Harry, Ron, and Hermione had a very disappointing chat with Dumbledore the next morning after the professor mysteriously disappeared with Nico. Once again, their concern for the professor's safety was ignored. Dumbledore relentlessly defended the sketchy Americans, and Harry had never felt so frustrated.
Two months have since passed, and it was finally Febuary. The second task loomed over everyone, and excitement filled the air. This made rumors of Piper and Neville dwindle significantly, and the Americans now more or less blended in with the students.
It was exactly twelve hours before the task, and Percy Jackson was still trying to figure it out.
He knew that the answer was somewhere in the egg, but he had no idea how that possibly could be. Every time Percy opened the egg, the unholy screech pierced his ears.
The past week, all he was doing was trying to decode the egg. He tried everything. He slept with the egg. He sat on the egg. Heck, he even imitated the horrible screech back at the egg. Even Annabeth was stumped.
"Still nothing," Percy glared at the egg. "I have no idea what's next."
He placed the egg on the floor. "Screw this, I'm taking a shower."
.oOo.
"Got anything?" Ron asked, taking a bite of an apple. They were in the library, attempting to find any way to help Harry survive the tournament.
"No," Harry and Hermione said simultaneously.
Neville tapped Ron. "Professor Dumbledore's looking for you and Hermione in his office."
"For what?" Ron asked.
"Dunno," Neville said.
Ron looked at Harry, who suddenly looked very worried. "Go, it's alright."
Hermione pulled Ron towards the exit. "Let's go."
"I have a few hours left," Harry grumbled in frustration. "And I have no clue how I'd be able to stay underwater that long."
"You need to breathe underwater?" Neville asked Harry.
"For an entire hour, yes. But how can I? I'm not fish."
"I can help you if you'd like. I'm quite good at Herbology you know."
Harry twisted his head. He was pretty desperate. "What'd you have in mind?"
"Gillyweed. It'll make you part fish or something. I can get it to you before the task."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Neville. You're a lifesaver."
"Sure, I'll just meet you behind the stands then."
.oOo.
Percy stared at the egg on his hands. He still had absolutely no idea what the next task was, and it was in a few minutes. He swang his legs over the lake, feeling really anxious.
He really wished Annabeth was here.
"Percy, I just talked to Dumbledore," Leo sat beside him. "Gods, we are so lucky. This is water-related task—"
Leo's voice zoned out as Percy watched Harry Potter walk to the back of the stands where people were cheering.
That does not look safe, Percy thought, and followed.
"Percy!" Leo yelled as Percy sprinted. "Hey—Where you going?"
Neville Longbottom stood at the back of the bleachers holding something that looked suspicious. It was green—gods, was this a drug deal?
It made sense, Percy thought. Piper was drugged at the Yule Ball, and the same guy was Hogwarts' resident drug dealer.
So what was Potter taking, regular drugs or special wizard drugs?
"I managed to get it from Snape's storage." Neville said nervously.
Harry smiled gratefully as he grabbed the green stuff. "Thanks, Neville. I really owe you for this."
Harry inspected it for a bit and neared it to his mouth—he was going to eat it.
"NO! WHAT THE HADES?"
An entire handful of drugs before the competition was in no way a good idea.
Percy could not stop the scream that escaped his mouth. He ran to attack Neville, three-foot Celestial Bronze sword out, adrenaline pumping, and caution thrown into the wind.
Before anything could register, the sword was swung at Neville's throat and the part of the crowd had turned around in confusion. One glimpse through the bleachers' cracks and everyone knew what was going on.
Percy had a sword to Neville's throat, and Neville looked properly terrified.
"I knew it! You gave Piper the drugs, didn't you?" Percy yelled. "What did you do to her?"
Percy pressed the sword into Neville's skin. "Do you like taking advantage of—"
"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, petrifying Percy midsentence. Percy crumpled to the floor, and Neville caught the sword.
Nico shadow-travelled beside them, weilding his sword.
"What did you do?" Nico yelled, swinging with his Stygian Iron Sword.
Neville parried a few weak blows as Harry tried to get a clear shot of petrifying him. The way Neville and Nico moved was too fast, Harry might end up petrifying the wrong person.
"Stupefy!"
A shot of red light shot Nico on the shoulder. The son of Hades crumpled as well.
Leo ran towards Harry apologizing. "I'm so sorry!"
Harry backed away from Leo and pointed the sword at him, scared of what he might do. "Don't come any closer!"
Leo raised his hands. "I don't want to harm you."
"Please, put down the sword." Leo was waiting for a clear shot so that he could burn the one who date-raped his best friend.
Harry saw Leo's empty hands. He remembered that Leo could shoot fire from his hands.
Neville looked at Harry for guidance.
"Don't do it, Neville." Harry said, inching further away from Neville to retrieve Nico's sword. Neville's grip on Percy's sword tightened.
"I don't want to harm you," Leo said, fire in his eyes and his expression fierce. He wanted nothing but to avenge Piper. His expression didn't match his words.
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Neville asked.
Leo's eyes blazed. "You don't."
Leo began throwing fireball after fireball at Harry and Neville, who dodged the attacks.
Percy regained consciousness and wrestled with Neville for his sword.
It was chaos. Harry's jersey smoked from being hit by fire. Neville and Percy were wrestling on the ground, Percy on top. Eventually, Percy held his sword back to Neville's neck. Harry dodged fireball after fireball while Leo dodged spell after spell.
"STOP!"
A wave of charmspeak echoed throughout the entire place.
It washed over Percy, Leo, Harry, and Neville. Their barbaric display of violence stopped, and the noise of the crowd was silenced.
Piper stood at the top of the bleachers, desperation in her eyes.
Dumbledore finally appeared, accompanied by the other headmasters. He looked at the scene in front of him and shook his head.
Through his wand that amplified his voice, he spoke.
"THE TASK SHALL BE POSTPONED TILL NEXT WEEK. EVERYONE, BACK TO YOUR ROOMS."
He glared at the five boys lying on the floor, still under Piper's spell.
"You five, in my office." Dumbledore looked up at Piper. "You too."
For the first time in his life, Harry could feel that Dumbledore was truly, very angry.
PRESENT DAY, 2018. - MINISTRY OF MAGIC, DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND MAGICAL ENFORCEMENT
"This is serious, Harry." Hermione paced. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes, I'm bloody sure!" Harry said in frustration. "I swear, I saw one of them. He wore a shirt just like they did—"
Hermione "No way. Maybe it's a coincidence!"
"—it's definitely not, I assure you—"
"—but what if you're wrong—"
"It's them." Ron spoke, breaking his own unusual silence. His eyes were glassy, hiding much resentment.
Harry and Hermione shut up.
"They wore bright orange T-shirts and held the weirdest weapons." Ron said. "I swear, it was one of them. I'm sure, I saw that weird kid. I forgot his name.."
"Nico?" Hermione supplied.
"Yes! He didn't age one bit." Ron said.
Hermione looked at both Harry and Ron's faces, seeing no hint of dishonesty or doubt.
Hermione grimly composed herself. "Then we have no choice. Pack your bags, we're going to America."
HEY GUYS! DID YOU MISS ME?
I'M SO SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING LAST DECEMBER. THINGS WERE MORE HECTIC THAN I EXPECTED HAHAHA.
Because of COVID-19 and home quarantine, I am much more free and therefore have the time to update. I hope you all are safe and okay!!! Remember to wash hands and keep clean!!
ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE EVERYONE THAT NONE OF MY STORIES ARE DISCONTINUED.
I really love writing, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
EDIT: I have fixed the spelling mistakes. (Please tell me if there are more, spelling is my weak point.) Also, they are in the past, so present day really means future.
