Chapter II-VII: Mission (Probably) Possible
Death had always been a heavy toll, and only after paying it did people truly realize the severity of the situation. It was also the reason why Percy was seriously annoyed, because well, this was what he had been trying to warn all the fellow students and the professors about. As if a monster would just conveniently step down and retreat just because people were looking for him! It was an extent of idiocy he didn't think even Clarisse would be able to reach (and boy, he knew Clarisse very well).
"Who died?"
"It's not a Gryffindor, is it?!"
"Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen Ellie in the common room-"
"EVERYONE QUIET!" The Prefect yelled over the crowd, and the students all fell silent, allowing the two second years to speak once more.
"I… I saw him. He was just lying there, his body all stone-and not just stiff, but really a stoic state, of all gray and-"
"Wait a dam second!" Percy yelled out urgently, cutting them off, and all eyes darted to him at once. What they probably saw was his face, all white and in definite shock, but he didn't give the slightest bit of crap about that. He continued with a shaking voice, "Did.. Did I hear the words correctly? Statue?"
"Yes. Like… like a stone statue of sorts- Percy, where are you going?!" Sirius yelled, and he too knew he must look nuts. Hands tried to stop him as he moved past, but the strength and agility of couple normal kids were nowhere near comparison to his. There was a lot of yelling and words of he's gone mad! behind his back, stepping into the corridors when the Basilisk was still on the loose, but he didn't care, he couldn't care less about the so-called monster. No, what he was afraid of was that she had returned- or rather, found them- here back in the past.
Without even once looking back, he sped towards Ravenclaw tower.
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"Stone." Annabeth repeated quietly, her face white as a sheet. Percy nodded, his breathing heavy. Not that they were afraid, of course. If they had to be afraid of something, it wouldn't have been her; they had already outsmarted her once when they were actually twelve, and they've fought plenty worse over the years. But it wasn't her they were afraid of- it was the uncertainty she brought with her that they were.
If the dead student had really been turned to stone, and she…. Medusa was truly here, that would mean they could experience a significant change in the future. She was the first monster they would be facing technically for the second time to them but the first time to her. And not just some random, minor monster they'd slayed without hesitation, but a one that had great effects on the future.
Circe? Sure, she was important too. But with her, there was no choice. Even if she was an important factor, not just to their lives, but to Hylla's and Reyna's as well, their whole quest, the future of themselves, the future of their new wizarding friends could all be in jeopardy lest she had been stopped. They didn't want to, but what other option did they have?
The reason they had kept themselves from contacting Chiron, talking to the other centaurs, going near the Western Civilization altogether was so that they could avoid altering their own future. Unless it was strictly necessary, they had been cautious not to alter the past as they knew it-the wizarding world was an exception, because they had no information about how it was before-.
Annabeth rubbed her aching head. What if, let's say, they accidently slayed Kampê now. If by some chance, she was not able to regenerate in time for the Battle of the Labyrinth, then a lot of things could go differently, most likely for the worse.
For instance, if she didn't turn up in time, would Briares have stayed in Alcatraz, have been inspired by Tyson in the Battle of the Labyrinth, have joined the battle to save lives, have assisted Poseidon in the battle against Oceanus? Would Grover have awakened Panic as soon as he did without such a powerful enemy, so that he could stay as a Lord of the Wild instead of a complete outcast? If she weren't defeated beforehand at the Battle of the Labyrinth and so, by sheer chance, she had awoken at the final battle for Olympus instead, would they really have been able to emerge victorious?
Too much was at risk, even just by changing a single factor. This was the risk of Time-traveling, as they could make one slip and destroy the future as they know it. And what really frustrated her was that Hecate never explained anything about Circe's plan, the risks and dangers of time travelling, the history of the Wizarding World-nothing. It was just a simple bye-bye, and that was apparently 'enough'. She exhaled to keep herself calm, then checked on Percy to see how he was holding up.
It wasn't good, as presumed.
Percy seemed especially worried about Medusa when she had first brought her concerns up a few weeks back. Most likely because Medusa had a great deal to do with his mom. If she did not regenerate in time for them to reach Auntie Em's at 12, then Sally finally getting a chance at her own life, the meeting with Paul, the birth of his baby sister Estelle…. They could all be reduced to nothing.
She had been so relieved, in contrast to everyone, that the monster wasn't Medusa but a Basilisk. But of course, they never seemed to be lucky for long.
"Freaking Circe," growled Percy as he swept his tousled black hair. "It HAD to be Medusa. Couldn't it have been a nice Hellhound, or herself in person, which would have been SO much easier to beat up?"
He's frustrated, she thought. And honestly, who could blame him?
"I mean, no one even tells us anything! Where's Hecate when you need her? What the heck are these… weird bag of tricks supposed to do for us?" He angrily tossed the bag of coins down, making a clanging sound echo through the now empty corridor. "Where is that freaking goddess, when an immortal is trying to mess with our lives for the last freaking time?!"
Annabeth didn't say anything. She definitely understood him, as she was at the verge of screaming herself. Time travel was such a fragile and dangerous thing, yet all they've been able to learn from the goddess was that the two pantheons shouldn't be mixed, and Circe needed to be stopped along with Voldemort. Not even her first quest had such limited information, because she at least knew what she was trying to do- find the bolt. But now, just stop Circe without any information at all? She couldn't even PLAN for this because she knew nothing.
However, she knew there was no use spending more time just yelling her feelings out. Percy was swearing out loud, and Annabeth clapped loudly to get his attention.
CLAP!
Percy stopped raving and looked at her. The wave of rage, the tide of anger still remained in his eyes, but her clap seemed to have awoken him to his senses. He waited patiently, respecting her, waiting for her to speak.
She smiled slightly. Gods, she really did love the idiot.
"Okay, Seaweed Brain. I think that's plenty. If we want to stop the future from changing, we don't have a single moment to spare, you know."
At her words, he slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. When he did, the fire was still there, but it was full of determination as well. She was impressed with how much he had grown since they first met; if he hadn't grown, he would probably have stood there cursing still.
"Wise as always. If you're saying that, I'm guessing you have a plan?" He asked, his voice much more controlled. And for the response, indeed she did. "Yes. Now that Medusa had taken an innocent life… They are bound to send us all off home. But we can't, if we want to set things right."
"Set things right, as in killing dear Auntie Em?"
"And the Basilisk. It's obviously here because of us, isn't it? We need to clean up after ourselves, after all."
What would have sounded impossible to normal wizards came out as if it were an obvious fact from their mouths.
And neither of them thought it strange, having faced so much worse.
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"It's bound to be one of those Slytherins. I know it, and you do too, Professor-"
"Now, Charity, that is no way to talk to my students-"
"I will say what I saw, Professor Slughorn. The Chamber of Secrets, a room Slytherin made-"
"Hatter-"
"-Basilisk, a SNAKE like monster-"
"Do calm down-"
"-Off to kill muggleborns, or filthy little mudbloods as they call us-"
"Charity." Dumbledore spoke firmly, and the woman with brunette hair finally quit rambling. "I understand your hatred, but-"
"Oh, how nice of you to speak up when a student is dead. A STUDENT IS DEAD, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! And they call you the greatest wizard of all time. How ironic, I DON'T think," Charity yelled, unable to control her temper once more. "We should have sent all the Slytherins back to their fancy nests along with the rest of the students, to keep them safe. Basilisks kill on sight, and yet you refused my logical suggestion of shutting the school down."
"If we had the luxury to do so, Charity, I would heartily have. But you know the process of shutting down the school must pass the school governors first."
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE THEM! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GREATEST WIZARD OF ALL TIME!"
"Miss Hatter," Minerva McGonagall intervened. She closed her eyes, as if she were afraid of the blow her words would bring. "I'm afraid those on the board…. They are those whom you have a distaste for, and they have an equal distaste back to you," Charity Hatter stopped stock still. "….Apart from the McKinnons and the Bones. Albus did what he could, Miss Hatter. It is not him you should blame."
"HA!" She let out a shaky laugh that seemed to be half a sob. "The Ministry are mad. Barking mad. They let the killers handle the keys to a school for children!"
"That might be a little extreme, Charity, most of them are well, eligible people-"
"Eligible who? Them?" She let out a small, maniacal laughter. "Them, who hunts mudbloods like me-"
"For Merlin's sake, you are not a muggleborn Chari-"Horace Slughorn, red in the face, spat in fury before halting, realizing what he'd done. The entirety of the Headmaster's office fell silent. The Astronomy teacher, Jupiter Solaris looked away from the slowly dawning sun shining outside the window. The Divination teacher actually dropped his cup on Dumbledore's table.
"I, I only meant- You, you are only a half-blood, and you-"
"Half blood. Half blood." Charity 'Hatter' let out a crazed laugh before coming to an eerie, sudden stop. She straightened up like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Slughorn backed away as Charity let out a hoarse whisper. "So what if I was?" One step closer. Her eyes were beyond tears, beyond sorrow.
Her screams did really shake the room.
"I MAY AS WELL BE! Do you really believe they'll be more lenient to me, after what my father supposedly 'did'? After what THEY did?! "
A shaking breath of silence.
"THEY KILLED MY BROTHER." She stood there, stock still, as if she were afraid of what she'd just said, but she continued. "They killed my brother, a school boy who never even made it to Hogwarts. As a warning, a bloody warning because my father told off a pureblood from calling a muggleborn 'mudblood'. And you, Professor Slughorn, think they'll like me more, because I'm not a 'mudblood'? Do you truly believe that?!"
The office was more silent than an empty tomb. There was a slight pause before she, inhaling, turned sharply and stormed out of the room without looking back. There was a long period of silence even after she was gone before finally, Minerva McGonagall let out a heavy sigh. "Horace, you have gone far beyond the line."
"I, it was never an intention, Minerva, just, just lost control momentarily. Dear me, dear me…." He slumped into a couch. The Divination teacher picked his cup back up, sighing as he said, "Yes, well, Horace, I did warn you to be careful with your tongue precisely last week."
Dumbledore crossed his fingers together as he too heaved a great sigh. "Nathaniel is correct. Do hand her an apology, Horace. It was wrong choice, bringing her family and heritage into this matter after everything."
"Of course, Dumbledore, as soon as I get the chance….'
"Excellent, Horace…. And now, back on the subject, the board, who have been constantly rejecting my suggestion to strengthen the security on the school, had finally allowed us to evacuate our students so kindly."
"Why, those bastards! They act only now when an innocent life has returned to the earth!"
"My deepest regrets precisely, Pomona. If only the offer had been accepted before, we would still have Mister Brandon Alcott alongside us today, nor would we have to close the school momentarily."
Dumbledore seemed tired and angry, but his striking blue eyes remained calm. The usual cheeriness was gone, but the sharp glow in his eyes were more apparent then ever. Though Tom's 'friends' seemed like they had managed to weigh him down for the time being, the truth was the exact opposite.
He wasn't acting until now because he was searching for the student under Riddle's control, presumably a Horcrux, in order to protect whoever it was. If only the governors had accepted his request, all would have gone as smoothly as planned, and he would have ended up with Tom's Horcrux which Tom had been so intently guarding. And he wasn't acting now, because…..
The figures of two students floated along before his very eyes. The Baron had brought some interesting news before he had gathered all the Professors here. Though he admitted that he had not been able to overhear the entire conversation, he had heard some very interesting parts: About them killing someone named 'Auntie Em' and slaying the Basilisk.
Since he was 'officially' supposed to be 'sacked' from Hogwarts, that would act as a cover up for him not taking actions, thus making this an excellent chance to test where the mysterious pair's loyalties laid.
Finally finished with his thoughts, Dumbledore sighed. He truly mourned over the unfortunate death of the student, but he knew he couldn't stand there, lost in sentiment. The fate of the entire world depended on the moves he made, the plans he crafted. There was not a moment to waste…
"….For the greater good." He whispered.
"Something to say, Albus?"
"No. Minerva. I have no more words to say, at least not here. Heads of Houses, gather up your students. We must send them off before more trouble occurs."
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"What, did you say? You let the mudblood die?" Tom Riddle's voice was a whisper. Medusa, who was beyond the mist, cloth over her eyes, did not back down. "It was unfortunate… The poor boy shouldn't have had gray eyes, or have stayed near the blasted son of Poseidon you speak of, or looked into my eyes for that matter. It is his fault he winded up dead."
"YOU HAVE LET THEM ESCAPE BY DOING SO, AS WELL AS LET REGULUS BLACK GO!" Tom Riddle screamed maliciously. "YOUR FOOLISH ACTS HAS ALERTED THE GODDESS! SHE IS NOT ONLY INTENT ON HUNTING DOWN THAT SORCERESS, BUT YOU AS WELL!" Rage was beyond belief. How were all those he associated with idiots?
The death Medusa had caused was not his problem. But the consequences the death brought were. Because a monster from her Greek world had interrupted her magical one, the goddess was bound to take notice. Not to mention that he had to order Medusa to take the Horcrux away from Regulus Black, as he would be going back to the Black manor due to the 'evacuation'. And the worst of all- the two demigods, who would finally give him the gift of immortality, had returned to their precious hideout on the train as well.
Circe had messed up magnificently last year, letting the goddess know that they required the two. And so, Circe had found that their hideout was guarded beyond their powers, at least the powers they had now. The only way to reach them was through Hogwarts, where the goddess believed was her world, and by using magic of this world; outside of the place, they were under Hecate's guard, as delectable a bait to catch the sorceress.
The plan would have been more than easy, yet it was all messed up because of the monster that was supposedly 'helpful' in his plans. He fought the urge to have the sorceress tortured. His, Lord Voldemort's plans foiled? He gritted his teeth as hard as he could.
Hogwarts was closed, the Basilisk was revealed, and the Horcrux had lost its master. Nothing would be done right now...
...But luck had always been on his side, for there was always a breakthrough.
"Calm yourself, you foolish mortal. I only work with you to destroy that daughter of Athena… And to keep the son of Poseidon as a statue of my own. And I remained here…. Because I can still smell the nasty smell of the sea, as well as the disgusting scent of olives."
Slowly, his mouth turned from a malicious scowl into a fearsome, cruel smile. "You don't mean to say-?"
"They have remained. To try and kill me, probably. But they have no idea what kind of a being I am, how terrible my powers are."
"…. You remember how to control the beast?"
"Snakes are much more of my specialty then yours."
"Then…. Nothing is lost. Just a few adjustments… then the kill will be yours to take."
"The killing, as promised, is mine. And the remaining one is my stature, as we agreed."
"Of course. You have Lord Voldemort's word." Though they were empty, he thought in his mind, falsely assuming a trustworthy manner.
"Then it is settled. The two will be delivered to you shortly-have Circe ready the spell, because I will not fail." Medusa said, and the mist faded as she swung her hands into it.
There was small hiss, and everything faded into the shadows.
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MISS ME?
Hello everyone! I'm back after my midterms. I should probably be doing my assignments, but I made a promise- and a promise is a promise. I wanted to write a bonus chapter, but I couldn't find the time for it :(. It's in progress, but I'll try my best to deliver it next update.
How have you all been? I shed some-no, a lot of tears over my midterm scores, which looks like a E at the very most. I never knew I was this much of an idiot, but I really flunked it. I'll have to make it up in the finals, so I might have to warn you: if I need an hiatus, I will go on one, again. Sorry! :( BUT I WON'T JUST ABANDON THIS; and that is a promise. I feel better now that it's my birthday, only to realize that I have Spanish class about 8 hours from now on and I haven't started on the assignments.
Today's chapter look okay? Let me know! I was careful not to bash Dumbledore unnecessarily, as well as make the transitions awkward. Think that effort is an A, but I'm curious to know what you think.
Professor Hatter and her hatred toward Slytherins had a reason after all. And Voldemort with Medusa- why do you think I had Annabeth guess the monster as Medusa so elaborately if she was just going to be a wrong guess? I tried to describe my idea of time travel to you guys this chapter; hope it helped.
Okay, really running out of time for assignments, so I'll begin the replies- look at how much I've stacked up!:
-Carmen:
-I feel you! I wanted to write who wins SO bad, but it was necessary for the story to continue! It would have been one heck of match, that's for sure :) I wish they'd reveal that they are dating too, but it's just not official- practically everyone knows! You're fighting a lost cause, Annabeth! Circe is still here (unfortunately), just keeping a low profile. The next update came after a month, so sorry! May tyche be with you, too!
-Thank you! Feeling pretty good right now; a bit sleepy, but I'm generally happy on my birthday. Your words only made it better! Wishing nothing but the best for you, and enjoy the chapter :D
-TheWritingRaven: Unfortunately, Myrtle died back in Tom Riddle's days! It was another student, unfortunately. Thank you for the compliment; it means the world to me :). It was a bit of excessive jealousy, but I'd like to think that being alone, the pain Tom Riddle had given him, the Marauders looking so happy while he's miserable made him to develop such feelings. But it was a bit much, I agree. I tried my best, but failed :/ But thank you SO much for the support you've shown! I bid you good luck in all you do, and hope you enjoy this chapter!
-the god of wolves:
-And I've left you hanging for far too ling, sorry! The attacks were on one Gryffindor and two Ravenclaw muggleborns. Thnak you for the support ;)!
-Thank you! And I'm back, just as promised. Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter, and I wish you luck with everything!
-awesomew231: Unfortunately, Myrtle died back in Tom Riddle's days! Yes, they're all becoming suer villains faster XD. I feel you! I'm curious as well... He had to attack then-or rather, SHE had to attack then :/. Thank you for your words. Enjoy the chapter!
-Guest: Since there are many guests to reply to today, I'll copy your words and respond, so you know which reviews I'm responding to!
-Fun fact: The mascot of Ravenclaw is an eagle. No, I don't know why. - I wonder why... Shouldn't it be Eagleclaw or something then? Rowena, did you have to? XD Thank you! You made me smile :) Have fun with this chapter!
-I DIDNT REALIZE THIS WAS ONGOING HELL YEAH ITS INGOING- i lvoe this fix ngl - Yes it is! And I plan to write for a long time, because, well, this story was planned to be so. Thank you! I'm glad you love it :) Wishing you a good day, and have fun reading this chapter!
-Update! - Check! Please accept it, though it's a month too late. Happy reading!
-cool, at least your not abandoning this masterpiece :-) - I'm gonna try my best not to! Happy reading, and I bid you nothing but luck :)
-no this was truly amazhang - Thank YOU, you amazhang reader :) Enjoy!
-bebe2711: A month too late, but does this count as acceptable? Sorry for coming so late; enjoy the chapter!
-akisabookworm:
-First, I apologize for keeping the bonus chapter I promised you for so long. I SWEAR on the Styx to have it ready next update. Next, I'm sorry to hear you had a bad time then. Feeling better now? I hope so. Thankfully, it was none of them (Well, Myrtle already died- sorry, Myrtle), but it was another Gryffindor, yes. Thank you for your support! I know it's weird; they only 'kissed' kissed on the broom incident, and the kisses from then since were on the cheeks. They feel awkward kissing each other in their young ages too XP. A month too late, but I hope you'll enjoy :)
-I hope everything went/is going/goes fantastic for you! I failed, but I/m sure you'll do MUCH better than me! Wishing you luck on Art History- sounds pretty dam(:D) difficult. I'm listening to music, and I've wipped a new cover for this story, as you advised :) Feeling much less stressed, and I did listen to Panic! At the Disco XD. Those are some wise words indeed. My wrist feels much better, thank you, and I'm trying my best to keep them this way so I can deliver more chapters to you! You stay safe too, and I give you all the luck and gratitude I can. Hope you like this chapter! Enjoy :D
-Black' Victor Cachat:
-Yup! Sure is lucky to have Percy by his side. I love responding, so it's a joy to me as much as it probably is to you! Poor Regulus, I agree. Interesting is certainly a way to put it ;). It is easy, and I figured SOMEONE would have the decency to; no one's a complete idiot, after all. Percabeth fluff for all to enjoy! But the situation did escalate pretty quick. And it only gets higher this chapter! Thank you for reviewing!
-It would, wouldn't it? The goal of this author is to tell the tragic tales of the original universe to go rot in Tartaurus and give them- at least some of them- a happy ending. It would go SO MUCH differently, like you have mentioned. Stay with me to find out what really happens!
-Like I said, I like to respond, and I figured the least I could do for all you amazing people was at least tell of when I would return. It isn't hard at all; It's the least I can do :) Thank you, thank you, thank you SO much for putting your time and effort into reading and reviewing. I hope nothing but the very best for you, and also for you to enjoy this chapter :).
-Ashley Jackson:
-Welcome back, Ashley! Good for you, and I'm happy that it's working! Jily developement will happen as more chapters pass, and I'm anticipating it as well :)!
-Yup. One free and wild as the sea, one all black to the core of his young heart. HOPE YOUR MIDTERMS WENT SPLENDID! Now that t's done, do give yourself a pat on the back. You've done excellent, and you deserve fun. Hopefully this is one of them!
-I know I don't, but I want to :) It's for all of you, who has to wait while I do so. Thank you for the kind words of support. They really warmed me to the core, and I got strength through the depressing report card session with them :) I wish you happiness and prosperity, and for you to enjoy this update!
-Imheretolive08: XDDDDDD! I laughed out loud seeing this. But here I am! Enjoy this chapter!
-Per Incuriam: First, I would like to thank you deeply for your advice. Since English is not exactly my first language (even though I'm fluent enough for it to be),I have many limitations- mainly, grammar. Not going to lie, I really suck at it :/. I'll be careful to watch out for the points you made from now on, because unfortunately, I don't have the time to fix all mistakes, and I apologize :(. I'm interested alright! Advices like yours only make this story better :). Hopefully you like this chapter, and if there are mistakes, grammatical or otherwise, I'm all ears on hearing it out! Thank you, once again, I wish you the very best with all that you do!
-Firelord Zuko:
-Thank you! ;)
-I know, right? Hopefully I can show you more stuff like that. Thank you for taking the time to review, and enjoy this update!
-mcdiscreepyaf: I don't know if this deserves the 'WOW', but thanks! I hope you have fun reading this chapter :)
-lightyagami17: Thank you so much! I hope this chapter looks like that too :)
-Theyna4eva: Hopefully, the rest of the story looks good too ;). Thank you, and enjoy the story!
-scl04: The changes are what makes the story exciting. I wanted to go completely off-the-book, and I'm really glad and super relieved to know you liked it. Let's see how my story goes, with the future changing and all, shall we? Thank YOU for showing such support, and putting effort into writing a review. Hope this chapter satisfies you! I bid you nothing but the best!
- Etherious. Nat5u. Dragneel:
-First, a round of applause. I couldn't have summed it up as nicely as you did, and you got all the clues I dropped- even the small ones! You must be a student truly fit for Ravenclaw. Annabeth would have been proud of you! Thank you so much for showing such efforts into this beautiful, elaborate guessing process.
-Spot on! I would give you a hug if I could ;). Hope you have the best day today, and enjoy the update!
-BookShipper13:
-Oh no! Where could she be? I'll keep writing unless something really horrible happens and I have no choice but to quit, so you can keep enjoying :)
-I'm honored. Thank you! I'll keep writing of course, in the times I find inbetween occasionally. Thank you so much for your supportive words, and have fun reading this chapter!
Finished! I've read every single review you all have left me, and it helped me get up when I was feeling miserable over my poor grades. So thank you, and thank you for being patient and sticking with hoax. I'm already working on the next chapter, along with the bonus chapter, so stay tuned!
And one small request: Please wish me a happy birthday! It's May 9th, everyone ;). BUT IT'S NOT MANDATORY, BELIEVE ME!
Okay, okay. I'm done for today. Wishing you all nothing but the very best I have, and beyond that. Hope only good things happen to you!
With lots and LOTS of love to all of you kind, supportive readers,
-Claire-