A/N: Hey, I'm back! I hope to publish two chapters in the coming days. I had everything coming up as one chapter, right up through the selection of the Triwizard champions, but I realized there was a little too much to fit into one section.

Quick recap because it's been a while, we left off right after the DADA class experienced the Cruciatus Curse, where Renee was able to innately block the curse and turn it on Moody without even trying. She and Draco are then nervous because Kaylee, Ariana, and Morgana found out about it, and Draco heard them plotting something. Draco convinced Renee, Clara, and Nico to go to Sprout with him, and that's where this chapter starts.

Renee POV

"What's going on?" Nico muttered, looking scared and small as Draco urged us up the stairs and toward Sprout's office. "I heard a rumor about your class today, Renee, but why does Draco think we're in danger?"

"Because we always are?" I rolled my eyes. "You'd think-"

"Shh! Someone's coming!" Draco snapped, and shoved me against a wall. "I don't think anyone should see you until you talk to Sprout, Renee."

"Draco, what-"

"...well, I think they need to be prepared…" clunk, "...and who do they think they are…" clunk, "...Constant Vigilance, I always say…" clunk, "...yes, I'm sure he's teaching them very well…" clunk…

Draco moved to hide me from view, and Nico and Clara, unsure, followed his lead. They needn't have worried, though; Moody looked too preoccupied to have noticed us. Draco let out a sigh of relief and relaxed slightly.

"Draco," Clara whispered as we started walking again, "Can't you at least tell us-?"

"Not now! I need to know you're safe and that Kaylee, Morgana, and Ariana haven't…" he looked sick. "I've said too much. Sprout will know what to do. She's one of you, isn't she? Don't think I didn't try to figure that one out from early on as well."

I glanced at Clara, who rolled her eyes. "Of course you did," she muttered so only I could hear her. I smiled drily in her general direction.

We reached Sprout's door, and Draco shoved it open without knocking, startling Sprout, who was in heated conversation with someone through her fire.

"Yes, I agree he's trying to tell us how to do our jobs, and it's not-" she stopped short. "My appointment is here, Severus, if you will excuse me. We will speak further on this later, and I hope he chooses to speak with the headmaster before he tries to poison the entirety of his NEWT students! I mean, I've been working on identification with them since first year, and you've tested students from fourth year on up…"

"I quite agree," said the cold voice of Professor Snape, who sounded bored with the conversation. "Good day, Pomona. And send Sanderson in to speak with me after she is done with you, if you will. I dislike that she won't come to her own head of house with issues first."

Snape disappeared from the fire with a quiet pop, and Sprout turned to face us.

"Really, Renee, I did expect you'd knock, but…" she trailed off as she saw who I was with, her eyes narrowing. "Mr. Malfoy. What, may I ask, are you doing here?"

"Professor, your girls are in danger!" he said in a rush.

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Sprout let out a shaky, nervous laugh, and I glanced at Clara. She was smiling as well, as was Nico to her right. I giggled, and within seconds, every demigod in the room was laughing uncontrollably.

"Well, yes," Professor Sprout said after a moment. "They are Clara and Renee, after all."

"But… Kaylee, Ariana, and Morgana are trying to kill them! This is serious, guys!"

I straightened up, trying to be serious. "Draco, you were there on the train, right? We know they're trying to kill us, and in fact they've been trying ever since we found out they knew who we were. Before, actually."

Draco stared at me. Clara walked up to her brother and put a hand on his shoulder. "Draco, sit down," she said. "We have a lot to talk about."

Draco POV

Professor Sprout gave Clara a stern look. "Clara, do you really think it's wise-?"

"I already know the short version, Professor," I said impatiently. "I know that Clara is my half-sister by my mother and the god Apollo, Renee is a daughter of Aphrodite, and Nico is a son of Hades. I even figured out who your mother is."

The professor's mouth shaped into a round "O." "I…" she faltered. "I didn't… Clara's your sister?" She cast a sharp glance at the Hufflepuff.

Clara grinned, and I was surprised at both her reaction and Professor Sprout's. I was banking on Sprout having known this, either through the girls or as general knowledge. She definitely knew far more about them than she let on.

"All right," Clara said calmly. "Let me start at the beginning."

Professor Sprout took a seat behind her desk, and Clara sat down next to me on the couch. Renee moved herself to Clara's other side. Although there was still room on the couch, Nico sat down on a nearby stool.

"First of all," Clara said, "I trust Draco, just as much as I trust any of my half-siblings from the Apollo cabin. I want to make this very clear, Professor."

Sprout nodded. "Of course, dear. But how many people know about us? It's not a good idea to spread this information too far, you know."

Clara nodded and exchanged a glance with Renee and Nico, which told me they had already talked to more people than Sprout was likely to be comfortable with.

As much as I wanted to interrupt as Clara and Renee told of quests and rescuing friends and deadly separations, I wanted them to tell their story from start to finish. When Nico interrupted her to tell me about his sister, Bianca, I reached up to wipe a tear from my eye.

"Eyelash," I muttered, and Renee glanced over and shook her head, as if she was telling me it was okay to have feelings.

They then told me about their adoptive brother, Tony, who had helped Renee come to rescue Clara and the others in the Labyrinth, and who could "see through the Mist," something that apparently kept the demigod world separate from the Mortal world. He was the one who'd stood up to his older brothers and said they shouldn't attack me when I appeared in their living room.

"But what about us?" I blurted out. "Can't magical people see what demigods can see?"

Professor Sprout looked thoughtful. "A question I have pondered over for quite some time," she said at last. "I think the answer is, for most things, yes. We can definitely see most of the same creatures, for instance. I do not know, to what extent at least, wizards can see and be affected by demigod weapons, though I do know that spells affect demigods the same way as they do to us. There are some areas of our mythology that overlap, and there are many that don't. I don't actually know much about it, but maybe one of you would be willing to look into it for your History of Magic project one year." She looked at the girls.

"That sounds fascinating," Renee said excitedly. "I've even got a copy of Greek Mythology in Magic in my trunk."

Sprout peered at her curiously. "You have a copy? But it's very rare, I had no idea-"

"I found it at Flourish and Blotts. I helped the shopkeeper with Hagrid's Monster Book of Monsters last summer, and he said I could have any free book in exchange. It just jumped out at me…"

Professor Sprout was staring at her. "That book… I'm surprised the shopkeeper didn't tell you… it only makes itself known to those who are worthy of finding it. I've only ever heard of five copies in existence, the first owned by Herodotus himself, considered the world's first historian. You must be the book's youngest owner in its entire history."

It was Renee's turn to look surprised. "But shouldn't wizards know…?"

"I'm very impressed, Renee. Truly. I believe Chiron had a copy once, but… you should be honored, Renee."

She glanced at Clara, and then at me. "So, now you know about what our world has gone through these past few years, Mr. Malfoy. I assume you have many questions, but if you would hold them for a second, I would like to know what you think Parkinson, Fletcher, and Gordon are planning this time. It may be urgent, and I am sorry we laughed earlier. Please, tell me what you know."

As I spoke, Renee looked around, bewildered. I had never heard of the book they were talking about, and had never seen anything remotely resembling it in all the wizard libraries I've been in. In fact, now that I thought about it, there would have been a lot of overlap that wasn't ever covered in our lessons on the mythology alone. It must have been a lot for her to take in.

I took a deep breath. "I heard them," I said. "Before Pansy told me what she overheard those Gryffindor girls saying, they were plotting something. She must have told them first."

"Told them what, exactly?" Sprout pressed. "Don't leave anything out."

Renee gave a hurried explanation of what had happened in DADA, and Sprout pursed her lips. "We will speak further on the matter, Renee. Mr. Malfoy, please continue."

I wondered at the dynamic between them. Renee and Clara were the only two students I'd ever seen Professor Sprout address by their first names, although I hadn't seen her interact with Nico much.

"Well, Kaylee said that knowing this, they wouldn't be able to 'get her to give in' as easily as they had hoped, and Ariana said they'd have to think of something else. Then Morgana said the 'other way' would take until June, but that was cutting it close to August eighteenth. Kaylee reminded her that it still gave them two months, and that time would tell. Well, her last words on the subject were kind of odd, actually. She said, 'only time will tell, and time is on our side, and we are on the right side of time.'"

The demigods in the room exchanged a glance. "That's gotta be about their alliance," Nico muttered, not looking at anyone. "Time is, you know…"

None of them wished to say the name of this Titan-Voldemort thing out loud, but that part, at least, made sense now.

"What about August 18th, though?" Renee pondered. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the Prophecy, would it?"

Sprout looked stricken, and Clara receded into herself, making me think there was something they weren't saying, or were trying to keep from me.

Instead of answering, the Herbology professor turned to Renee. "I want you and Miss Ballias to stay in the Hufflepuff hidden room for the next week, at least," she said sternly. "The girls' forced removal from the dorm is over tonight, isn't it?" She glanced at her watch. "It's the 30th, he can't enforce it any longer."

"Or doesn't want to," Renee muttered under her breath.

"No, he can't," I defended. I knew the girls and Nico didn't like Snape, but he was easily my favorite professor, and I wished Renee, at least, would show him the proper respect as her Head of House. "There are rules about this, that this type of detention and removal from one's room can only last a month at most. Also, parents would start getting suspicious if they got word of it-"

"But she tried to kill her!" Clara butted in. "On school property, no less!"

"I know, and I wish there was a way to keep them away from you, but there just isn't at this time, Clara," Sprout said with a faraway look in her eye.

"What about Sandra? Why does she need to stay with me? If you think I need protection, just ask Clara to do it, she'll be there!" Renee insisted

"If anyone needs protection," Sprout deadpanned. "It would be Ballias. I know you are quite capable of taking on the three of them, but she does not know who they really are. Would you want her to stay in the same room as your enemies?"

"Also, she has a big mouth," I added. "Do you trust her not to slip up?"

Nico shot me a glare that looked a lot like how I imagined death. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"No, it's true," Renee said. "I know she would never intentionally hurt me, but she has the gift of gab."

"For sure," I agreed, thankful Renee wasn't unhappy with me. I would never intend to insult a Slytherin she was close with, especially a Pureblood like Sandra.

"I think that settles that, then. If you boys would leave us, I would appreciate a moment with Clara and Renee to discuss today's happenings. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, for bringing this to my attention. For that I award you five points to Slytherin."

"Thank you," I said, and rose to leave. Nico glanced at me and then followed suit.

"Draco, I'm still waiting for you to show me that room. I waited for you on that first Thursday, but you didn't come."

"Shoot." I'd completely forgotten my promise to show Nico the Room of Requirement. "I wish you'd said something sooner. I can tell it's important to you."

Nico nodded. "It's just, well, back home, you know, the war… my father is convinced I'll be the one, and I… I want to help Percy, I guess. I'll need to get him to bathe in the Styx, and also to talk to, well, I'm not sure yet. And I want to see my sister. She's been avoiding me, ever since I started Hogwarts."

"Your sister," I said, not quite comprehending. "You mean, her ghost?"

He nodded. "I mean, I think that's what it is. I can call any ghost to me, except for the ones I actually want to find." He turned away. "This probably doesn't make any sense to you. I don't know why you would care, anyway. I'm just your friends' kid cousin who probably seems like a crazy death omen to you."

"Nico, I don't think that about you!"

"It's okay. Everyone does. That's why I can't stay at camp."

"Nico! Didn't my sister tell you you could be anyone who you wanted to here?"

The younger boy looked away. "Just admit it."

"Nico, I don't. But hey, what can you tell me about this prophecy?"

Nico paled. "I'm sorry, Draco, but it's not mine to tell. Clara wouldn't want you to know, not without her consent."

"But it's your issue as well," I insisted.

"Not unless Percy avoids it. Forget about it, Draco."

"But-"

"But nothing, Draco. I'm three years younger than Percy, so I won't reach sixteen first, okay! As much as my father wants it to be, it's not my problem!"

"Okay," I said flatly. "Why sixteen?"

"I said let it go."

"If you're asking for my help, I have the right to know."

Nico huffed. "No, you really don't. I thought you were proud of me for keeping their secrets. What changed?"

"You're in danger. Kaylee, Ariana, and Morgana-"

"-are evil and trying to kill us, yes, I know. They are, however, far more of a concern outside of Hogwarts than inside it, as far as my father's concerned. So please, stay out of it, and don't let on to them that you know anything. In fact, I would go on being their friend, or at least trying to."

"I was never their friend."

"Whatever. But you are a friend of their friends, and to them, that puts you on their side. It's for your own good that they don't know you know anything. Clara and Renee would agree."

"I trust you, Nico."

"I trust you too, to be a good person. And with them, that's exactly what I'm worried about. Right now, the less you know, the less they'll know."

I really didn't want to admit he was right, but the kid had a point. "I get it, Nico. I'll stop."

Nico nodded. "Now, about that room…"

Renee POV

"Clara," Sprout said sternly. "Renee, how many people have you told? It's not good if this gets spread too wide, you know. I assume Potter, Granger, and Weasley know-"

"Actually, Professor," Clara cut in, "all four of the Weasleys currently attending Hogwarts know about it. As well as Mr. Weasley, but at this point not any of the older boys or Mrs. Weasley. Also Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. And Neville suspects that you are one of us as well, I think."

Sprout sighed. "Well, it's less than I thought, at least," she said. "And none of them aside from Mr. Malfoy are Slytherins, so that's good."

"Are you saying you don't trust my house?" I demanded. "You're just like everyone else!"

I was always weird about Slytherin. Sometimes I hated my house, and sometimes I defended it. I never knew how I would feel about it minute to minute.

"No, you misunderstand me," Sprout said firmly. "The more people in close proximity to Parkinson; Gordon; and Fletcher, the more likely it is that someone will get hurt. I am also grateful that only two of your confidants are in your year, for the same reasons. I don't know what's changed, but those girls used to be unwilling to hurt you on school grounds. Think about it. Before the train this year, what's the worst they've done to you here?"

"Um…" I thought for a minute. "Kaylee gave Clara antlers in Dueling Club in our first year, and she stunned Sandra last year before Quidditch. But the only other time she's tried openly to kill me was when we were on Luke's ship, two summers back. Actually, that was Ariana. But before this month, it's never been anything that could do permanent damage."

Sprout nodded thoughtfully. "They've gotten bolder after the Titan Lord's transformation. I do not know which of you they have targeted, but I have reason to suspect they would like to use Clara for the Prophecy when the time comes. I do not know their plans, but my guess is that they somehow wanted to use the Imperius Curse on you to get to her, Renee, from what Mr. Malfoy has told us.

"I want you and your friends to stay vigilant. You should offer no details to anyone beyond Nico and Mr. Malfoy about today's conversation, but I would appreciate if you and Miss Ballias do what you can to stay out of your roommates' way, at all costs. I will tell Professor Snape today's conversation was solely a demigod issue, and you will not have to talk to him."

"Thanks."

Sprout frowned again. "As for the issue of those who you communicate your nature with, just remember to keep people updated on your status, and reinforce at all times the secret nature of what you've shared with them. Do I make myself understood?"

We nodded numbly. I felt like a failure. We should have told her from the beginning about our plans to talk to more people.

"Do you have any other questions?" Sprout asked, looking around anxiously. "I've already asked our Head Girl to escort Ballias here with a small bag carrying a week's worth of clothes. She should be here in about five minutes."

Clara had remained silent for most of this discussion. She seemed to have trouble wrapping her mind around the fact that the girls were trying to get to her. Now, she spoke up.

"Pettigrew knows," she said in a small voice. "Last spring, in the Shrieking Shack, I let slip that I was the daughter of the God of Prophecy. Could that mean anything?"

Sprout looked at her with grave concern. "Stay in the Hufflepuff common room as much as you can," she said. "And stay together. Be especially careful when the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students arrive one month from today. Your first Hogsmeade visit will be on the 31st, please stay in a group if you go. I do not know how to answer your question, Clara, but I will look into it. And Renee, please keep that book in a safe place and pursue it when necessary."

There was a knock on the office door, and Sprout stood up to admit Stacy and Sandra into the room. "You know you can come to me with any issues, ever," she reminded us.

It didn't escape me that she brushed off Clara's question a little too quickly.

Nico POV

I laughed when Draco showed me the room. It was so simple compared to what I've been through. You just walk past the wall three times saying, or even thinking, "I need a place where…" and fill in the blank with whatever you need.

"I need an entrance to the Underworld," I said. "I need an entrance to the Underworld. I need an entrance to the Underworld."

It was infinitely easier than either of the other main entrances I knew about, in New York and Los Angeles. The wall slid open to reveal a small room with a solid black door on the other end.

"Just walk toward it," Draco encouraged me. "Do you want me to wait?"

I shook my head insistently. "I'll be fine. Just go."

Draco froze at my voice. "I get why you make people nervous," he said after a minute.

I did my best to ignore his comment as I walked to the door, and the wall slid shut behind me. I hoped it worked the same way to get out, since I'd forgotten to ask Draco.

In front of the door, there was a platform with a handprint insert. Hoping I wasn't walking into a trap, I placed my hand into the form. The box glowed green, and the door creaked open. I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, I thought.

It wasn't like I had the closest relationship with my father to begin with. Aside from Percy and maybe Clara, I didn't really know any demigods who did have close relationships with their godly parent. Or their mortal parent, for that matter.

That was the other main reason I had come down here. Although I was happy to be a wizard learning magic, Clara and Renee had said I might find answers here, and so far I hadn't.

I walked along a river I suspected was the River Styx, and when I came to a dark, looming palace, I knew I was right. Slowly, I pushed open the door.

"-must defend Olympus! The Mortal world-"

"When has the Mortal world ever-"

"Just because they don't care about you doesn't mean I'm-"

"Mother!"

I followed the voices to the throne room, where my father appeared to be in a heated argument with someone. I wasn't unused to my father's arguments, but I stopped short at the sight of the woman next to him. The woman was very plain-looking, with brown hair and a brown dress. She wore a woven yellow belt and hair circlet and green jewelry.

I bowed. "Lady Demeter. Lady Persephone. Father."

The arguing stopped abruptly. "Brother," Demeter said coolly. "You did not tell me you were expecting company."

My father directed his cold anger at me. "Nico di Angelo. I thought you'd gone to that school."

"I will leave you," Demeter said curtly, disappearing into mist.

"Mother!" Persephone called after her, and she tried to disappear as well, to no avail. The autumnal equinox had already passed, and Hades needed to give her express permission and parameters in which she could leave if she wanted to. Clearly, he didn't want her to pursue the matter with her mother at the moment. She stormed from the room.

"Father, what's going on?"

"Nico, you are safe at Hogwarts. Far more than anywhere else, including here."

"So then why am I not allowed to have my memories back, if I'm so safe?" I hadn't meant to get angry, but it just kind of came out. "If I'm at Hogwarts for my own protection, why can't I know who I am?"

Hades rose from his throne. "We have discussed this. Tell me, boy, how did you get here? As far as I was aware, all but two entrances were destroyed with the Labyrinth, and your school is in neither of those locations."

"I have my ways." I wasn't planning on telling him about the room Draco had shown me while it was clear I wasn't going to get the information I needed.

Hades gave me an icy death glare, but I stared him down. After a moment, he sat back down.

"We are at war, Nico. I sent you to Hogwarts to be safe."

I frowned. "Father, I made the decision to attend Hogwarts, and I highly doubt you had any influence on that. And I can't imagine you talked to Hecate either, since she was one of the first to turn to the side of the Titans. I fully believe I'm a natural-born wizard. And that makes me wonder, was my mother a witch too? Did she attend Hogwarts or one of the other wizard schools?"

"Nico," Hades said. "That is enough." He waved his hand.

I blinked, and the next thing I knew I was in my four-poster bed in Gryffindor tower.

I pulled back the curtains around my bed, shaking my head. Did he seriously just blast me back to Hogwarts without a single consideration to what I was saying?

My roommates, who aside from Dennis Creevey were Randy Jones, Azad Patil, and Jesse Sommerset, were all playing a game that looked like marbles.

"Thanks for inviting me," I grumbled.

All four boys jumped. "Where did you come from?" Azad demanded, clearly startled. "You left dinner with that Slytherin kid and I know you weren't here when we got back."

"You must not have seen me," I said, shrugging. "I' have a way with darkness, and I'd turned my lamp out."

All four boys eyed me suspiciously. "You don't usually sleep so soundly," Dennis pointed out.

"Who said I was asleep?"

The boys stared at me, and I rolled my eyes. "I'm going to go take a shower, since my roommates won't even bother to invite me to join them."

I left the room without another word. I wasn't looking where I was going, so I almost bumped into someone. I looked around, and was surprised to see that I'd almost ran into Hazel. She looked very pale, and that's pretty hard considering her skin color.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"Oh, hey Nico. Yeah, everything's fine, I guess."

I wasn't sure, but I suspected Hazel had been on some sort of secret late-night escapade herself. She looked guilty and nervous about something. "Well, have a good night, I guess."

"Yeah, you too," she said distractedly, but she was looking at her hands as she spoke. Not for the first time, I wondered about her apparent transparency. What was up with that?

Clara POV

For the most part, I stayed away from the hidden room while Renee and Sandra lived there. I knew they treated evenings in their room as time just for them, and I didn't want to interrupt that. I also never knew how to feel about Sandra after the way she'd treated us first year, although deep down I knew she was just scared back then.

After two weeks, Sprout and Snape had come to an agreement to put up a divider and protective spells to allow all five girls to cohabitate in the dorm.

Renee dragged me with her the first night she decided to go back. "Do what you did around the house over the summer," she pleaded.

I frowned. "They broke through those wards, though. I don't know how." I glanced at Sandra. "I don't want to risk it."

Renee nodded dejectedly, drawing the green curtains tightly around her bed. I heard her release a sigh of comfort as she sank back into her own bed.

Sandra called me over as I was about to leave. I groaned inwardly but smiled, hoping she wouldn't notice it was forced.

"I wanted to thank you," she said. "I don't know the reason behind our extended stay, except for what happened on the train, and I'm not expecting you to tell me. But Renee needs more friends like you in the world. What you two have is special, and I never want to replace that."

"Thanks," I said, not really knowing how to follow that up. "You as well."

I hoped she couldn't tell whether that was sincere, because I had no idea myself.

Renee PoV

I noticed the way Clara was around Sandra. They got along fine, but they both seemed to dance around the idea of each other as my closest female friend. I wished it didn't have to be that way. I had a feeling they both knew my relationship with the other one was nothing to be jealous of.

I busied myself with my schoolwork for the next few weeks, especially in Ancient Runes. I was glad to be taking that class, but it was incredibly difficult. We started with a pretest on different runic symbols, and while I understood the Greek runes fairly well, and surprisingly had a good grasp on the Latin ones, the Eastern and American tribes-based ones gave me a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, Professor Babbling approached the lessons historically, meaning we were starting with Phoenician and Asian runes. My dyslexia didn't help in terms of the runes either.

In my other classes I was able to lie low for the most part. I was very annoyed by Hagrid's insistence on using the skrewts in every lesson, especially when he decided that, as part of our grade, we would help him work with them after class. While my friends and I had great appreciation for Hagrid, I certainly had better things to be working on.

After the Imperius Curse incident, things cooled down in Defense Against the Dark Arts. We were inundated with homework in that class, but it seemed as if Professor Moody was putting most of his efforts into something to do with various poisons and the seventh years, if what we'd heard from Sprout's office was anything to go by.

I buried myself in my History of Magic independent project whenever I had free time. While the Triwizard Tournament was very interesting, I put more effort into researching the Uagadou Freedom Games of the 1970's. Modeled after the Triwizard Tournament, the Freedom Games at Uagadou in Uganda invited students from Castelobruxo in Brazil and Mahoutokoro in Japan to celebrate the freedom of countries around the world that had been, until shortly before the Games, territories of Western powers. The way they adapted the games for their own cultures during a time when Europe refused to hold the Triwizard Tournament was incredible to me, and I wished this information was more widely known and appreciated.

With everything going on, I was startled to realize how quickly we were coming up on the end of the month.

A/N: Okay, so I promise the next chapter will be the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons chapter. It's already halfway written, but I realized this chapter was too long to be cohesive. I'd love to be able to get that one up in the coming week as well.

For now, hope you enjoyed this one. I'm really excited for Goblet of Fire, I have a lot of things planned and I'm glad I'm finally getting back to the story so I can execute those plans.

As always, please review the chapter if you can. Happy New Year!

~Celia