabeth said with a huff.

Thalia frowned.

Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even that guy couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.

"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.

"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

"Don't be so sure!" said the man, waggling a patronizing finger at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"

"Monsters after my own heart." Hermes smiled.

The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like chalk on a blackboard. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.

"After my own heart." Hermes reaffirmed.

"Grover's more intimidating than those things." Rhode said under her breath.

"True," Thalia said.

"Right, then," the guy said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.

Hermes rubbed his chin. "Maybe if I found the right nymph..."

"Hermes. No." Zeus glared at his son.

Hermes pouted. "So not fair."

Seeing the pixie rampage, Rhode's demigod instincts kicked in.

Monsters plus demigod equals fight.

Rhode did need a morning workout, so…

"After her blasphemy."

Annabeth rolled her eyes at Percy's grunt.

Leaping up onto her table, she hopped from desk to desk to the front of the class, snagging the Voyages with Vampires Granger was using to duck for cover, and, with sheer skill, Rhode used the educational instrument for its true purpose.

Smacking the hell out of things.

Athena scowled. "Abuse of a book."

"The nerve!" Annabeth said with a frown.

"See? She's a-...er, bad girl?" Percy frowned in confusion, unsure with his comment.

Leo suddenly grinned. "I like 'em bad."

"Calypso." Piper gave him a look.

"...She doesn't own my dreams or imagination."

Piper, Annabeth, Hazel and Aphrodite snorted before they spoke as one: "Oh yes she does."

"...Okay, that was scary." Leo pointed out.

The cowering magicals watched as Rhode danced atop the desks, swinging the book like it was a lethal weapon, smacking the pixies left and right. They crashed to the ground, some twitching, others unmoving.

"Ouch. Poor little guys," Hermes said with a frown.

Apollo pat his shoulder. "It's okay Herm. At least she didn't kill them and banish them to the Underworld."

"True."

Rhode ducked as the pixies started to go for coordinated attacks in groups, but Rhode just punched one right in the head, sending it out the window with a crash. Spinning, she flipped the book and gripped it with two hands, swinging and smacking three at once, sending them soaring into the blackboard, some blood splattering on it as they slid down.

"No, don't kill them! Man...I like those things. I can never have nice things," Hermes said with a pout. "

"That's because you either steal them or break them."

Hermes pouted at Athena. "Hurtful."

One tried to attack her from behind, but she just punched it with the back of her fist, making it fall to the ground with a thud.

She grabbed the last one, which was trying to flee, by the legs and squeezed tightly, audibly breaking its legs and tossed it to the ground without a care.

In the ensuing quiet, Rhode found everyone staring at her with gaping looks. This lasted until the room's chandelier gave way and Neville fell from it with a thud, but he was just looking at her like everyone else.

"Don't mind me, I just fell from a chandelier," Jason said as he rolled his eyes. Yes it's awe inspiring, but staring in shock? So pathetic.

Blinking, Rhode cleared her throat and said, "Well, that's how to use a book properly people.

"It is not!" Annabeth pouted.

"I beg to differ," Percy said jokingly. He withered under Annabeth's glare. "I-I mean yeah, yeah, it's not. I was just joking..."

"It wasn't funny." Annabeth grit out.

So, uh, school's out?" she asked, as the bell rang.

Huh, good timing.

"Very good timing," Apollo scratched his chin. "Comedic effect. Hermes?"

"After what she did to the innocent and adorable pixies? I think not!"

"Hm, then it was Chronos."

"Kronos?" Percy asked. "Why would he-?"

"No, not him. Chronos. God of Time, not Titan." Apollo grinned. "Sort of like Father Time, funny guy. His son came up with the idea for Doctor Who."

"...Dude is brilliant." Leo mumbled. Annabeth and Apollo nodded in agreement with that.

"Yes, well," the man cleared his throat, "Excellent form from Miss Evans here, just as I said in my book, Year-" he gulped when Rhode glared at him, pointing at the tattered, blood stained book with a broken spine and back at him.

"I hate her more than any of your other children." Athena seethed.

Poseidon hummed. "I don't know if I should be proud of that or concerned."

"Concerned, Dad."

"But there's a sense of pride-"

"Boys?" Hera frowned at the father and son. "I'd like to hear the story?"

"Ah, sorry, Hera."

The threat clear to everyone.

"You, shut up." The daughter of the sea ordered, his voice was annoying her. "Clean up your mess too." She said, hopping off the desk, chucking the book back to Granger, who was in tears at the condition of it.

"I feel your pain." Annabeth said with a nod.

Jason looked over at Percy. "I'd be careful with your college books. From what I hear, they get expensive."

Percy nodded in agreement.

"I am so out of here." Rhode complained and grabbed her backpack.

Ugh, she was definitely not coming back to this class.

"For. Sure." Leo said in a valley girl voice.

The silence lasted for a moment more until everyone, realizing through their shock that the bell had already rung, started to quickly shuffle out of the class, leaving the man to look at the mess around him.

"Maybe I should have gone with fairies?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Thalia palmed herself in the face.

he asked himself, and picked up one of his books, weighing it, "Hm, book-weapon…I can work on this." He mused to himself.

"He damn well better not!" Athena fumed.

September 2, 2002

Dear Diary, no, Journal (less sissy sounding),

"No, still sissy sounding," Ares said with a nod.

Argh! Do I have to do this? It seems so silly. But Chiron insisted, says it'll help me to manage my emotions better if I write them out. So here I am, writing in this silly little book. Gods, I hope no one finds out that I do this, it'll totally wreck my reputation!

"A good reason to worry." Thalia nodded. "You'll never catch me writing in one of those things."

Artemis hummed. "Perhaps this alternate Chiron is onto something...It would help me keep an eye on my Hunters' mental and emotional state."

Thalia paled while the other demigods laughed.

At least it's a nice green color. So you have one thing going for you, dai-journal.

Anyways, enough complaining. So here's what's been going on for me recently: Everyone in school seems to be giving me some space. For some reason, my pixie slaying is the top bit of gossip floating around the school right now, and from what I've heard it somehow involves a warning to run if I was ever seen holding a book threateningly. I knew a book would come in handy in combat someday. Just didn't know when.

"Evil girl." Athena growled after she read that passage.

"I think we might need a new reader," Hestia said softly. She held her hand out. "Athena?"

Athena handed the book over and crossed her arms in disapproval.

Annabeth would probably faint at my actions. That was fine with me. But still, it was fun. Bethy could be silly about lots of things sometimes, so this was just one more instance of it.

"There's nothing silly about abusing a book!" Annabeth huffed.

Piper smirked. "I can think of a few comedians who would say otherwise."

"No one asked you, McLean."

I got a picture taken against my permission earlier today by some mousy kid. It was a little bit of a hassle to get the damn thing from the kid. By the time I found him, he already got it wizardized and I had to say that the final product of doing so was pretty funny. My photo copy was strangling this weird smiling dude like Homer Simpson would Bart Simpson.

I decided to keep it.

"Ooh, nice reference," Apollo said with a nod.

Peace for now, Rhode.

"Bye!" Leo waved with a grin.

Hazel nudged him.

It was the middle of September and currently the demigods were in the Room of Requirement, searching for the diadem that Voldemort made into a Horcrux.

"You sure that's what your phone says?" Lee asked as he sifted through some of the mountains of junk that filled the room that supposedly housed the diadem. He picked up an old Cavalry sword, fiddling with it.

"Cavalry for the win!" Hazel smirked.

"Yeah," Rhode said, looking at her BlackBerry, "It should be right ahead of us." She continued as her phone started to vibrate more and more, "Okay, we should be right on top of this thing."

"...I found it." Su breathed out, awe in her tone.

"Where?" Rhode said, turning around and pushing a old bike out of her way to get to Su.

"History changing. Fascinating, I can't wait to see how it branches from them." Apollo leaned forward eagerly with a grin.

Su just pointed forward. Rhode followed the finger and saw a gold pedestal with a purple velvet pillow resting atop upon which was a opened polished wood case. Resting within the case was a gold diadem. It had a blue sapphire embedded on the front with a hanging jewel just below it.

"Ravenclaw's lost diadem." Su breathed out with a shaky breath.

"Basically, Athena's princess crown." Hermes smirked.

Athena glared at him.

"Wha-?" Rhode frowned, clueless on all things related to magical history.

Su pouted at her, "Back in the founders time, Ravenclaw made this diadem. It's supposed to enhance the wearer's wisdom. It's a lost treasure, finding it-! Rhode, you have no idea what this means!" Her gaze returned to the diadem, eyes burning with curiosity, "Please tell me it's not what I think it is?" she pleaded.

"Oh, that's horrible," Annabeth said.

Apollo gained a grin. "But brilliantly evil. Wonderful writing."

"Quiet, Apollo."

"Never, Athena."

Rhode held up her phone as it pinged, the list matched up. It was their target. "Sorry, Su." She told her.

The daughter of Demeter's shoulders slumped, her tiny fists balling, "How could he do this?" she asked in a whisper.

Demeter frowned. "Poor dear."

"Oh, just go wrap her up in a hug why don't you?" Hades rolled his eyes.

"Dude's a freak." Lee simply said, walking up to them, his bag that he brought along filled to the brim with stuff. He looked at the diadem, just imagining what they could sell it for, but it wasn't meant to be.

Lee stepped forward then and ran through a few spells, before giving the girls a thumbs up. "Voldie hasn't left any wards behind. Typical mortal, so full of it."

"Very true," Dionysus said with a nod.

He shook his head. Having been given the all clear, Rhode closed the distance with the ancient artifact, drawing her dagger. Su covered her eyes and looked away. The daughter of Poseidon brought the weapon down, getting a massive crack in the diadem as a screeching wail came from the now former Horcrux.

"And that's three down," Rhode grinned, "Just three to go."

"You said there was another here?" Lee asked, getting a nod from the daughter of the sea.

Rhode looked at her phone, hitting a few buttons, "Yeah, it's some kind of diary. The phone's pinged around for it, but it's like the signal keeps jumping." She frowned. Some kind of bug? Well it was in the castle at least, that was something, right?

"Little Ginny Weasely, running around," Apollo said.

The son of Hermes rested his arms behind his head, "Meh, it's our victory for now. We can get it later. I mean, it's a book, what's it going to do?" he snorted.

"Yeah," Rhode snickered, it's not like a book could be threatening…unless it was used as a blunt instrument.

"All of my hate." Athena huffed.

"...I'm starting to grow concerned for Rhode," Poseidon said.

"All that history, gone." Su frowned, walking up to Rhode's side, giving a sad look to the damaged treasure.

"That is very depressing," Athena said.

"You know, you could bring it back." Lee suggested, "I mean, sure, Rhode might've broke the magic, but they can always piece it together again and hang it in Ravenclaw tower. It's still important."

"Su, do it." Rhode nodded in support, "I'm sure it would make your house's day if you brought it back."

Su looked between the two Gryffindor, "B-But we all found it!" she said.

Rhode shrugged, "It was just part of a quest to me. I mean, it's far more important to you. So you bringing it in is better."

"Good plan." Lee grinned.

Su stared at the cracked diadem, contemplating the idea. After a moment, she reached for the box, closing it and tucked it snuggly in her arms, "Yes." She nodded sternly, a strong look in her eyes.

"She's a cutie," Aphrodite giggled at the image.

Demeter glared at her. "She's only a little girl."

"Every daughter you have is a little girl. They could be eighty and they'd be your little girl." Hades droned.

Rhode patted her shoulder, "There you go." She said, glad Su wasn't going to mope over some jewelry.

"Okay," Lee cleared his throat, "If we're doing this, we need to do this right. So we need a backstory, let's go with this." He said and started to give a good story for Su to use.

In the next hours, the entire school was in an uproar.

Su Li, a second year Ravenclaw, had found the lost Diadem of Ravenclaw.

Of course it was cracked, but it was still found! Flitwick was in tears, praising Su to high heaven. Dumbledore awarded Su a whopping one and fifty hundred points. She was even going to get a plaque that would be put in the trophy room for all honor students.

Demeter beamed proudly while her brother rolled his eyes.

When asked how she found it, Su went with Lee's backstory: She was walking to class via one of the staircases when it unexpectedly shifted, leading her to a corridor with a door at its end she hadn't known existed. Curious about where the door might lead, she went in and got lost in a room filled with objects, one of which was the diadem. Recovering it she then wandered around for a few hours, until she found an exit and ended up on the first floor.

"Good boy, nice cover," Hermes said with a grin.

There was a big celebration, with a feast and Ravenclaw banners hanging around the Great Hall.

Su was an instant celebrity, but was so shy about it that Rhode had to sit next to her during the feast so people didn't bother her too much. Those that tried were driven off with a good glare.

"Like a little flower."

"Shut up, Hades."

"Make me."

"Hades, Demeter," Hestia said with a frown.

It was at this feast that Su introduced a first year she had befriended. Her name was Luna Lovegood.

"Loony!" Apollo beamed.

"She may not be your legacy here, Apollo." Artemis noted.

Apollo slumped. "Aw..."

Just for a second, Rhode had almost mistaken her for Annabeth. They were both young girls with wavy blonde hair and grey eyes after all. But after a second glance, it was easy to tell that Luna's blonde hair was far paler, her skin lacked the tan that Annabeth's had developed over the summer, and her eyes were a lighter shade of grey then Rhode's favorite daughter of wisdom and much wider.

"...Are you kid-So not fair!" Apollo whined while Athena arched a brow in thought.

She started talking about Nargles, but Rhode had no idea what they were.

Cute kid though. Hopefully, she didn't talk about stuff like that all the time, otherwise Rhode would be avoiding her from now on. It was sort of annoying.

"Needless facts...Smart girl...Grey eyes...Blonde hair..." Hermes listed.

Athena smiled wryly. "It is its own form of genius."

Apollo crossed his arms and pouted like a child. "Not fair."

"Grow up," Artemis said with a roll of her eyes.

October 31, 2002

"Halloween!" Leo cheered and grinned. "All the glorious scares..."

"I don't see what's so scary," Jason said with a shrug.

Nico snorted. "There's really nothing scary about it."

"Especially when you think about how every day of our lives could be scary." Percy pointed out.

Leo slumped his shoulders. "You guys really know how to take the wind out of the sails, don't you?"

Sup journal,

Well, October was a pain! All it brought was a damp chill that got everywhere! The grounds? The castle? You name it! Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose and the flower beds turned into muddy streams.

Zeus was probably in a mood. Again.

"Hera probably refused to be the French Maid," Poseidon stage whispered to Hades.

"Ah, yes. That would do it." Hades nodded.

The King and Queen of Olympus flushed darkly and glared murderously at their brothers.

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spike of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Thank the gods for my demigod constitution, it would have sucked to suffer like that. Imagine my rep, if I smoked from the ears for the whole day! Everyone would laugh at me!

All throughout the month, I've been actively trying to find this diary I'm supposed to stab, but it just keeps disappearing on me! Like it had a mind of its own or something. Which just sounds absurd. It's pissing me off!

"Deep breaths," Hazel said with a smile.

Thankfully I got a great distraction when it became time for Halloween and its feast. It was decent enough, but I had to stop myself from overeating like so many of the other kids did. Have to stay fit and all.

"Yeah, there isn't really a single fat demigod...Er, well, sorry Frank." Leo winced when Hazel punched his arm.

Frank shrugged it off with a smile. "I was husky, but you're right. Not really a fat demigod to be seen. All the running."

"Yeah, except you had to get a boon," Ares snorted in disgust. "You're welcome, by the way."

Frank rolled his eyes, unseen by the god. "Thanks, Ares."

"Don't mention it."

After the feast was called to an end, we all gathered up and headed back to their dorms, down corridors and up the stairs. One minute the castle was filled with the noise of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.

"Double penetration." Ares smirked.

"Ares!"

"Oh, so painful the first time."

"Aphrodite!" Hera glared at the giggling goddess.

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the cat or what was left of it. Which wasn't much. At All! All that was left was a puddle of remains, melted bones, and clumps of fur. Claw marks in the oddly dampened stone flooring and a collar, a leather collar all too familiar to any Hogwarts student. It was the collar of Mrs. Norris. Honestly! It wasn't even that bad! But I guess these mortals don't have the stomach for this kinda thing. Sure there was this creepy message painted on the wall over the scene about some Chamber of Secrets being opened and enemies of some heir needing to be careful. But was that supposed to be scary?

"Oh, blood threat. Nice, now that's some old testament crap right there." Ares nodded.

Hera rubbed her head and looked at Zeus. "Why did we send him away, again?"

"He bit my thumb off. I had to regrow a new one."

"Ah, right...But why the mountains?"

"We thought it would help him gain control of his temper."

Poseidon and Hades snorted.

Zeus glared at them. "What?"

"You two thought you'd know how teach your son to gain control of his temper?" Poseidon asked, amused. "Even I'm not that delusional about my temper."

Hera frowned while Zeus simmered.

Ares picked at his ear. "Why aren't you reading, Hestia?"

"Because I want to make sure that if I must, I can stop the fight uninterrupted." Hestia answered her nephew. Thankfully, her words made her siblings back down.

The whole thing just got even more ridiculous though when Malfoy shouted through the quiet that 'Mudbloods' were next. Seriously, even the insults the magicals use are stupid. I mean, 'Mudbloods'? Really? They can't even get an insult right around here.

"I find it very insulting," Nico said.

"Same." Hazel nodded.

"Oh, good. Now I have something to call Hades' runts," Ares said with a grin.

Hades glared at him. "You better not."

I admit, the whole thing got me excited. Finally, something was happening! It was getting boring as Hades around here. At the same time though, I couldn't help but feel guilty about feeling excited when some people could really get hurt.

Anyways, no doubt clued in by Malfoy's shout, Filch just then came shouldering his way through the crowd. Only to see the puddle that was formerly named Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror. He went crazy then, raving and threatening to kill Malfoy! It was a great after meal show.

"I'll bet! We have no good death threats after dinners anymore." Ares shook his head. He looked at Apollo. "Sunspot, make more violent TV!"

"I told you to check out Spartacus," Apollo said with a shrug. "You want violent war stuff, wait until Fall. That's when the recreations on the History Channel come out."

Ares grunted. "But those are all factoids...Boring."

"I disagree," Athena said.

"You would."

"Excuse me?" Hestia frowned at the two siblings. "I'm trying to read?"

Athena and Ares quickly clammed up.

Too bad Dumbles arrived and smoothed things over before anything good happened. The old goat is such a spoilsport!

Seriously though, whatever killed that dumb cat could be really dangerous. So me, Su and Lee are meeting up at the Room of Requirement tomorrow morning to talk about what we plan to do about it.

"Ah, scheming." Hermes nodded.

"Planning," Athena corrected.

"That's what I said. Scheming."

Phew! That was sure a lot of writing. Huh, maybe Chiron was right about this diary thing. No, no! Journal!

"Protect that rep, girl!" Thalia nodded.

"You'll be writing in one soon enough Thalia. As my Lieutenant, you should put a good example up for the others," Artemis said. Thalia whined.

Jason hummed. "That way I could steal and read my sister's diary."

"I'm not going to write in a diary!"

"Yes you are." Artemis smirked.

Thalia whined again.

It sure is relaxing. I'm nowhere as psyched up about whatever this cat-killer is then I would be without this Journal. At least I think so.

Anyway, peace out paperback, Rhode.

"Nice sign off. Mentioning paperback. Keep that in mind, Thalia." Apollo nodded.

Thalia held her head. "Okay, Hades. Kill me."

"...No, this is far worse than anything I could conjure up." Hades said with an amused smirk.

It was a Friday and the demigods decided to meet on their off periods. Or in Rhode's case, she skipped Potions.

Rhode and the demigods were sitting around a table in the Room of Requirement, in the middle of a war council. With cheese, crackers, and pretzels on the table.

"So, guesses on what the hell was that last night?" Lee asked, elbow on the table, chin in his palm.

"No idea." Su shook her head, her ponytail bouncing around.

Rhode, eyes closed and arms crossed, was pondering with her Sherlock face on.

"A child of Poseidon does not match with the genius of a man created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle," Athena said firmly.

Poseidon frowned at her. "My children can be geniuses!"

"No. No they cannot."

"Enough! Hestia, please...continue," Zeus said before his brother and daughter could get started.

Opening her vivid green eyes, she said, "It was melted right? Poison?" she suggested.

"Or magic." Lee pointed out.

"Who could know such vile magic?" Su paled at the thought.

"The snakes, who else?" Lee raised a brow, "I'm sure mommy or daddy taught some of the older ones a nasty spell or two."

"My gut says no."

"Always trust the gut." Apollo nodded.

"Without facts? A foolish decision," Athena said.

Rhode shook her head, "Usually all the students come to the feast, were there any missing?" she asked, since Lee knew everybody in the school.

Lee thought for a moment and begrudgingly shook his head.

"Though so," Rhode chewed her bottom lip in thought, "It's a monster then, it has to be."

"But what kind?" Su pondered, her fingers thumping over the table, "A lot of monsters are poisonous."

"A snake."

Apollo glowered.

Hera rolled her eyes. "Honestly, why are they your symbol if you hate them so much?"

"Well, aside from the fact a giant one tried to kill my mother," Apollo said pointedly that didn't even make Hera flinch. "They're wrong. Evil. Abominations...But, their poison is damn useful."

Lee stated, "I mean, the whole Chamber of Secrets is Slytherin's, right?" he asked, taking some cheese and putting it on a cracker, "So, it has to be a snake." He popped the snack into his mouth, chewing it.

"But what kind can do that?" Rhode asked. After a moment more of being stumped, she fished into her jeans pocket, pulling out a golden drachma, "Time to I.M." she said. On the table, a crystal appeared, a light glowing in it that summoned a large rainbow in front of the demigods.

"Oh Iris, Goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering."

"Access denied!" Ares called out with a smirk.

"Shut up, Ares." His siblings chorused dryly.

Ares glared at them. "You practiced that."

Hermes smirked at him. "Prove it."

Rhode threw the drachma into the rainbow, making the light shimmer and take the godly money.

"Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood."

The image shimmered once more and soon the demigods saw Chiron,

"In the lake! Shield your eyes!" Apollo cried as he looked away.

a bow in hand as he was taking a shot at the archery range.

"Chiron!" Rhode shouted, making the centaur jump and turn around, arrow pointed at them.

At seeing who it was, the trainer lowered his bow, "Honestly, Rhode, there is no need to shout."

Rhode just shrugged, a smirk on her lips.

Chiron shook his head, "Su, Lee, greetings." He nodded to each of them. Lee and Su returned the greeting as Chiron regarded Rhode, "So, what brings you to I.M. me, Rhode?"

"We have a problem."

"No one every calls for anything nice anymore," Hermes said with a shake of his head.

The daughter of Poseidon frowned.

They explained the situation to the centaur, getting a frown from Chiron. He was rubbing his beard in thought.

"A snake that has poison potent enough to literally melt its victims?"

Rhode nodded.

"Hm...The best monster that fits that description would be a basilisk."

"Not a Drakon in this one?" Athena asked. "Interesting."

"But if it's a basilisk, how did it get so big?" Annabeth asked.

"That's what she sai-!"

"ARES!"

Chiron said, giving his best educated guess.

"How big are basilisks?" Rhode inquired.

"As long as a grown man's arm, give or take a few inches." Chiron stated with an affirming tone.

"Great, how are we going to track something so small?" Lee frowned, brow knitted in thought.

Su raised her hand, like the good student she was, making Chiron chuckle, "Yes, Su?"

"Basilisks are vulnerable to a rooster's cry, correct?" she inquired.

"So, we just need to get Zeus after he has a good morning?"

Zeus and Hera glared daggers at the amused Poseidon.

"Ugh, Uncle P. Didn't want to think about that." Apollo grimaced.

Hermes, Ares, and Hephaestus soon joined him.

Chiron's eyes twinkled, "Indeed they are. Well done, Su."

Su beamed at the praise.

"So…we carry a rooster with us around the whole school?" Rhode asked dryly.

Su flustered, ducking her head as Chiron chuckled.

"Yes, that would be peculiar, but still, utilize all your enemies' weaknesses." The centaur informed as someone in the distance called his name. He turned around, "Just a moment, Ethan!"

"Ethan?" Percy muttered.

"It could be a different Ethan," Annabeth said.

"At this rate? Doubt it," Thalia said softly.

he turned back to the demigods at Hogwarts, "I have a situation to deal with. Be sure to keep me informed children. Watch each other's backs and keep yourselves safe." He said, getting nods all around. With that, Chiron said his goodbyes and wiped his hand through the image, ending the I.M.

"Wow, he hung up on them." Leo hummed. "Rude."

"So, now what?" Lee asked the girls, stumped on what to do right now.

Su looked to Rhode, it seems she was the designated leader here at Hogwarts for demigods.

"Um," Rhode started off intelligently, before taking a quick breath, "We'll look for strange occurrences. Never be alone, buddy up if you roam the halls and be sure to contact everyone if you see something, no solo acts."

Apollo nudged Hermes. "No more sleeping alone!"

"Hermollo." Hermes mumbled and nodded to Poseidon, who was watching them carefully.

The sun god lost his grin and grimaced. "Oh...right..."

She instructed.

Her fellow demigods nodded and they decided to go train for the rest of the day. After the conversation about the threat they faced, they wanted to be ready for when their skills would be needed.

"Their cooking skills!" Frank declared.

"Of course!" Apollo declared in a manner similar to a famous meme used by a critic of the nostalgic sort.

November 14, 2002.

Hey bookie buddy of mine,

"Someone sounds tipsy," Dionysus snorted.

Poseidon frowned. "She would not!"

"Percy Jackson enjoyed the Lotus Casino's free refreshments," Hades pointed out.

"...Percy's...special."

"Dad!"

Percy gave his father a brooding pout that made Poseidon wince while his brother smirked.

November is flying by! We've tried searching for the monster, but there was no luck. In the meantime, I've been spending my remaining free time looking for that damn book that just kept popping away whenever I get close!

We did notice one thing though. Lately, people kept getting sick. Not the flu or anything, like legit illness. People were wobbling through the halls, others striking up a fever, some puking their brains out.

"...That...sounds...awesome!" Ares looked at Apollo. "Make that a thing! I want to see mortals puke brains out!"

Apollo grimaced. "Hell no."

The hospital wing is filling up fast and Madam Pomfrey is working triple shifts,

"Well, that's a no brainer considering she's the only school nurse." Annabeth shook her head. "Wizards are dumb."

"Indeed." Her mother agreed with her.

trying to figure out what was wrong.

Right now, it was at the tail end of November. DADA is as stupid as ever! What's-his-name is useless. At least, that's based on what I heard from Su. I hadn't gone back to the class after that first class. Thank Olympus, Lee was willing to teach me some useful stuff during our training sessions.

Got to go, journal. Detention awaits. Ugh!

"I feel your pain, even if I don't like you," Percy said with a frown.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Percy..."

"Blue is an amazing color!"

"I thought you liked gray?" Leo asked nonchalantly.

Percy frowned. "Why would I like gray? Who wants to eat gray?"

"...Wow, dude, you are dumb."

"What?" Percy turned to Annabeth's glare and paled. "Oh...You suck, Leo."

"The biggest of dick!" Ares declared with a laugh.

"ARES!" Hera yelled, infuriated.

Rhode and Su were walking through the halls catching up in late November, a week before December, when Rhode decided she needed to go to the washroom. "So DADA is as dumb as ever! Great!" Rhode groaned. Setting her bag down, she went to wash her face of some sweat that had built up from some training she'd done earlier. As she washed up, Rhode paused.

"Rhode?" Su questioned as her fellow demigoddess froze.

Rhode licked her dampened lips, then her watery fingers. "Oh no…" her skin ashen. She grabbed her water flask and dumped it. She soon filled it with the sink water, "Emergency meeting," Rode told Su, her tone dead serious, "Get Lee, I'll meet you there."

"What did she discover? Tap water?" Hades asked, rolling his eyes.

"No, no...I think I know what she found. Smart kid, Uncle P." Apollo praised.

Poseidon smirked while Athena scowled.

She said, running out of the bathroom before Su could even ask what was going on.

"Oh," Su pouted and grabbed her bag, rushing out to find Lee, "I hate it when she does this." She bemoaned.

"We know your pain. The take charge attitude. Very annoying," Piper said with a nod.

Percy pouted. "Why are you taking shots at me?"

"Girl-code, dude," Leo said as he popped a chip in his mouth.

"Girl-code?"

"Girl-code." Jason nodded. He'd been on the receiving end of it before.

Rhode paced in front of the glass of water before her restlessly in the Room of Requirement.

Lee and Su soon entered.

"I have bad news." Rhode told them point blank.

"…Is there good news?" Lee asked with a raised brow as they walked to the table, "Because I'd rather hear it first."

"Good news is always nice," Hermes said with a nod.

"No." Rhode frowned.

"O-kay." Lee nodded as he sat down, Su taking a seat as well.

Rhode pointed at the cup before them, "The water, it's contaminated."

Silence filled the room for all of two seconds before Lee said, "That's bull!" he cried out, "Hogwarts has water purification charms on all its plumbing!" He knew, he tried to put laxatives in the water once.

"Classic," Hermes grinned.

"Worst. Day. Ever." Apollo grumbled.

"Well it certainly isn't working properly." the scion of the sea stated knowingly. "Just by looking at it, I can see the impurities in it. It's like how Su can tell what's wrong with a plant on sight or contact." Su nodded to this, "So trust me when I say, this is poisoned. It's like that one time I stopped Thalia from drinking from a stream that was contaminated with lead." She commented and pressed on, missing the stunned looks on Lee and Su's faces.

Rhode hardly ever brought up the unfortunate daughter of Zeus. It was usually a very sensitive topic.

"Because it's the OTP." Leo nodded to his hushed comment.

"What was that, Leo Valdez?" Poseidon asked with a frown.

"Because it's a hard part of the daughter of the sea," Leo said louder.

"...Okay."

"What did Chiron say? A basilisk has highly potent poison. A poison so strong it melted a cat! I doubt magic could purify all of a poison like that." Rhode stated.

"But," Su frowned, "Why would it be in the pipes unless-!" she gasped, covering her mouth, "It's traveling around through the plumbing."

"Talk about shitty transport."

"Ares, language!" Hestia frowned.

"I'm with the warhead on this one," Hermes said with a look of disgust on his face.

Rhode gave an affirming nod, frowning deeply, "Exactly."

Lee slumped into his chair, "Damn," he frowned, some of his mortal friends had gotten very sick. If this was true- "What do we do? I mean, if this is slithering through the pipes, it could be anywhere."

"…Or in its chamber." Su's small voice piped up.

Lee rubbed his face, "This chamber has never been found in, like, forever, and you are saying…all we have to do is find it ourselves?" he asked with an incredulous tone.

"Pretty much." Rhode nodded.

"…This school was so less dangerous before you came here." Lee pointed out dryly to Rhode.

The daughter of the sea shrugged. She was a trouble magnet, it wasn't like it was her fault.

"It was so her fault." Annabeth gave Percy a pointed look.

Percy pouted. "It's not like I plan it!"

"Sure."

"No, no, he's right, Annie." Thalia smirked. "Percy's too dim to make those kind of plans."

Percy glowered at the hunter. "...Was that supposed to be helpful? Because it failed epically."

Lee massaged his temples, "You want me to find a pipe big enough for us to go down, don't you?"

Rhode nodded, getting the boy to sigh.

"Fine, give me an hour. In the meantime, get your reptile repellent girls." He said, pushing out of his seat, "We've got a snake to kill."

Apollo grinned. "I like this chapter."

"You would," Hera said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh yeah," Rhode grinned, "Let's lock and load people!" she said, holding her hand out, grinning at the others. Su giggled and put her hand on top of Rhode's and the girls look at Lee intently.

"Oh fine," the boy rolled his eyes, but still smiled and put his hand on top.

"Camp Half-Blood!" they cheered and threw their hands in the air.

"Go team. Whoo. Hu-rah..." Nico rolled his eyes.

"Mr. Team Spirit, everybody," Leo said with a smirk.

"Bite me."

The demigods were in clothing similar to their escapade from last year. Dark muggles clothes that gave them plenty of freedom for combat.

Adjusting Thalia's jacket, Rhode looked down the massive pipe that Lee led them to.

Thalia frowned. "Don't take my jacket into a sewer."

"It's charmed." Annabeth reminded her.

"Still though!"

"How did you find this?"

"The twins have a map for all of Hogwarts." Lee told him, "I stole it once and memorized it. Had to give it back before they knew it was gone though." He frowned, he didn't like stealing from his best buddies, but it was needed, just in case.

"Let's get going." Rhode said, taking out her wand, "Lumos." She said, using the wand lighting charm.

They started their journey through the magical plumbing of Hogwarts and not even five minutes later, Su make a startled noise.

"I think I stepped in something." The daughter of Demeter frowned.

"Ew! Poor girl," Aphrodite said with a scrunch of her nose.

Demeter rolled her eyes. "Please, farmers have to deal with worse things than sewage."

"...There's worse things than sewage?"

Rhode rolled her eyes, "And this is why I told you combat boots all the way for stuff like this."

Su just pouted at her and shook her gunk covered foot. "This is why I hate dark damp underground places." Stupid monster could never be in a nice sunny field or a flowery meadow. Oh, no, just a clichéd spooky place.

"I'm with Su on that one," Percy said with a frown. "It's never somewhere pleasant."

"Or somewhere with supermodels." Leo noted.

Percy nodded and winced when Annabeth thumped his arm. "Ow! What'd I do?"

"Super models? Really?"

They continued walking for what felt like hours as they went down tunnels and popped up into other places at the school and had to go back down, marking their way as they traveled to avoid getting lost.

Rhode felt uncomfortable in the tunnel, but just bared with it since it was necessary. It was still annoying though.

"Stupid tunnels." Percy grumbled.

Poseidon shifted uncomfortably, silently agreeing with his son.

Lee, the (self-proclaimed) morale booster, was telling jokes to keep the mood light.

"And I said, that's not my ferret!" Lee laughed, getting a giggle from Su as Rhode had an amused smile on her face as she continued to lead the way.

"How long have we been down here?" Su asked.

"Months, years even!" Leo snickered.

"That's not funny," Jason said.

"Agreed." Percy nodded.

Rhode paused in her steps, taking out her phone. Checking the time, she said, "Almost five hours."

"Maybe call it a day or at least take a break?" Lee suggested, not wanting them to be worn out.

Rhode shook her head, "No, we're close. We have to be." She said with confidence. She turned forward once more and continued walking.

"Stamina monster."

"Like that's a bad thing?" Aphrodite asked with an arched brow.

"Depends on the other person she ends up with," Apollo said.

"Dude!" Hermes hissed with a mild glare.

"What? I never said I wanted Rhode to end up with someone," Apollo said to Poseidon.

Poseidon narrowed his eyes. "...Keep it that way."

Lee muttered under his breath. He was used to walking, son of the traveling god after all, but even his legs needed a break.

"Amen to that!" Hermes nodded.

Su, who was near him, nodded in minor agreement. Out of all of them, Rhode was usually the last one standing after a day of intense training.

Rhode didn't hear them as she stopped, making her friends collide into her back, getting the daughter of the sea to stumble forward a bit. She caught herself before she fell through the opening in front of her and after righting herself just pointed straight ahead. There, at the end of the pipeline, was a dim greenish glow, "I think we're here."

"I see that." Lee said dryly as they advanced. Trying his best not to make a 'Light at the end of the tunnel' joke.

"Oh, I'll make one!"

"No." The other gods said at Ares enthusiastic proclamation.

Ares scowled. "You all suck...the biggest of-!"

"Honestly, who told you that joke?!" Hera demanded.

"It matters not," Zeus interjected quickly. "Read, Hestia."

They reached the end of the pipe and they saw that they were at least forty feet above the floor of the room beyond. Looking down, they were standing near the end of a long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with serpents, rose to a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. The demigods had to squint a few times, to adjust their eyes to the chamber. But, they could see a statue as tall as the Chamber itself, standing against the back wall. It was ancient, like a statue of one of their parents, but far less beautiful and just plain gaudy. It had a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor.

"So, this is the Chamber of Secrets? Not seeing anything other than cheap lighting here and some dumb mortal's ego, so not much of a secret." Rhode commented, clearly unimpressed.

"Nah, he's got to have some loot around here somewhere." The son of Hermes stated, a gleam in his eyes.

Hermes grinned and rubbed his hands together. "Yeah, show me the money..."

"Greed is a sin, Hermes."

"Who asked you, Apollo?"

"Down boy," Rhode scolded and turned to Su, "Can you give us a line?" she asked.

Su nodded and held out her hand and a long, rope-like vine coiled forth, falling down from the height and pooling on the floor. That was one of the things that Su's cabin could do, just make plants appear out of nowhere, even solid stone.

"That's got to make for some bedroom fun," Aphrodite said with a giggle.

"Aphrodite, that was extremely uncalled for!" Demeter cried.

Hades suddenly found his nails very interesting, which made Poseidon stare at him with a smirk.

"Really, brother?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Hades hissed.

Rhode, holstering her wand, grabbed the vine and gave it a sharp tug, testing that it was secure. "I'll go first." She simply said and jumped out of the pipe, rappelling down and soon she was planting her feet on the damp floor.

Looking up, Rhode gave a soft whistle that echoed a bit. Soon, Su came down, and then Lee followed.

Rhode tapped her bracelet, bringing out her shield, the celestial bronze giving off a low light, "Okay, if I was a little snake…where would I hide here?"

"Little. Funny," Hermes snickered.

Rhode pondered, glancing around the huge chamber.

"This is going to take forever." Lee frowned, fiddling with one of his throwing knives that acted like a glow stick.

Su also changed her fan into her short sword, "Maybe it's at the statue in the back?" she thought out loud, "I mean, if Slytherin is as clichéd as we believe, it would be there. Possibly sleeping."

"True." Rhode snorted, a wizard would so do that.

They crept along the long chamber and advanced towards the statue…but there was something wrong.

There was a large opening in its mouth, like a gaping black hole.

"Whoa, so the snake goes in and out of the hole?" Ares asked, smirking.

Hera rubbed her forehead. "Why? Why am I punished so?"

"Karma?" Poseidon suggested. He winced at the glare given to him. "Sorry."

"Guys, where's the snake?" Lee asked cautiously.

A soft thudding was his answer, along with a flickering noise.

The demigods turned around sharply, weapons at the ready.

And then, they looked up, craning their necks back.

"…Correct me, if I'm wrong," Lee cleared his throat, "But didn't Chiron say 'as big as a grown man's arm'?"

Su, gulping, answered, "No, he said that."

"Oh, good," Lee nodded, "Well, can someone tell me why it isn't?!" he snapped.

"Come on, nuclear radiation!" Ares cheered with a savage grin on his face.

"My money is on magic." Hermes said.

Apollo scowled. "I just want to see them kill the stupid thing."

"Agreed." Artemis nodded.

Rhode stayed quiet, taking in the vast form of their opposition.

It was big and long, easily two-three hundred feet in length, most likely more. The basilisk's scales were a dark green that just screamed 'sinister' in the gloomy green light of the chamber. Its eyes were a sickly yellow, with black slits in the middle while a red tongue flicked out of its snaky lips. It opened its mouth, showing rows of sharp teeth the size of swords.

"Psst, Li," Lee said to Su, "Talk to it." He ushered her.

"What?" Su hissed back at him.

"Your mom's sacred animal is a serpent, right? Talk to it."

"I try not to speak to serpents," Demeter said with a frown. "Out of respect."

"And I thank you for that," Apollo said with a grateful nod.

"As do I," Artemis nodded.

Su glared at him, "One, just because it's my mother's sacred animal, does not mean I can speak snake. Second, you are stereotyping me, again!" she snapped quietly.

"Your son is extremely close minded," Athena noted.

Hermes rolled his eyes. "At least he's not racist."

"True. It could be worse."

"Enough chatter." Rhode ordered, going right into battle mode. She raised her shield slowly as the larger than normal basilisk observed them, no doubt wondering who to eat first. "Any ideas why it's so big?"

Su nibbled her lip, throwing out a possible theory she thought of in the span of a few seconds. She was smart like that. "Perhaps it leeched off the ambient magic while it was sealed. I mean, the Chamber of Secrets goes back as far the Founders' time. With all that magic, it may have allowed it to grow to this size."

"Ha! Called it!" Hermes grinned.

"Boo! Where's the mutants? I demand mutants!" Ares shook his fist in the air.

"Be silent, Ares." Zeus glared at his son.

Ares scowled and crossed his arms. "Spoilsport."

"Or Slytherin just overfed it." Lee shrugged, slowly pulling out more of his knives, tucking them between his fingers.

Rhode frowned, mulling on a plan of action as she slid slowly to the right, "Lee, take to the air. Su, go long range and support me. I'll keep its focus." She said, her left hand reaching inside her shield.

Su went wide eyed, "Rhode! One touch and you're dead!" she said with worry lacing her voice.

"I know."

"Cue action sequence music!" Apollo decreed and it was so.

Artemis gave her brother a dry glare. "Seriously?"

"What? It fits the tone."

Artemis clapped a hand on her face. "You're an idiot."

Rhode said and she pulled an object from her shield which expanded into her sword that Gaige had made her. While studying the shield, Gaige made it so that Rhode could store her spare weapons in it. To use her trident, she would need both her hands, but she needed her shield far more in this fight, it was time to put all that swordsmanship training to the test.

Rhode tensed as the giant snake coiled, "GO!" She shouted and jumped out of the way. Lee leaped into the air with a cry of 'Air Jordan'

"Best. Battle Cry. Ever." Hermes smirked.

Ares picked at his ear. "I beg to differ."

"Peanut butter is still a personal favorite to me," Poseidon said with a smile.

Hermes tilted his head before he snickered. "Alright, yeah. That's a pretty badass war cry."

and went for altitude. Su had used a vine to wrap around her midsection and reel her back to a safe distance.

The basilisk's head slammed into the stone ground where the three had stood just moments before, breaking it.

"That's one stupid snake," Apollo said with a smirk.

Rhode got out of her roll and into a crouch as she raised her shield arm, the flying debris pelted the large shield. Rhode stood up as the snake pulled its head out of the ground, stone and rubble slipping off its scaly skin. Rhode clanged the flat of her sword against her shield, making a lot of noise.

"Hey, over here! Come on!" she shouted as the snake turned to her and struck again. Rhode rolled aside once more, but was ready this time. As soon as she got out of her crouch, she rushed forward and slashed the side of its face, digging deeply into its scales, causing a light spray of blood to splatter across the tiles.

Apollo grinned widely. "I am enjoying this immensely."

"...I like this side of you, sunspot." Ares grinned.

"Snakes must die." Apollo affirmed curtly.

The monster let out a shriek and dragged its head along the ground. Eyes widened, Rhode dropped her sword and held up her shield just as it was about to hit her, and jumped. She tucked her arms and legs, forcing her feet into the shield. The monster sent her flying, making her land painfully due to her poor positioning, but at least none of her body touched the snake.

Wincing a bit from her landing, Rhode looked for her sword but saw it had snapped under the snake's massive weight. It was now nothing more than a pile of scrap lying under the monster's massive bulk.

The scion of the sea was pissed, "I liked that one!"

"Always a shame when a weapon gets ruined." Ares nodded.

she shouted, getting the snake's attention. It went for her, but cried out as Lee flew by, tossing his knives at speeds equivalent to gunfire.

"Yeah, that's right! You're flying Air Jordan now!"

"Cheesy." Ares scoffed.

"Brilliant!" Hermes argued.

"Annoying, the both of you," Athena said with a frown.

The son of Hermes shouted as he dodged a lunge from the snake by turning upside down and running along the ceiling for a few seconds before pushing off with both feet. This put him into the perfect position to go for another pass which he did by flying low, and throwing another flurry of knives. Before he ascended into the air once more, trying to confuse the monster.

Hermes buffed his nails. "Oh yeah, I'm badass."

"Not that badass."

"Shut up, Ares."

The basilisk hissed at the flying pest and flicked its long tail, dragging it across the ceiling, carving a trench into the rock and making stones, some the size of cars, fall.

Lee yelped and weaved through the rocks, running across long ones and hopping across smaller ones. He twisted around two rocks that nearly brained him and crossed his arms. In his closed fists, he had two new set of knives between his knuckles.

His feet landed on another falling rock and pushed off it, giving him more speed as he barrel rolled around the beast's head and threw his knives just as he passed the snake's left eye, blinding it.

"Good shot," Athena said.

Hermes smirk. "Gets it from his daddy."

"...I think we should get a DNA test done." Apollo smirked.

"I claimed him!"

"You say that like we've never done that before."

At this grievous injury the snake let out a shrill cry and flapped its tail around, forcing Lee to dodge quickly. The tip of the monstrous tail dragged across the ceiling once more, bring down yet another hail of stone.

Lee weaved once more and cursed as his right shoe was hit, making him swerve in the air, before the injured wing gave out and he started to fall.

"Mayday! Aprilday! Marchday! Ah screw it, Anyday!"

"I'm taking that," Apollo said as he wrote the line down.

"I better get credit for it!" Hermes glared at him.

"I'll add a footnote."

"You're not writing!"

"It's in my mental notes."

"Boys." Artemis interjected. She looked to Hestia, who nodded gratefully.

he shouted and fell to the ground in a spiral that culminated in a painful sounding thud. He went to move, but let out a cry of pain as a rock landed right on his leg, "Shit!" he snarled and looked at the large rock. He threw his back to the ground as he let out another cry of pain. Baring his teeth, Lee pushed back up and grasped the rock, trying to move it.

The monster looked interested in the pinned target and slithered forth. Something colliding with its body before it could make any significant headway however, prompted it to turn to see dying vines fall limply.

Su bit her lip. She tried to fire another surge of vines, but they just died on contact with the basilisk! Without any noticeable effect! To her it felt like an uphill battle…with lava coming down the hill. Her powers seemed to have no effect on the monster.

The monster looked at her with its uninjured sickly yellow eye for a moment, then turned away. Like she wasn't a threat to it.

H-How rude!

"Indeed!" Demeter frowned.

"I think it's onto something."
Demeter glared at Hades for his offhanded comment.

"She looks like she's about to Hulk Out," Leo commented.

"Humph. We'll see about it," Ares said.

Mustering up her courage, Su turned her sword back into a fan and pocketed it. She lashed out both her arms and two sunflowers, twice the size of herself, was summoned on either side of her. They bent, the tops pointed at the snake headed towards Lee.

"Fire!" she ordered the sunflowers and they soon started to launch their seeds like machine gun bullets.

"...Machine gun grapes..." Percy snickered.

Jason and Piper bit down on the inside of their cheeks and Dionysus scowled.

"The greatest of headaches, Peter Johnson," the god said.

"I try."

It was a little idea she cooked up and had been practicing in secret. She wanted to show her cabin during next summer. She was quite proud that she managed to think up something like this.

Sadly, the effect right now was not what she was hoping for.

"Ah, big surprise," Hades said.

"Persephone uses the same style, does she not?" Demeter challenged.

Hades grimaced, not wanting to risk his wife's wrath, but also not wanting to agree with his sister.

Normally, the bullet seeds would hurt the target due to the sheer speed and the genetically modified density of the seeds. But the basilisk's poisonous skin acted like armor, making the organic attack evaporate on contact.

Su couldn't help but ball her fists in frustration. One of the most important fights of her life…and she was useless.

"Waste of space." Ares nodded in agreement.

Demeter glared at him.

This monster was her antithesis in every way and she could do nothing! She tried to rack her mind for an idea, some way to attack it, but sadly, her latest attack drew its attention onto her. It was what she wanted, but not in the good way.

The basilisk opened its mouth and a red and orange light seemed to swell up within its jaws before it upchucked a large gout of fire.

The daughter of Demeter panicked. Right, they could spit fire. Oh topsoil.

She tried to summon a wall of foliage, maybe intercept the incoming projectile, but it burned right through it before she could build up a more firm defense.

Shielding her face with her arms, Su screwed her eyes closed as fear made her release a choking sob.

"That wretched-Oh, when I get to that school!" Demeter seethed.

Hera looked over at the goddess of Agriculture. "Demeter. It's a fictional school."

"Not in that universe." Hera glared at Apollo. He shrugged. "You heard The Seer."

"Speaking of which, where is he?" Demeter asked. "I have questions!"

"And I have answers," The Seer replied as he walked out of a doorway of light. He lifted his right hand in greeting. "Hello."

"You!" Demeter rose from her throne and approached him, shrinking to stand just a bit taller than him. "Where is that universe? I demand to be taken to it!"

The Seer leaned to the side to look at the other Olympians with his hidden eyes. "Did I miss something?"

"Demeter's daughter Su Li was just attacked by the Basilisk's fire," Hera said.

"Ah, I figured that would be the case when this scene arrived, I forgot to come." The Seer returned his attention to the angry goddess before him. He gestured to the doorway of light behind him. "Right this way, Lady Demeter."

Demeter nodded curtly and followed the other dimensional being through his mode of transport.

Apollo rubbed his chin. "That's a neat trick, maybe I could...?"

"No." Artemis cut him off.

"But-!"

"No."

"Oh, c'mo-!"

"No."

Apollo sat back in his throne with his arms crossed. "Mean little sister."

"I am not the younger sibling!"

"Ahem." Eyes went back to Hestia, who had a pretty frown on her face. "Why can't we get through one chapter without interruption?"

"You may continue sister," Zeus said.

"Yes, thank you, Zeus. I was just about to do so."

"Hestia's in a bad mood again," Poseidon mumbled softly to Hades.

Hades nodded. "Tie Zeus up as a sacrifice and flee?"

"Seems the most wise course of action-"

"I can hear you two plotting over there," Hestia interrupted.

The older two brothers of the Big Three sat in their thrones silently.

She was then pushed out of the way, quite roughly, and tumbled along the ground. Looking up to see what had happened, she saw Rhode, going on her knee and raising her large shield over her upper body just as the fire blast hit her.

"Rhode!" Su screamed, tears streaming from her eyes. She felt numb…her friend…oh gods, Rhode…

Bits of fire clung to the ground as the smoke soon cleared. Su's sunken heart swelled with happiness as she saw Rhode, still in her crouched position.

Rhode let out a muffled cry of pain, biting her lip so hard it started to bleed. She patted off the flames on her jeans, they were now shorts, and kicked off her melted boots, rubble stabbing her sock clad feet.

"Fire hurts," Percy said with a small wince.

"Sucks for you." Leo chuckled.

Rhode thanked her dad big time for giving her heat resistance because without it and her shield, she would have been a crispy snack for the snake. Her body still felt the pain of the fire, but she pushed on.

Su dashed to her side, "Oh gods! Rhode, I, you, I thought-!" she sobbed, looking like she was both going to burst into tears and collapse in relief to high Olympus at any second that Rhode was okay.

Grunting, Rhode stood up and turned to Su, "You need to get Lee and get out of here." She told her, dismissing her shield and fishing out Spellbound, hitting the adjuster and grasping her trident tightly.

Su was confused by that statement, "But, that would mean-"

"I'll stall it while you get to safety, yeah." Rhode said causally, like it was no big deal, and was about to run interference but Su grabbed her arm in a vice grip.

"Are you insane?!" she snapped, actual anger on her face. Su never got angry.

Rhode gave her an intense icy look, "Su, your powers have no effect, Lee's leg is pinned down and I've got a weapon with reach to give us a halfway decent chance in this fight." She then snapped, "Now go!"

"No!"

"Aw, it's like an annoying dog's bark before I snap its neck," Ares chuckled.

"...Dude, you are so messed up." Hermes shook his head in disbelief.

Frank shuddered at his father's Greek aspect's chuckling.

A growl leapt into Rhode's throat, "I wasn't asking!" she stated and pulled her arm back and rushed back into the fight before Su could even continue the quick argument.

Su looked on in shock…Rhode was planning to sacrifice herself, for them.

Panicking, Su rushed to Lee, maybe he had a plan. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Darn it! Running as fast as she could, she slid to the ground near the son of Hermes. Lee was trying to get some rubble off his leg. With a spin of her wrist, vines coiled under the stone, lifting it off. Lee gave a relieved look.

"Lee and Li..." Aphrodite hummed.

"I see it." Hermes nodded.

"Thanks, Li." He said and tried to move, but released a sharp hiss after just gingerly trying to move his leg. "Well, this sucks," he tried to joke, flashing a smile despite the pain from his busted leg.

"Lee…Rhode, she wants us to get out of here." Su explained fast.

"What? And regroup?"

"No…she said she's staying."

"Dammit!" Lee panicked, "She can't do that, dammit all!" he tried to get up once more, going against the pain and just as he was about to tip over, Su caught him to support him, "I, we, we need to do something." The son of Hermes rushed out.

"What?" Su asked, face etched in worry, "My powers don't work, you're out of this fight."

"I, give me a second!" Lee snapped as he watched Rhode dodge an attack, swinging her trident in a scythe-like motion, getting a deep cut in the snake's nostrils.

"Yes, strike at the source of sight," Apollo mumbled with a grin.

"Apollo, your snake bloodlust is showing." Artemis noted dryly.

Ares scowled at her. "Don't snap him out of it, I like this side of sunspot!"

"Quiet. Apollo, remember what mother said," Artemis said to her twin.

She stayed in the snake's single line of sight in order to keep its focus. Chewing his lip, his mind was going at super speed to think until a drip of water made him wince. He looked up and his chocolate brown eyes widened, "The pipes…" he whispered and looked around. Everywhere, the entire chamber was lined with pipes.

Su looked up and came to the same conclusion in an instant, "If she can do that-"

"She can." Lee said firmly, Luke had told him about some of Rhode's powers with water, if she could summon it then they still stood a chance, "Rhode!" he shouted, "The pipes!

"McLean, get on it!"

"Shut up, Annabeth."

They're everywhere! Summon the water!" he hollered.

"Don't you think I'd have thought of that!" Rhode snapped back as she dodged left. "But if I do that, the damn place would flood and you'll drown! That's why I want you two to get the hell out of here!"

"Oh!" Su gasped out. Rhode wasn't sacrificing herself. Thank the gods! She was asking them to get to safety so she could bring her powers to bear better.

"Already, much smarter than her brother." Thalia smirked. "Must be my other's influence on her."

"...You sacrificed yourself in front of her."

"...Shut up, Percy."

"Lee let's get out of here." Su said, as she helped the son of the traveler god to a firmer footing even as she looked around the chamber for somewhere they could be safe from what was coming. Spying the top of the statue of Slytherin's head, she gestured to it to Lee and then helped him limp towards it.

"Right," Lee replied as he did his best to limp as fast as he could, Rhode couldn't hold off the basilisk without her full powers forever. When the two reached the foot of the statue, he was about to turn to Su to ask 'What now?' when a massive plant took shape beneath them and gently lifted them up to safety, scrambling off the plant and onto the greater safety of solid rock, Lee gave the signal, "Rhode, go!"

Play: Battle of Magic Competition OST

"Music request? Done!" Apollo grinned as he snapped his fingers.

"...You know what that is?" Artemis asked.

"Yep."

"Mind sharing?"

"Nope. Shh, I want to watch the snake get its ass kicked."

Hearing that her friends were safe, Rhode tightened her grip on Spellbound and, whilst still fending off the monstrous snake, began focusing on the tugging feeling in her gut. It was difficult doing both, but she had to. Their lives depended on it!

The beast of Slytherin hissed in rage and lunged at its target, trying to capitalize on its noticeable distraction. But just as it was about to engulf its prey in its jaws, a large cactus appeared. It reeled back with a cry of pain as its mouth was filled with needles.

"You know, she's fighting this thing at same age Prissy was when he went on his first quest." Ares noted. "And she's way stronger than him."

"Which makes her how much stronger than you?" Percy shot back.

Ares smirked at him. "I'm stronger than you, Princess. Our fight was to the first fatal blow. You got lucky."

"Percy Jackson you close that mouth!" Hestia hissed before her nephew could speak. She glared at Ares. "I would like to finish this portion of the story before Demeter returns. Or should I send for The Seer to take you with her?"

Ares' smirk faded and his skin turned ash white at the thought of being alone with Demeter. She was the second scariest Olympian, right behind Hestia.

"I hope it was pleasantly delicious!" Su shouted, waving her small fist in the air most threateningly.

Before the snake could recover from its latest injury, Rhode released a war cry. Then it happened. The pipes creaked and groaned, shaking violently before erupting and allowing gallons upon gallons of water to gush into the chamber, which started to flood.

"That's got to be at least over a million gallons." Su awed as more and more kept coming.

"Big Three kids are broken."

"So true." Annabeth, Frank, Piper and Leo nodded.

"We are not!" Percy argued, his fellow Big Three demigods frowning in disagreement.

"Yes you are, Seaweed Brain. Yes you are."

Lee complained with a deadpanned expression.

Su gave a slight nod at the magnificent display Rhode was putting on. Her mind then went to why she heard the Oath between the Big Three was made. Their children were just too powerful. Seeing that very fact demonstrated before her, Su could see why they had to make the Oath. Rhode, who was only twelve years old, was displaying such power…she could only wonder what Rhode could do once she was older.

"And she went into the adult enter-!"

"I dare you, Ares." Poseidon interjected calmly. "Interrupt that sentence. See how this ends for you."

Ares' mouth shut, his skin white once again.

The basilisk, despite its mouth filled with needles, roared and attacked the daughter of Poseidon.

Rhode let out a breath as the water pooling around her ankles healed her of her pain and empowered her like water always did. She looked at the coming snake and threw her arms into the air.

A wall of water collided with the snake, forcing it back in a stumble. It went to move in once more, but a tendril of water snapped at it, forcing it back.

"Bitch, you step off bitch!" Apollo snapped his fingers.

"I. Hate. Reality. Television." Artemis growled.

Rhode whipped her trident around rapidly and she flung large tendrils of her element at the snake, continuing to slap it back.

The basilisk upchucked another fire blast, but Rhode streamed two large tendrils of water right at it, extinguishing the fire before they continued towards the beast, pushing the basilisk against the far wall.

"Talk about putting a damper on its day." Leo snickered.

"I'm all for it!" Apollo cheered, with a 'Go Rhode!' foam finger on his hand.

Poseidon glared at him. "Where do you keep getting those things?!"

Hermes innocently drank from his nectar-can helmet.

"Gift shop. Go Rhode!" Apollo cheered with a pump of his foam finger.

Capitalizing on the monster's disorientation, Rhode let out another war cry, her sea green eyes burning with power as she pushed her speared weapon forward. The streaming tendrils increased in volume, pushing the basilisk with such force, the stone wall behind it started to crack.

Rhode frowned as the basilisk seemed to be able to take some punishment. Unless she went for a more stab-like attack instead of the blunt force that she was going with right now, this would never end.

The basilisk whipped its tail up and slapped it against a pillar near Rhode, bringing it down. Rhode, forced to cancel her attack, literally skated across the knee-high water, making a rooster tail of H2O fly up behind her.

Damn it! How could she launch a stabbing attack with water? It wasn't like she could harden water into a sharp spear or something, right? Wait, ice! That was it! She just had to shape the water into spears and then turn it into ice.

It was brilliant.

"Meh." Athena gave an iffy gesture of her hand.

"You're just biased," Poseidon said with a frown.

"And you are not?"

"Oh, I know I am." Poseidon smirked.

"Guys, c'mon! I wanna see the stupid snake get killed!" Apollo whined, making the rivals stop.

With that, she began concentrating on her anger. At the snake, at her friends being injured.

The temperature of the damp chamber suddenly dropped a few chilling degrees, the temperature of water falling even more rapidly as she channeled her fury and her power together. The icy waters pooled around her, the temperature not even bothering her. She fanned her arms out wide, the water obeying her mental command and parted, rising along the sides of the chamber, building higher and higher.

"Rhode! Rhode! Rhode! Rhode! Rhode!" The demigods and Apollo chanted.

Artemis groaned into a hand. "He's such a child."

"Indeed." Zeus frowned.

"Oh, come now. It wasn't his fault," Poseidon said, supporting one of his favored nephews.

Hestia frowned at her brothers. "Boys? I'm trying to read."

"Sorry, Hestia." The two said, not wanting to upset their sister further.

Rhode narrowed her eyes, slashing Spellbound forward as she focused on the emotion and gave an angry cry. The parted waves curling down on the basilisk.

At the last second the water completed its transformation, just like it did throughout all her practices with Jack,

Poseidon scowled while Aphrodite tittered eagerly.

"So much practice? Is that all they did?"

"That better be all they did!" Poseidon snarled at Aphrodite's question.

"Poseidon, calm yourself." Hera frowned at her brother. She looked to Aphrodite. "And you, don't antagonize him."

Aphrodite smirked. "I promise nothing."

solidifying into massive crude spears of solid deadly sharp ice that went soaring towards the basilisk.

Just as the snake was about to lunge at her, it was riddled with holes, looking like an icy porcupine as it fell limp and exploded into dust.

End: Battle of Magic Competition OST

Apollo gave a standing ovation as the music ended. "Bravo! Bravo!"

"Sit down!" Artemis grabbed her brother's shirt and pulled him to his throne. She smacked his arm multiple times. "Knock it off and behave! I'm trying to listen to the story as well."

"Ow! Ow! Dad! Tell her to stop!"

"Artemis..." Zeus' words made his daughter sit back in her throne with a frown on her face.

Jason saw the event and grimaced. "I hope that's not how we're going to get."

"Depends on how much like Apollo you act." Thalia quipped.

"I can show you things, Jason..."

"You will do no such thing!" Hera frowned at the god of the sun.

Rhode panted as she fell to her knees, the ice turning back into chilling water.

"Uh, think you can crank up the heat, Evans?" Lee asked from afar jokingly.

Rhode turned to them, seeing him and Su looking down at her from the head of Slytherin's statue of all places.

Su on the other hand was clapping.

"That was amazing Rhode." She smiled brightly, "I had no idea you could control your ice like that!"

"All because of her teacher," Aphrodite said with a smile.

Poseidon growled at her.

"Ooo, sexy." Aphrodite grinned.

"Aphrodite! Poseidon! Behave!" Hestia frowned at them.

Ares scowled at Poseidon while Hephaestus gave the god a look.

Poseidon gave Hephaestus an apologetic look and glared at the tittering Aphrodite.

Rhode rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, "Yeah, well, I've been working on it."

"Well, can we go now?" Lee asked, pointing to his leg, "I kind of want my leg fixed. That and if we don't go soon the whole chamber is likely to flood. So me and Su probably should head for higher ground ASAP."

"Oh," Rhode said and pushed herself up in a wobble, "Yeah, let's get that patched up." She walked over, smiling at them, "Still, nice job you guys, you really saved me a couple of times back there."

Lee just grinned cheekily, "Oh yeah, you owe me." He nodded.

"It was no big deal." Su's cheeks turned pink, bashful to praise as always.

"She is strong," Artemis nodded.

"I'll say it for Demeter since she is not here, but do not tell her I did: Keep your mitts off of the demigoddess, Artemis," Hades said with a glare that made Artemis duck her head away in shame.

"Humph, maybe there's hope for you yet, Kidnapper."

Hades groaned as Demeter walked back to her throne from behind him.

Zeus gave her a curious glare. "Where did he take you, Sister?"

"I had some tea with Persephone," Demeter said, Hades stiffening at her words. "She was quite interested in The Seer. I did learn that he has a partner of his own."

"Gossip does not suit you, Lady Demeter," The Seer said with a frown from where he stood. He nodded to Hestia. "Enjoy your story, Lady Hestia."

"Thank you." Hestia smiled as he disappeared into the light of his doorway.

Rhode nudged her head up, "Let's get out of here."

Su proceeded to use her powers to carry them back up the pipe, bringing Lee up in much the same way that an injured person would be transported onto a helicopter for a medical evacuation the only difference being instead of a stretcher and ropes he was laying down on a large leaf and maneuvered around by animate vines.

"Clever," Apollo praised.

Demeter smirked. "Thank you."

Thankfully their escape route apparently saw very little water normally, since after Rhode had stopped calling on the water, the flow had very quickly all but stopped, thus allowing them to walk up back the way they came in.

Dragging Lee back was a total pain, but he seemed to have enjoyed it despite the pain he was in. The girls got their revenge though when they dumped him off with Madam Pomfrey who was giving him the third degree as he fumbled with excuses as to why his leg had gotten broken.

Rhode had to admit, she found it fun watching him squirm.

Su's giggles told her that she did too.

"Ooo, women scorned," Hermes said sympathetically. "Poor kid."

December 17, 2002.

Man journal, it's been only a few months, but I feel it's like I've been chatting with you longer.

"Lady Artemis, do I really have to write in a journal?" Thalia asked, a bit of a frown on her face.

"Yes." Artemis nodded. "It'll be a good test to see how my hunters' mental health fare."

It's been at least three weeks since we killed the basilisk of Slytherin. People were of course still worried about attacks, but it wasn't like the we were just going to outright tell them they had nothing to fear. Plus, having them be more cautious was funny to watch. And prudent considering the ton of dangerous stuff that happens at this seemingly 'safe' school of Hogwarts.

The damage that I did to the school's plumbing during the fight was a lot worse than we had expected. Apparently it was serious enough that the school's water supply got cut off for three days while experts were brought in to repair it. Interestingly, during the course of said repairs, the experts... what did the wizards call their plumbers anyways?

"Plumpuffs," Ares said.

"Water cleansers!" Apollo debated.

"Pipe petrifiers!" Hermes grinned.

"It's not a game, please stop." Athena frowned at them.

... anyways, those experts actually found the Chamber of Secrets. The whole of Wizarding Britain seemed to want to make a big deal about it? I honestly, don't understand why though. It's just a glorified basement, a recently flooded one no less. What's so special about it?

Back to the plumbing thing. Apparently, the Chamber was the source of the plumbing problems because the pipes that ran though it had, after the long time they had been there with no maintenance, finally failed under the water pressure and burst. Or at least that was what the plumber wizards say the cause was. I don't know if it was the Mist helping me or if it was just the wizards being wizards or my powers just being that awesome, but not having to find a way to cover up what happened was a big relief.

"The Mist hates me..." Percy whimpered sadly.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Get over it, Percy."

"It's not fair!"

"Seaweed Brain, stop it."

Though not having running water for three days was horrible. When the taps stopped flowing, the teachers had reacted surprisingly quickly, meaning it took them a whole day, to begin giving orders to ration water for however long it took to get the plumbing fixed. This meant that all baths were prohibited and showers were via a single bucket of provided water. Toilets were likewise flushed using pails. Washbasins were also set up at all the sinks in the bathrooms too. The whole thing was like going back to the Middle Ages!

"Worst. Years. Ever." Apollo groaned.

"I totally agree with that," Hermes said with a nod.

I would have thought that the Professors would have gotten the students to fetch the water from the Lake, where the old goat had said all of Hogwarts' water came from anyways, but that wasn't the case. According to Lee, this wasn't done because the teachers just had the school's House Elves do it instead. Yes, the school apparently has those annoying servant things too. Just like the crazy one that led me to getting zapped back during the summer. Just great! Hopefully, I don't run into one, otherwise… I'm joking! Really!

I asked Lee, he seemed to be the most in the know about this stuff, why they didn't use the water generating spell I heard about to make up for things. He explained that apparently it boiled down to wizards being lazy.

"An astute observation," Athena said.

Sure they could generate water but if they used it to create all the water the school needed, even if everyone only covered for their own share of the water, it would too troublesome. It would either mean people spending hours at a time doing nothing but casting that spell over and over again to fill up some container or have everyone use the spell when they needed water. The former would be a waste of people's time and the latter would be inconvenient, to say the least, when one needed the water in say the bathroom or shower. Much easier to just have someone else go collect the water you needed for you and have it ready when you needed it.

Thankfully between my powers and the Room of Requirements, which curiously could still conjure things with running water when nowhere else in the castle had such, me, Su and Lee got through the water disruption without much trouble at all. Can't say the same for many others though. By the third day, the castle had built up a faint stink from the unwashed bodies within its walls. Either some people took the excuse of the water shortage to not wash themselves or they were so pampered they didn't know how to do so properly when they didn't have all the water they wanted. Either way, it was disgusting! Just for slightly different reasons.

"Ew, gross." Aphrodite scrunched her nose up.

Many of the demigoddesses agreed with her.

On that note, did you know that what's-his-name, the only member of staff that was stinky at all, fell into the latter category? Glad to know I wasn't wrong about him. The idiot at least seemed to have enough sense to know how he smelt though and kept to himself.

Fortunately, after the water was up and running again, people soon stopped getting mysteriously ill and those that had previously fallen ill started to get better since there wasn't any more basilisk poison in the water anymore. Not only had the basilisk been killed but the repairs had supposedly included a thorough cleaning of all pipes which probably got rid of any lingering poison. Madam Pomfrey still couldn't identify what the cause of this sudden change was. Not that she had been able to figure out what was causing the problem in the first place, so it's not like she was any good in the first place!

"Shots fired," Hermes said with a chuckle.

Apollo nodded. "A shame if she's my legacy."

Things had just finally settled down, and now the school is organizing a dueling club for tonight. One for magical duels. I heard about it from Su. I wasn't really interested, but she's so hyped out about it, so I'm gonna attend just to keep her company. That and maybe they'll teach some useful spells I can use in a fight.

Anyways my paper friend, I've got to go. Su and Ron (he's hyped up about the whole thing too) are waiting for me. Write to you again soon.

P.S. I think I cramped my hand writing so much. Ow.

"Ah! See? I can't write in a diary! It'll hurt my hand." Thalia nodded. "Can't shoot arrows if I hurt my hand. Same for the others."

"Hm, that means you haven't been hunting enough," Artemis said. She nodded. "Then we'll hunt three months straight and break for camp half time."

Thalia paled. The other Hunters were going to kill her.

It was eight o'clock and Rhode had walked down with Ron to the Great Hall, who was rather excited to learn some dueling. Rhode on the other hand took the whole thing with a grain of salt. She'd judge if it was useful after she'd tried it firsthand.

"Dueling? Oh, this is going to be good," Ares said with an eager grin.

"Maybe," Apollo said.

As she entered the Hall she noticed that the long dining tables that typically furnished it had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black instead of the normal illusion of the night sky outside and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited. Rhode also noticed that a good number of the faculty were there too: all four Heads of House, and a handful of the other Professors too. They were looking decidedly less excited though, in fact they almost look resigned or exasperated.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" asked Ron as they edged into the chattering crowd.

"Flitwick told me he was a Dueling Champ back in his heyday." Rhode pointed out. "Hope it's him." she eyed the small Professor hopefully.

"As long as it's not -" Ron began, but he ended on a groan.

Some-guy-who-Rhode-didn't-know-the-name-of had walked onto the stage,

"...I hate this character," Athena admitted. "More than the Dursleys."

"He makes me look bad," Apollo said with a frown. "Makes all egotistical guys look like douchebags."

"You're not?"

"Funny, Ares. Funny."

wrapped in robes of deep plum and smiling like a loon. He was accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black robes like some wannabe Batman.

The smiling man waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"

"Who is that guy?" Rhode whispered to Ron, who just snickered.

"Nice one, mate."

"No seriously." Rhode said with a clueless look, getting Ron to blink at her.

"Okay, you are so doing that on purpose."

"Doing what?"

"Now that's comedy," Leo said with a snicker.

Ron just focused on the stage. Shrugging, Rhode did the same.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works."

"Boo!" Apollo and Athena jeered.

"They're uniting, should we be concerned?" Hermes asked Artemis.

"No, Athena knows how to keep him from corrupting her judgment."

"But you didn't come here tonight to hear me prattle, so without further ado, let me begin by introducing my assistant, Professor Snape," said that guy whose name honestly kept escaping her, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"I'm pretty sure Snape will eat him alive," Jason said.

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Rhode's ear, making her nod. She looked over to see Su waving her over and after telling Ron she'd be back, she wandered over to join her. She arrived just as Lee did as well, appearing from the crowd seemingly out of nowhere.

"This is going to be fun," Lee grinned at the sight of Snape's lip curling. "Smiley is so going to feel it now."

"His name's Smiley?" Rhode blinked, that sounded stupid.

"I am so glad he's not teaching us at camp." Annabeth nodded.

Dionysus rubbed his chin. "I wonder..."

"No."

Dionysus frowned at his father. "Come now..."

"No." Zeus restated.

Lee just smirked at that and looked at her in amusement, but didn't say anything. Instead he gestured to the stage where Smiley and Snape had turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Smiley did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Smiley told the silent crowd.

Rhode snorted at that, rolling her eyes. Gods, this was stupid already. She would have just blasted the idiot right then and there if she was fighting him.

"Amen to that!" Ares nodded. Duels were entertaining with guns or swords...not sticks.

"This would have so helped us in the fight." Lee said, "Yes, let us bow before we engage in fisticuffs Mr. Basilisk." He said in a mock upper-class voice.

"Have at thee!" Apollo declared, bringing his fists up in traditional fisticuffs form.

"En guard!" Hermes returned, getting in the same position.

"You're both idiots," Artemis drawled, giving them mild glares.

"It was a female basilisk." Su pointed out, getting some looks that made her flush, "It didn't have a scarlet plume on its head, meaning it was female." She muttered. She did some extra research on them after Chiron told them what the monster was. (Not that any of it had been useful in the end.)

"It's still good knowledge for her to have," Athena said.

Demeter nodded in agreement.

"On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course." The guy back on stage said, drawing the demigods back to the spectacle.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Rhode murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth like a wildebeest.

"So, like Ares, then?"

"Funny, Cripple. Very funny."

"One - two - three-"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light that struck Smiley and blasted him off his feet before he was even midway through his own spell. The impressive spell sent the fool flying backward off the stage, smashed him into a wall, at the base of which he slid down into a sprawl on the floor.

Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.

"Huh, and I thought Snape was a wimp." Rhode said, looking mildly impressed. He was still a massive dick though.

"The biggest of-!"

"Ares!" Hera's glare could've melted him on the spot.

Ares scowled. "Spoilsports. All of you."

Smiley was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand

"Just kill him now! Be merciful!" Apollo cried.

"Wrong wand, dude." Hermes stage whispered.

Apollo blinked. "Ohh..."

- ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

Snape was looking murderous. Smiley seemed to have noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-" Just then, Flitwick gave a delicate cough from across the Hall. "Oh! My esteemed colleagues feel free to assist me here if you would- By the way, if anyone was wondering why the other Professors are here. They are here to observe the first day of the Club, so don't expect to see them here again.

"That's if there's another club meeting after this one," Annabeth said.

"I hope not," Ares said with a grunt. "This is bo-ring."

So if you have any questions on dueling you think their unique talents might be able to answer take this opportunity to ask!" Smiley smiled at them brightly, mild nervousness in his eyes.

The Professors then moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Smiley teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley.

"Justin was really underused," Apollo said with a sad sigh.

"Neville was underrated, as well." Athena nodded.

"Yeah, but Justin had potential!"

The rest of the staff likewise paired those from mixed houses for friendly bouts and made it a point whilst doing so to make sure that each pair were spaced apart from each other and warned them to use only safe spells and answered any questions students had pegged them with. Snape reached Rhode, Su, and Lee first, a glint in his black eyes.

"Oh joy." Rhode rolled her eyes at the man, "So, who's butt am I kicking?" she asked the man, getting a heated look from him.

"Hopefully someone who puts you in your place, Potter." He sneered at her.

"I'm shaking in my Nikes." Rhode gave him a dull blink.

"Cool and confidant. That's bound to bite her in the backside," Hades said with a chuckle.

Poseidon gave a nod of agreement to that one. "It always does for me."

"Says the wailing one."

"I hate you, Hades."

"I know."

Snape smiled coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter."

"Oh, wow. I didn't see that coming." Nico rolled his eyes.

"It's Evans. Still, free win. Cool." Rhode nodded as Malfoy moved over, glaring daggers at Rhode that she ignored.

"And you, Miss Li - you can partner with Miss Bulstrode." He said as he pointed towards a Slytherin girl that looked like Crabbe and Goyle's sister. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively.

"One of Ares' Cabin?" Percy asked.

"Piss off, Prissy."

"Ares. Language."

Ares grumbled at Hestia's warning.

Su, the polite little thing she was, tried to introduce herself, but the bigger girl just stared her down like she was a piece of meat.

Rhode gave the buff girl a warning glare, communicating: Try it, and see what I'll do to you in return.

"Or what I'll do!" Demeter scowled as the corn in her hair began to pop.

"Yes! Refill!" Leo grinned as he caught the popcorn in his bowl.

"Mr. Jordan." Snape grinned wickedly, "I'm sure one of my seventh years could partner with you." He said as he jutted a pale boney finger over to the group of older, dumb, looking boys.

Lee folded his arms behind his head, "Gee, thanks Professor Snake." He said and headed over to kick some snakey booty.

Apollo frowned at Hermes. "I want him."

"We're not trading kids with alternate dimensions!"

"But I like that one!"

"Apollo, you cannot trade your children." Artemis glared at her brother. "What would mother say?"

Apollo frowned. "Low blow."

"Face your partners!" called Smiley, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Malfoy barely inclined his head, Rhode just blinked with narrowed eyes, neither took their eyes off each other.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Smiley. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents

"Says you," Ares said with a smirk.

"I'm torn between being with him just to see how the faculty deals with the situation," Apollo said. "Or, it goes as it should in the book and Rhode owns Malfoy."

"...I choose the latter," Poseidon said.

"Biased, you don't count."

"Apollo, please." Hestia frowned at the god.

"Sorry."

- one ... two ... three-"

Rhode noticed the other Professors grow alarmed at Smiley's abrupt countdown, he hadn't even explained how to cast the Disarming Charm,

"And the award for worst teacher goes to..." Thalia said with an amused smirk.

but she put that thought out of her mind as her ADHD allowed her to see Malfoy moving at two. Just seeing how his muscles tensed, she could see where he was going to point and she sidestepped to the right at his cry of some spell.

Oh, how cute, he thought he had her.

"Darn it! Hold still!" Percy said, sticking his tongue out and aiming his finger.

Now she was going to play with him before going in for the kill.

Slowly, Rhode advanced towards him. Every time he tried to hit her with a spell, Rhode was already out of the way by the time he fired. The closer she got, the more Malfoy looked like he was in a boiler room from the sweat on his face.

Before long, Rhode was face to face with him. When she got within arm's reach of the boy, she grabbed his wand arm, twisting it and did something she had always wanted to do. Reeling her head back, she head-butted him, her forehead making friends with his nose. A loud crack was heard as Malfoy fell to the ground, crying and flailing like a toddler as blood pooled from his nostrils.

"Wham! Look at that!" Ares cackled with a grin. "Now that's fighting!"

"I'm with the warhead on that one," Hermes said with a grin. He'd headbutted someone that deserved it once and it was extremely satisfying.

Rhode's forehead was spotless, besides her scar of course.

Flitwick rushed over, exasperation clear on his face and turned to one of his more favored students, "Rhode, dear, duels have no hand to hand contact."

"...That is the lamest! Argh! This story is so boring!" Ares groaned. "Even the monster fight was kind of dull. No one died!"

"Oh, what a shame." Hermes drawled.

"Not true, a snake died," Apollo said with a grin.

Artemis eyed her twin. "Must we have another talk?"

"Snakes are evil!"

he chided gently, aiding Malfoy. Taking out his wand, he fixed the damage to his broken nose, before moving off to break up another duel turned brawl.

All around the Hall, Professors were desperately trying to break up the all-out fights that had broken out. And occasionally like in the case with Malfoy heal injuries.

"I said disarm only!"

"Yes, and it was obviously going to work." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "This guy doesn't have his colleague's respect, let alone his students'."

"He doesn't even have our respect." Apollo corrected.

Smiley shouted in alarm as he tried to regain order over the heads of the battling crowd. Despite Flitwick's healing, Malfoy continued to wail on the ground as Rhode took a sense of pleasure at the sight, but that was a mistake; capitalizing on her distraction, Malfoy pointed his wand at Rhode's knees, and hissed, "Tarantallegra!"

Already seeing it coming, Rhode pirouetted to the left, just missing the spell.

"Ole!" The demigods cheered and applauded.

Poseidon frowned. He hated matadors, they always killed the bull.

"Wow, you still suck." Rhode pointed out with a smirk, twirling her wand in boredom.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Smiley as he continued trying to stop the chaos he'd unleashed. He was however roughly pushed aside by a frustrated Snape who promptly took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted. His spell produced a haze of greenish smoke that hovered over the section of Hall near the stage on which he stood. Before the stage was the aftermath of the chaotic melee: Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his hand-me-down wand had done, and Millicent finally stopped puking up banana slugs as Su apologized profusely.

"I see no need for her to apologize," Demeter said with a frown.

"Indeed." Artemis nodded in agreement.

Lee had transfigured some of the older Slytherin guys' robes into straightjackets and their shoes into blocks of concrete. Had Rhode mentioned that Lee was a beast with transfiguration? Well, he was.

Hermes buffed his nails on his shirt. "Yeah. All me."

"Maybe some of his mother. I hear she can be a real witch."

Hermes glared at Apollo. "Boo."

"No, no...that was a good one," Leo said with a snicker.

"Dear, dear," said Smiley, skittering through the crowd, looking at the result of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan...Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second. I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Smiley, standing flustered in the midst of the Hall.

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't know the difference between defense and the fence," Apollo said with a snort.

"Punny," Hermes grinned.

Apollo grinned back. "See? I'm funny."

The staff was looking rather ruffled as they directed unkind looks at him as he did his best to avoid their stern gazes. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"

McGonagall cut him off mid-sentence, "Gilderoy, enough with this madness!"

"Boo on you," Dionysus said with a frown. "Madness is glorious."

"Allow me, Mr. D." Leo cleared his throat. "Madness? This is Hogwarts!"

"I like that! I'm going to use that," Apollo said with a grin. He paused. "But not the Hogwarts bit..."

Ares grinned. "I got an idea for ya, Sunspot."

"Really? ...Well, you did inspire a lot for Frank Miller...Okay, what the hell. Lay it on me, warhead."

"Sparta."

"...We'll talk more about this later," Apollo said with a giddy grin as his creative mind exploded with ideas.

she said with her stern voice as some of the students flinched at her fiery angered tone.

"Honestly," Flitwick frowned sternly, "Do you know the first thing about dueling?"

"Yes, well…" Smiley dithered, unable to come up with a decent reply.

"That means 'no'," Hermes said with a smirk.

"How was he accepted into the school as a teacher?" Athena asked with a scowl.

Annabeth sighed. "It's Hogwarts, Mom."

"...That's no excuse." Athena frowned. "My other should look into this school's committee. Make sure it's being run right in memory of her founding child."

"Athena, please stop ranting," Hestia said with a sigh.

"Sorry, Hestia. Please continue."

"I think I shall take over from here now, Professor Lockhart," said Snape smoothly, gliding over like a vampire.

"Think he has a reflection?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, that'd be fitting," Percy said with a snicker.

This was met by a round of nods from the other faculty members present, with the exception of a put out Smiley. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Snape mused even as Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"Evans!" Rhode shouted automatically.

"Excellent idea!" said Smiley, gesturing Rhode and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

"Now, Rhode," said Smiley cozying up to her and offering 'advice'.

Poseidon's nostrils flared as his green eyes burned with rage.

"Calm yourself, Poseidon. She means 'advice' as in 'unhelpful information'," Demeter said. She looked to Athena. "I'm sure even Hogwarts' staff wouldn't hire a pedophile to work at their school."

"Bet the mistake's been made before that crime was deemed unacceptable, though," Ares said. He shrugged with visible distaste on his face. "Happened here. Still does in other countries and customs. Hell, it's why there's some blood wars."

The gods grimaced or seethed at the reminder while the Demigods shifted uncomfortably.

"When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Smiley quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops - my wand is a little overexcited-"

Flitwick walked over then, "Pardon me Gilderoy, but perhaps I'll be better suited to coach young Rhode." The daughter of Poseidon gave a thumbs up to this. "Now Rhode, there isn't any time to teach you any new spells. So I'll just give you some general advice: Play to your strengths, uh, but no physical contact though, please.

"Lame!" Ares called out with a groan.

Poseidon smirked. "I think I agree with you for once, Ares."

"It's like he just pecked Athena on the cheek." Hermes chuckled as Athena and Poseidon glared at him and then blanched at each other.

Now good luck." Flitwick said wisely as he gave her an encouraging pat on the back and retreated back into the crowd.

Snape observed this before he moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. In response to whatever Snape told him Malfoy smirked, too. Rhode frowned at that, narrowing her eyes. What did that massive dick do now?

"Three - two - one - go!" Smiley shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

In response, the end of his wand exploded. Rhode watched as a long black snake shot out of it,

Apollo scowled and crossed his arm. "A spell to summon a snake? So not cool."

"Must've been a child of Demeter that invented it," Hades said with a smirk.

The goddess of Agriculture glared daggers at him.

fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor, the snake hissing in every which direction, venomous fangs bared for all to see.

Instinct ignited in Rhode's mind and just as Snape was about to move forward, the daughter of the sea grabbed her dagger from under Thalia's jacket and threw it.

"Oh, that's not good." Annabeth rubbed her temples while her mother shook her head.

"Why?" Percy asked.

"Remember, Seaweed Brain? Magicals have some leeway when the Mist is involved," Annabeth said.

"That was not completely her fault," Poseidon quickly argued. "If not for her ingrained instincts, she would not have acted so rashly."

"I agree with you," Athena said with a nod. "Like her father, she failed to think before she acted."

"Says the one that made Arachne into the mother of all spiders."

Athena glared at Poseidon for the shot he made.

Sadly, Rhode was not Lee who could hit the wings off a fly, her dagger throwing skills were limited to larger targets. Her dagger just missed the snake, nicking its side. It hissed angrily at the action and slithered to the side right at the massed group of Slytherins.

Snape reached the snake next, and shouted. "Finite." Sadly this seemed to do nothing but send the snake flying deeper into the huddle of Slytherins.

"Nice shot," Apollo said with a smirk.

"The snake's not dead," Artemis pointed out.

"No, but the snake's in its group. Maybe if he hits the right spell, they'll all be taken care of."

"Apollo! That's a terrible thing to say!" Hestia frowned at the god.

Apollo shrugged. "Truth hurts."

"What, is that your life motto now?" Hermes asked, amused.

"Better than being known as the Cattle Thief or Liar."

"...Harsh, bro. Harsh."

Clearly flustered, perhaps even outright panicked, Snape directed another spell, "Incendio!" at the snake now in the center of a rapidly clearing space within the cluster of his students. This however proved to be an even bigger mistake as it only set the snake on fire. So now there wasn't just a deadly poisonous snake, there was a flaming deadly poisonous snake!

"There's a joke there, but I can't think of how to properly say it." Nico frowned.

"Wow," Rhode blinked at the spectacle of outright failure and summed up her opinion as the crowd screamed in panic.

Fortunately for everyone, Flitwick calmly stepped in. Hurriedly running to the scene, he quickly cast a water charm and then with a quick flick, he fired a "Vipera Evanesca!" and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke.

"Severus! Gilderoy! What were you two thinking!" Flitwick said calmly, too calmly, as he turned to face his two named colleagues.

"Err.." Smiley stuttered out as he tried and failed to formulate a reply.

"I panicked! I forgot Serpensortia isn't a conjuration but a long distance summoning. So I used the Finite to try to dispel it, but that doesn't work on summonings. After that, well…" Snape said, his voice sounding uncharacteristically like a guilty schoolboy.

"And why did young Malfoy even cast such a spell if he had no control over it?"

"Uh-oh," Jason said. "Busted."

"I love seeing Malfoy get his just desserts," Percy said with a grin.

Sprout questioned her colleague as she joined the inquisition.

Snape's pale features reddened at that as McGonagall pounced like the lioness she was.

"Meow – ow, my hip!"

"Leo Valdez!" Hera frowned at the snickering boy.

"Oh, I can think up a few reasons," she frowned, gazing at Rhode for but a moment, before returning her sharp feline-like eyes to glaring at her abashed colleague. Snape caught her gaze, his lips curling into a frown.

With a sigh McGonagall raised her voice and announced, "Everyone, that will be all for one night. Please return to your dorms now." At a more normal volume, she continued whilst glaring at Smiley and Snape. "As for you two, we're not anywhere done yet. I want a very good reason why either of you thought this farce was a good idea."

Rhode would have loved to stay behind and continue to listen in on the dressing down the two idiot Professors were about to get but Lee quickly saddled up to her, handed her knife back to her and ushered her out and back to her dorm.

"No thanks necessary. You're welcome, Poseidon." Hermes smirked at the god.

Poseidon gave him a lopsided smirk. "I think I need some more fishing hats. Overnight shipping."

"...You're a cruel, cruel god."

Poseidon continued to smirk.

Rhode might not have been able to hear What's-His-Name and Snape get lectured by McGonagall, but she certainly saw the aftermath. The next day the two Professors looked utterly horrible at breakfast and throughout the rest of the day. Both spent the whole day sending furtive guilty and embarrassed looks at their colleagues. It was hilarious! So much so that the three resident demigods of Hogwarts met up in the Room of Requirement to laugh about it together.

"I really wish I knew what McGonagall told those two." Rhode said excitedly. "Whatever it was, it must have been epic!"

"Absolutely!" Lee agreed. "McGonagall is always good at making people feel horrible. Though I never thought I'd see her do it to another Professor. Much less two of them."

"Still, at least no one got really hurt." Su said with a relieved look.

"Says the one who got Gorilla Girl to puke up slugs." Rhode teased, getting a luminous flush from the daughter of Demeter.

"For shame..." Hades shook his head.

"Quiet, you-you kidnapper!"

"Oh, real original!"

"Demeter, Hades, enough!" Hestia frowned at the two. She huffed. "Honestly, we should have The Seer bring Mother to these readings."

"No! No-no-no-no, no." The other siblings quickly disagreed. They loved Rhea, truly they did, but the past few centuries have made a small rift between them. In short, the other five of the original six Olympians were afraid of being scolded, The Big Three more than their sisters.

"She was coming at me like a bull! I needed to stop her." Su protested with a pout.

"And what a way to stop her!" Rhode said before bursting into a round of laughter. Lee joining her whilst Su looked on red-faced.

"Seriously though," Rhode said as she caught her breath, "If last night was anything to go by these wizards really don't know the first thing about fighting, do they?"

Lee snorted, "Of course not. Look at our last 'Great War'." he said with finger quotes. "How it was handled was a joke. It went so poorly, I bet Ares was watching it and thought it was a terrible sitcom."

"I could use a new show," Ares said with a hum. "The war in Iraq is kind of boring now..."

"Boring?" Frank asked in disbelief and a bit of anger.

"Eh, repetitive."

"No." The gods glared at the god of war.

Ares pouted. "You guys suck. All against me..."

"True," Rhode snorted, "I mean, to us, we could easily take most of the people in this school down. Then again, kids don't know how to really fight. The Professors though? They might be a challenge." she said, actually sounding intrigued by the thought.

"Not really." Lee refuted. "Sure some of them like Flitwick and McGonagall might be a challenge, but most of them aren't that great. Snape is better than all the rest, and you saw how he performed last night."

"That maybe true, but what about Dumbledore?" Su asked, her Ravenclaw curiosity piqued.

"The Headmaster is in a class all his own magical power wise, as far as I know. And he's pretty creative in battle from what I've heard. But he's also seriously out of practice. He hasn't seriously fought anyone in years and he's old too. So as whole I think whilst he's definitely a challenge, a big one, for a wizard, he's not unbeatable. At best I'd rank him at the same level of threat as say the Minotaur."

"That's no joke," Percy said with a frown. He hated that stupid bull-man, and he knew the feeling was mutual.

"Meh, maybe for you. Not a big deal to us," Ares said with a smirk.

"And yet I beat you. So, what does that say?"

Ares seethed, a vein popping in his neck. "Jackson..."

"Ares calm yourself!" Zeus glared sternly at his son. The war god did so, but begrudgingly.

"So a bullhead that launches magic missiles?" Rhode snickered at the thought of the Minotaur wearing a wizard robe and pointed hat with a fake Dumbledore beard attached around its head by a string, bellowing out spells with a big stick wand/club.

The demigods, Percy in particular, burst into laughter.

At that amusing image, all three demigods burst into laughter.

"That said, no picking fights with the staff." Lee said seriously after he'd recovered. "Especially you Rhode!" he declared at her rather eager look.

Annabeth looked at Percy while Zeus and Hades glared at Poseidon.

The Lord and scion of the sea had the decency to look sheepish.

"Aw," Rhode whined.

"You just want to punch Snape in the schnoz, don't you?" Lee pointed out with mirth.

"It's a big target." Rhode said with a lopsided grin.

"True on that," Apollo chuckled.

Rhode pursed her lips as she was sitting on her bed in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory. It was the night before she could head back to Camp Half-Blood for the holidays, but she had hit a snag. Before her were McGonagall, Sprout, and Sinistra (the astronomy professor). She was a very tall and pretty woman of African descent with olive robes and a pointed hat

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Rhode told them, her chin resting in her palms, a bored look on her face.

"Young lady," McGonagall started, giving her best disapproving look, "All those at the Dueling Club witnessed you throwing a dangerous weapon at that snake. Clearly you've been carrying one around."

"As Annabeth said before," Athena said with a smirk.

"Gloat much?" Ares asked.

"I have more reason than you ever will."

Ares glared at her for the comment.

"Have I?" Rhode blinked, her brow knitted in thought, "Nope. Can't say I have." She denied with no shame.

"Rhode," Sinistra said in her accented voice, "Please, child, there is no need to lie." She said kindly. Rhode was one of her best students, the girl could read a star chart like no one's business. Seriously, she could state all of Neptune's moons by heart and over half of Jupiter's moons more accurately than her fifth years! Rhode commented that it was due to frequently playing the 'Guess Who Zeus Slept With' trivia game with her friends back home.

The Olympians snickered while Zeus and Hera fumed, for different reasons.

The game had become a rather fast favorite among the older students.

"I swear, I do not have a deadly, sharp, bronze dagger with a leather grip that's about twelve inches in length on me."

"You just described it!" Sprout protested.

Rhode cocked her head to the side, "Huh, I did?"

"Evans! Stop playing around! Hand over the dagger, right now!" McGonagall demanded.

"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about." Rhode blithely replied.

Trying another tack Sprout tried appealing to the girl's mother's memory, "Rhode, surely your mother wouldn't want you running around with something like that! What would she think if you hurt yourself with it?"

"Oh, mortals are so stupid." Hades smirked and sat up a bit. "This is bound to be interesting."

Bad move.

Rhode's face contorted into a snarl, shooting up from her bed, "I don't give a damn what that woman would think!"

All three professors seemed shocked by this. "Surely you don't mean that!" said Sprout.

"Uh, yeah, I do." Rhode glared at them, "Why should I care? I don't even know her! So I don't care what she thinks of me. I do things my way." she declared dangerously, her eyes frosty.

Sinistra took the obvious hint that the topic of Rhode's mother was a sensitive one and quickly said, "Perhaps we should leave Lily out of this?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Rhode nodded mockingly, her foul mood radiating off her.

"I was right."

"Shut up, Hades."

"Make me, Wailer."

Poseidon glared at his brother while he continued to smirk.

The two Heads of House seemed reluctant to do so, but in the interest of not letting this devolve any further complied.

McGonagall whose jimmies looked plenty rustled by this point, said, "Well, I have permission from Headmaster Dumbledore to search your belongings." Hoping the threat would have some effect on her troublemaking student, but got nothing.

Rhode just waved her on, "Whatever." She said clippedly.

"Permission means nothing if there's no respect given to the headmaster," Poseidon said with a smirk.

"Why is it that sounded like a jab at me?" Zeus asked.

"Because you're so full of yourself that everything needs to be about you," Poseidon said. "Something you've passed on to most of your children."

"I take offense to that!" Apollo and Hermes proclaimed with frowns directed at the older god.

"Case and point," Poseidon chuckled.

The head of Gryffindor House nodded and the three professors began to search her things. Under her bed, between the mattress, and her pillow sheets.

Rhode's angry eyes gained a slight amused look as they cut to the very dagger they were looking for resting on her nightstand with an extra layer of Mist over it. Best way to hide was in plain sight, right?

Besides, if she did just hide it, there was a chance it could be found. Normally this wouldn't be a problem since hidden or not, a layer of Mist would have kept any mortal from finding it. But magicals were special apparently. For some reason, the Mist didn't always work on them. Seriously, she needed Hecate's service number because last she checked mortals weren't supposed to be able to see through the Mist. Hm, maybe it was because they had magic in them? It was still stupid though. Sure, Spellbound and her shield had mortal item forms, but her dagger didn't.

It was kind of irritating.

"It could be a dildo."

Eyes turned with burning glares to Ares. He shrugged.

"What? It could!"

After searching for about twenty minutes according to Rhode's quick glance at her phone and finding nothing, the professors huddled together and conferred with each other before deciding to confront Rhode once more, McGonagall taking point.

"Evans, it seems you'll be getting detention…again." The elderly woman said dryly with even more disapproval on her face.

"For what?" Rhode asked curiously.

"For clearly harboring a lethal weapon on your person." The Deputy Headmistress stated.

"Huh," Rhode nodded, "Lethal weapon you say?" McGonagall nodded, "So, what's that?" she pointed at the woman's wand.

"Shrewd."

Poseidon rolled his eyes at Athena's comment. "It was clever, I won't lord it over you if you say it."

"It was shrewd."

"It's a w-"

"Weapon," Rhode answered, "You want to bug me on having some 'imaginary' dagger, then maybe you should round up all the students' wands too." She said mockingly.

"Young lady, I-"

"Oh don't deny it," Rhode snorted, "Last I checked I could set someone on fire with this thing," she said, waving her own wand around, "So really, you're giving kids weapons. You should be confiscating them too! I don't see why I'm the only one in trouble here." She informed the staff, twisting their words around.

"Oh she's good." Hermes grinned.

Apollo grimaced. "And interest is plummeting."

"What!?"

"It was a joke, Poseidon. Relax." Apollo rolled his eyes.

"Wands and deadly weapons like that dagger of yours are fundamentally different things!" Sprout retorted passionately. "A weapon can only kill, but a wand can do so much more!"

"But it can also kill, can't it?" Rhode replied, a smug grin growing on her face.

"That might be true, Rhode," Sinistra said slowly, thoughtfully. "but we make sure students here in Hogwarts are taught responsible use of their wands."

"Right! Like everyone here are oh so responsible!" Rhode retorted, her grin now firmly entrenched on her face. Literally begging them to try and deny that.

"No, but ideally they should be!" McGonagall said as she joined the conversation. "And this is a school so a certain amount of irresponsibility is to be expected from the students before we teach them to know better."

"Yeah, well, I live in reality, not make-believe."

"And that just won the argument," Annabeth said with a shake of her head.

Percy arched a brow. "Really?"

"Just listen."

Rhode shrugged, "To me, a weapon is a weapon. No matter how much you try to make it sound pretty."

"Amen to that!" Ares grinned.

Sinistra, looking like she almost agreed with Rhode, said, "That is…a rather bold and mature viewpoint. I need to think about this. Minerva, Pomona, could you handle the rest of this without me?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned to leave, a contemplative expression written all over her face as if she had just had a revelation.

The two remaining Professors exchanged looks. They appeared distinctly uncomfortable, both by what Rhode had said and by how it seemed to have swayed one of her colleagues. Finally, McGonagall seemed to recover enough to turn to Rhode and declare, "Regardless of the validity of your point of view,

Percy blinked and looked at Annabeth, who shrugged like 'I told you so.'

the rules are the rules. By those rules, your dagger is illegal whilst wands are not. Hence, either you hand over the dagger for a lighter punishment or refuse to do so and suffer a harsher one."

"Meh, I've dealt with worse." Rhode gave a careless shrug.

"Friend dying, fighting monsters, trial..." Thalia listed.

With that the two Professors turned and left, Sprout trailed back a bit though. At the dorm's threshold though she turned around and looked at Rhode, "You have given me much to think on, Rhode. I honestly don't think I'll ever agree with you, but what you said is something I need to reflect on nonetheless. Thank you for sharing your insight." with that, she turned to leave.

As Rhode watched them go, her cheeky grin came in full force.

Daughter of Poseidon, one hundred and seventy two. The system, eighty nine.

Fight the power!

"Fight the power!" Poseidon and Percy cheered for the daughter of the sea as both thrust their fists into the air.

"Don't you dare!" Zeus glared at his brother.

"The sea cannot-!"

"If you finish that sentence-!"

"ENOUGH!" Hestia glared at the bickering gods. "I would like to finish reading this chapter. Afterwards, we will be having a conversation! Is that understood?"

Zeus and Poseidon ducked their heads, which made Hades smirk.

"Don't laugh, Hades. When I said 'we', I meant all of the Olympians."

The Olympians felt ichor drain from their veins.

Leo started to hyperventilate again and latched onto Piper's arm. "I'm feeling threatened again..."

"Just be quiet, Leo," Piper hissed as Hestia huffed and returned to her book.

After the 'eventful' first semester of Rhode's second year at Hogwarts, she could honestly say it was nice to be back at camp for the holidays.

The time away had changed Rhode's appearance. The most obvious of these changes was her hair which had grown over the school year, well past her shoulders, nearing the middle of her back. It flowed in a loose and messy manner with a few locks sticking out, but fit her in a way. Her new hairstyle seemed to get the attention of more than a handful of the campers for some reason. Girls, especially but not limited to those from Aphrodite Cabin, all complimented her on how it improved her looks. Guys on the other hand would sometimes stop and stare or even turn their heads to get a closer look at her when she walked pass, a mixture of shock, fascination and on a few occasions something she couldn't yet identify too, playing across their faces.

"No. NO!"

"Poseidon!"

Poseidon recoiled from Hestia's bark, but soon fell into a silent rage as his sister continued.

Rhode found all this new attention strange, but in some way exciting. Not that she let it distract her from more important stuff.

Stuff like saying happy birthday to Thalia, telling her how crazy stuff had been, and how it started to feel normal to her. Seriously, as crazy as it sounds, her time at Hogwarts almost seemed like it was nothing more than getting involved in one crazy situation one after another. After a while, that became almost a routine and it was the times that there wasn't something going on that had her feeling antsy. It was seriously weird, and she was honestly a little upset that it was the case, but when was her life anywhere near normal? In light of that, the Hogwarts madness was just par for the course.

"Hm, perhaps the other me should stir that up," Dionysus said with a thoughtful hum. He cracked open another can of Diet Coke and smiled at Hestia. "Continue, dear Hestia."

"Kindness from you, Dionysus, will get you nowhere. You'll still be forced to be apart of this conversation."

Dionysus slumped at the declaration from the reading goddess.

Now you might be wondering why Rhode was distracting herself with thinking about the nature of her school experience, well… that was because she had to do something to alleviate her mild boredom as everyone around her was working on a gingerbread house for the contest of who could make the best one. One of the many activities the campers dreamed up over the Winter Break to get everyone into the holiday spirit. Of course, you needed a partner for the gingerbread house contest. Luckily, Annabeth had all but demanded her to be her partner. Rhode thought it was going to be fun, but Annabeth told her she had it all handled.

Percy arched a brow as Annabeth began to flush.

"So...Annie was a bossy bee, huh?"

"Thalia!"

The Hunter snickered despite the glare she received.

Thus, Rhode was bored as the tiny architect worked. Her confection covered fingers creating a small replica of the Taj Mahal out of gingerbread, vanilla frosting, Smarties, and M&M's. She was using a ruler to scale stuff along with a right triangle and a plastic knife to carve and cut off unwanted edges.

Rhode groaned, leaning her face against the table and went for some Smarties (She wished they were Skittles) only to receive a whack on the top of her hand with a ruler, "Ow! Bethy." She glared at her little friend, who had whacked her without even looking.

"No eating my materials." The blonde said, her fingers blazing as she was only halfway done.

Rhode pouted at that. Soon, she crept her fingers as they walked on the table for another go, only to get whacked again, "Ow! Okay, you hit me one more time, you can kiss that Game Boy of yours goodbye." She threatened.

"She's the one stealing materials..."

Percy looked at his girlfriend oddly. "It's a gingerbread house contest at camp...not an Olympic sport."

"So? A contest is a contest!"

Piper smirked. "Sorry, Percy. But it looks like you'll have to suffer during Christmas. No eating and playing when Annabeth is working."

"Be quiet, McLean!" Annabeth glared at the girl. She wasn't that bad.

Annabeth regarded her, her grey eyes wide with horror, "…Fine," she relented, "You can have two." She huffed and scratched her nose, getting frosting on the tip of it.

"Damn right." Rhode said and grabbed two Smarties, popping them in her mouth.

Nils, the judge, walked by, "One more minute guys." He told them and went on to tell someone else the same information.

Annabeth gasped, "What?! B-But you can't rush perfection!" she said, clearly scandalized as she was just over halfway done with her amazing design that would clearly win first place!

"Exactly!"

Percy leaned forward and looked at Jason. "Wanna switch partners when the next camp contest comes up?"

Annabeth squawked while Thalia laughed. "Percy!"

"Thanks, but I'm good with mine," Jason said as he tightened his arm around Piper, who giggled and snuggled into his side.

"Seems the clock is ticking." Rhode lazily pointed out as Annabeth couldn't even hear her. The little girl rushing so she could win the competition. The prize was a twenty drachma credit at the camp store.

"Oh, with that sort of reward, I'd want to win first, too." Annabeth nodded.

Soon the whistle was blown and Annabeth handed in their (her) three quarter finished Taj Mahal with the center dome missing, leaving a gaping hole.

Annabeth was sulking as they didn't even make it into the top three.

"You should have let me help." Rhode said, now eating from the bowl of Smarties.

"I knew I could have done it," Annabeth stomped her foot, "Stupid time limit." She puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms, "I mean, people were just making houses, I was making art!"

"Why are you so adorable?" Hazel asked with a laugh. "Oh, I just want to pinch the little you's cheeks."

"Percy, kill me."

"Nah, I love you too much."

"If you really loved me, you'd kill me."

"No...I think if you really loved me, you wouldn't ask me to kill you."

Piper smirked. "And Percy wins by a mile."

"Yeah, it was a gingerbread house contest, not a gingerbread sculpting contest. It was also a team contest, Annabeth." Rhode frowned at her. She could already see the famous Fatal Flaw of Athena cabin on her face.

Hubris.

"Nailed it."

Annabeth glared at the demigods, all of them snickering at her, and then glared at her boyfriend.

Percy tried his hardest to hide his smile.

He failed miserably.

Sure, for right now it was over a childish matter, but Annabeth believed she did better than anyone else. In everything. Rhode could only imagine what kinda of trouble a Fatal Flaw like that would bring,

"A lot."

"Percy!"

"What? It's true."

Annabeth pouted and turned away from him when he tried to apologize.

Piper shook her head. "You pressed your luck, Percy. Should've stopped while you were ahead."

Percy brooded. Girls were so confusing.

not that she herself had much room to talk in that regard.

"Maybe if I went for a smaller scale, or at least constructed from the center outward." Annabeth muttered to herself.

Luke walked up to them, "She upset she lost?" he asked Rhode as Annabeth talked to herself, paced back and forth, nodding to herself.

"Oh yeah." Rhode nodded, eating another Smartie and held out the bowl for Luke. He took a few and started eating, "It's hilarious though."

"That's true." Thalia snickered.

Annabeth glared at her. "You're the worst friend. Ever."

"I love you too, Annie."

She snickered as Annabeth was breaking down her building process and where she should have done this or that to be better.

"I know." The blond nodded.

Rhode decided to break Annabeth out of her cycle of what-ifs with the best distraction she could think of.

"Hey, Bethy," Rhode grinned.

"What?" Annabeth huffed. Why couldn't Rhode see she was thinking important gingerbread building tactics.

"We're going to grab some chocolate, wanna come?" the daughter of Poseidon asked, popping another Smartie.

"…Hershey chocolate?" Annabeth asked quietly of her secret, not so secret, vice.

"Chocolate sounds good." Percy snapped his fingers and looked up. "Hey, um, Mr. Seer guy? Can I get a king sized, blue colored Hershey bar with nuts?"

"Sure thing."

Percy jumped when the Seer appeared next to him, the chocolate in question in his hand. Percy glared at the mysterious being. "Don't do that!"

"Do what?" The Seer tilted his head, a smile on his face. He leaned in and whispered softly, "It's going to take more than a chocolate bar to make her happy with you again, but it's a start."

Percy blinked in confusion. "What?"

The Seer leaned back and patted the Hero of Olympus on the shoulder, dropping the candy in Percy's lap. "Just a word of advice. Anything else before I go?"

"Yes, can you bring someone to join us?" Hestia asked. The eyes of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera and Demeter widened in horror. She wouldn't.

The Seer tilted his head. "I suppose I could. May I ask, who?"

"Rhea."

The Seer paused. His jaw clenched slightly. "I will...Try."

He vanished in a flash of light, leaving the readers gob smacked. After a moment, Hestia overcame her shock and resumed reading.

Rhode nodded.

Annabeth was by her side in a second, dragging her by her arm, "Come on! Let's go!" she said with stars in her eyes.

Rhode gave Luke a knowing grin.

Annabeth was just so easy.

"That's a lie," Percy said with a frown as he opened his chocolate bar.

Annabeth cleared her throat and gave him a small frown.

Percy looked at the blue chocolate bar in his hand and then cracked a small piece off for himself before he handed the candy over.

Rhode fell back on her bed with a sigh. It was Christmas Eve and, checking her phone quickly, about ten at night.

The camp had a big dinner and sing-along with great cheer. Jack playing the joker as usual and using his ice powers to entertain everyone on his birthday. Rhode even helped his performance but her control with ice was far more lacking compared to his, but it was still fun nonetheless to help out in making this festive day special. He said it was a pretty cool birthday/Christmas gift.

That made Rhode smile.

Resting her head against her soft pillow, Rhode lifted her phone up, and pressed some buttons.

She paused at a phone number.

Dad.

Rhode chewed her lip.

Throwing caution to the wind, Rhode hit the call button.

She brought it to her ear and heard it ring once, twice, and just as it was about to ring thrice, it was picked up.

Zeus' nostrils flared, but his anger was stilled by Hestia's warning glare.

"Hello?" the voice of Poseidon rippled through her eardrum, music playing in the background with lots of chatter.

Gulping a bit from nerves, Rhode pushed out a greeting, "Hi, um, dad."

"Rhode!" the voice greeted with cheer, "How are you?" he asked.

"I…I'm good, dad." She pushed some hair behind her ear, and then rested her hand on her chest, fiddling with her pearl, "I just wanted to say…Merry Christmas."

The line was silent for a moment as the music in the background played and Rhode worried until a laugh was heard. It was kind and warm, making her racing heart ease.

"Merry Christmas to you as well, my daughter."

Rhode couldn't stop the smile forming her lips, "That's, well, that's all I wanted to say. I uh, got to go to bed. Too much partying." She rushed out.

"Ah, true. Currently at the party here on Olympus, I-Hey, Apollo, watch it with that confetti cannon! Artemis, put down that bow and Apollo stop using me as a shield!"

The gods snickered at the memory of a similar event while Artemis glared at her twin, who grinned like a loon.

he shouted, "I will whack you with my trident, don't tempt me!"

Rhode blinked and a giggle slipped through her lips as she heard her father shouting at the Archery Twins.

"I, now listen, ah, yes, yes. Thank you, Hestia. Give them an earful for me." Poseidon sighed with relief over the line, "I swear, those twins…"

Rhode snorted, "So, party up in heaven?"

Poseidon laughed, "Yes, it gets a bit wild. I'm sure Dionysus is being a crab as usual, since he's stuck down there at camp."

Rhode groaned, "For the party god, he sure knows how to try and zap the fun out of the holidays."

"My condolences. Now, as you were saying, off to bed."

Rhode smiled softly, "Night, dad."

"Good night, Rhode."

The demigods all gave jealous but happy smiles. They would kill to have a relationship like that. Metaphorically, of course.

Rhode ended the call, looking up at the cabin ceiling as her hand with the phone rested on her chest. She turned it off and put it on her nightstand. She had called her dad, for the first time. And he'd answered! Warmly! Even though he was at a party with the other Olympians. He wasn't lying about taking her call whenever she called. She didn't think he was, but part of her, that horribly angry and distrustful part of her that she tried to keep bottled up had doubted. But she'd just proved it was wrong!

Her dad had answered her call. She couldn't stop the surge of happiness that coursed through her veins as the realization settled on her mind once more. He cared.

With these happy thoughts coursing through her mind, Rhode surrendered herself to Morpheus' embrace as he came knocking. Eyes drooping, she snuggled into her sheets, shifting her feet a bit, falling into a restful sleep, a smile on her face.

Hestia closed the book and turned to her siblings, nieces and nephews, a frown on her face. "Now...we need to have a talk."

"Indeed we do."

Eyes went to the front as a beautiful, tall woman with black hair and sea green eyes walked forward. Her dress was elegant, and the Olympians sat up straighter when they saw her.

"Rhea/Mother!" The gods greeted her.

Rhea smiled at the Olympians. "My family...gathered here where it matters. Now...what's this about a talk, Hestia?"


AN: My brain is SO fried. I might rewrite the ending to this chapter later. But, for now, you know what I want you to do!

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