Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
The Ever Twisting Wind: Of Monsters and Titans
Chapter Eight: Why is Justice Blind?
Beta: ShadowofAxios
Andi just looked at the severed head, the crumpled body and the large pool of blood in shock. Oh gods…
"Is it safe?" A nervous voice came from somewhere nearby, Andi wasn't sure where. She was too freaked out by what she'd done to bother checking.
"The fighting's stopped." Another voice said.
Again Andi ignored it as she just stared blankly at the head. Only now noticing that somewhere along the line, it had lost the Death Eater mask that had kept its face hidden. A face that even though her air hammer had done a pretty number on, Andi still recognized.
Lucius Malfoy. Andi noted absently. I just killed Draco's dad.
It was at this point it seemed that someone else noticed the body. Something that they made very obvious when a scream split the air.
"A body!"
Andi turned to this voice, she honestly didn't know why. Maybe to explain herself, maybe to silence him somehow. She honestly couldn't say.
Whatever it was she intended, it definitely wasn't what did happen.
"She killed him!" The man who had was apparently the source of the voice shouted as he pointed at Andi. His words were followed by more screams.
"Call the Aurors!"
"Run! Before she kills us next!"
"Murder!"
"Murderer!"
As the crowd ran away like she was the next Dark Lady or something, the demigod of Zeus backed away slowly from the body.
"Oh shite, oh shite." Andi muttered in a panic, her actions finally hitting her.
She nearly buckled then and there at what she had done, but she knew she couldn't stay here. Turning around, she bolted into the direction she came from as fast as she could, leaving a cloud of dust and ash behind her.
She weaved between people coming out to see if it was safe, her heart pounding against her ribcage as panic consumed her.
It started to clear up, just a little thought, when she finally saw a familiar messy mop of blond hair. As she came to a stop among her friends, she managed to at last regain some semblance of calm.
"Guys!" She shouted, feeling winded, but not physically. Panting, she continued. "I-I did something."
At her dancing around the situation, Annabeth gave her a raised brow, looking at her up and down. "Are you okay? Did you run into more of those guys?"
"Not exactly…"
"What happened?" Will asked, concern in his eyes.
Andi looked down at her feet, shuffling them nervously. She was fearful of what they would think of her after she told them what had happened.
"Uh, well. I-"
"Out with it already!" Thalia demanded unkindly.
Her eyes wide and her whole body shaking, she answered in a panicked rush. "I just killed someone."
"What!?"
Will couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He had to have been imagining things, right? There was no way that Andi had said that she'd killed someone.
Thalia however had no such doubts. While Will and everyone else were shocked speechless, the elder daughter of Zeus tore into her sister.
"You did what?!" The older girl snapped, causing Andi to shrink away from the shout. "You killed a mortal?"
Andi gave a terrified nod.
Thalia began to laugh then. A terrible mocking laugh that set everyone on edge. "So you're a murderer, huh?"
The younger sister recoiled at being called a murderer but her elder sister had no mercy for her.
"I should have expected as much." The punk girl said in a disappointed voice. "You're just like Luke aren't you? Heck, you're worse. At least he didn't kill anyone."
"You're comparing her to him?!" Percy actually snapped, glaring menacingly at Thalia with those green eyes of his in a way that sent a chill up Will's spine. The son of Poseidon was all healed up thanks to his water healing and a hymn from the son of Apollo, but he still looked like he'd gone through a meat grinder. This combined with his intense expression made him look like a young Rambo just back from Vietnam and ready to kick butt.
"I'm sorry, but back up. Are we talking about the psycho who not only poisoned you, but also tried to kill me and everyone at camp multiple times? You know, the guy trying to raise the Titans? If we are, then you've been in that tree for too long and moss has grown in your brain, because that's the only way you can possibly think that he's not a murderer." Percy said with that sharp tongue of his.
Thalia stumbled a little, as if all those things had slipped her mind. She recovered quickly though, "Well, he's not actually killed anyone has he?"
"I'm sure all those demigods he fed to his pet Drakon on his pleasure cruise disagree. And are you even hearing yourself? We're at war, you think he's some saint?" He narrowed his eyes. "Whose side are you on?"
The elder daughter of the skies fumbled for a reply for a moment, but couldn't come up with anything. So unwilling to admit defeat she just settled for glaring angrily at the son of Poseidon. The two descending into an intense staring contest.
Annabeth looked torn about who to support and was forced to just stand there looking on helplessly as her two close friends glared at each other.
"Andi." Will said soothingly as he put an arm around the shaking girl's shoulder, who flinched at the touch. "Let's get you back to the tent."
Thankfully theirs was still intact.
As Will begun guiding the shaken Andi inside, the contest of wills between Thalia and Percy came to a conclusion.
"Yeah, I win." Percy told Thalia as she turned on her heel and stalked off.
"Whatever. I let you, Jackson." The stubborn daughter of Zeus shot back over her shoulder.
"By setting yourself up for failure." Percy snorted under his breath. He turned back to Andi, the intensity in his eyes gone. Instead, they looked like a calm ocean now as he walked over and said. "Hey, it's going to be okay. I mean, he was gunning for you, right? You probably didn't have much of a choice."
"It was self-defense." Annabeth offered reassuringly. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
Andi didn't seem to have heard them though as she flinched a little as they entered the tent's interior.
"They called me a murderer."
"They're wrong." Percy told her sternly, but kindly.
Will ushered the shell-shocked girl into her room where she immediately rushed onto the bed and curled into a ball.
"Are you okay?" He knew it was a dumb question, but it was one that always needed to be asked. It was a reflex of his that he'd developed as a healer.
"...No." Her usual loud and merry voice replaced by the softest and meekest voice you could imagine.
Percy and Annabeth stood by the door, looking worried. Annabeth sent Will a look that said: Say something.
Taking a breath, Will patted her shoulder gently and started talking. "It's going to be okay. You know that."
"No it isn't! Nothing is going to be okay! I killed someone!" She said in a muffled hiss, as she started to rock herself.
"That's not true. And I should know." Will managed a weak chuckle, trying to lighten the situation.
He failed if Andi's muffled sob was anything to go by.
He looked towards their friends and found that Annabeth was giving him the "you are so stupid" look.
She usually saved that for Percy.
"Andi-" Percy began but Annabeth elbowed him and shot the boy the same look.
"Sure Lucius was an arse, but he didn't deserve this." Andi said in a tearful voice. "A kick in the ribs, maybe? But not this."
"He was a terrorist, Andi." Annabeth said in a soft voice, the kind you would usually used when trying not to spook an agitated animal. "You killing him was doing the world a favor."
"Even if he did deserve it, what gives me the right to decide that?" The daughter of the god of justice shot back, looking up at her friends.
"Annabeth's right, Andi." Will said, picking up the conversation. "The wizarding justice system let him off once, right? Even though they were sure he was a killer?"
Andi nodded hesitantly.
"Then you were just rectifying an injustice created by a corrupt system." Will offered.
Andi shook her head at this. "Even if that's true. I didn't need to have been so brutal. I literally knocked his head off for gods' sake! It was an accident, but still!"
Without a clue on how to respond, Will shot Annabeth a look.
Unfortunately, they were saved from the necessity of such by Lupin shouting Andi's name.
"Andi!" Lupin called out as he rushed into the tent, an out of breath Ron barely keeping pace with him. In contrast to the Campers who had sensibly decided to stay close to the only landmark in the campground they knew, their own tent, they and Sirius had run off after the terrorists had been dealt with to look for Andi and were only now coming back.
"You need to get out of here. Now!" Lupin said. "The Aurors are almost here."
"Those wizard cops?" Annabeth inquired.
Lupin nodded grimly. "They're here to arrest Andi for murder."
"You have got to be kidding me." Percy said. "She's a minor, we were attacked, that's extenuating circumstances!"
Annabeth looked at him with wide eyes.
"I watch Law and Order."
The blonde conceded to that.
"That may be true, but we aren't dealing with muggles here. We're a tad stricter on the use of magical violence." Lupin hedged nervously. "Even with extenuating circumstances, there's no escaping a stint in Azkaban."
"What?!"
Nymphadora "Never call me by my first name" Tonks, rookie Auror, apparated to the World Cup grounds along with her mentor and the rest of their team. Her hair was a shade of purple as she arrived but it quickly changed to a dark yellow in reflection of her growing nervousness over the situation. She was a young woman, nearly in her mid-twenties, with a nice figure and pleasant face and dark twinkling eyes, who despite the harshness of her job, still carried herself with some bubbliness.
"Alright, you maggots. You know the drill. Spread out and secure the perimeter." Her mentor and squad leader, Auror Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody barked as they all regained their bearings.
Moody was a veteran of the force and he had the scars to prove it. His face looked like it had been roughly carved from wood and was covered with scars he'd earned battling countless Dark Wizards and criminals throughout the course of his career. Something his dark grey, grizzled hair utterly failed to hide. Not when he was missing a chunk of his nose and had a wooden leg.
What was the most striking thing about him however were his eyes. One was small and dark while the other was a vivid, electric blue magical eye that moved around independently from his normal eye. It was this that earned him the nickname of "Mad-Eye Moody", or simply "Mad-Eye". He'd once confessed to Tonks that he'd hated the moniker at first, but the eye was too damn useful to change. The thing after all let him see through objects, Invisibility cloaks and even the back of his own head. So he'd learned to live with and even embrace the nom de guerre.
She respected the man immensely and normally would never even think of second guessing his orders, but the case they were assigned today was so out there that she couldn't stop herself.
"Uh sir? Why are we going to arrest the Girl-Who-Lived?" Tonks asked tentatively.
"Got nothin' ta do with her being the Girl-Who-Lived." Moody told her sharply. His hand shot into the air, deftly catching a tiny something that had darted towards him at high speed. It had moved so fast that Tonks had barely even registered that it was there. He opened his palm to reveal that it was a paper bullet, the Auror's main means of sending speedy messages between themselves when in the field. He unraveled it and nodded to himself as he read it. "Seems Black's obstructing the team already here. They think Potter's gonna use the time he's buyin' her to run."
He gave his team a look with that magical eye of his and barked. "So you know what ta do!"
"Constant vigilance!" The whole team said, some dryly, others seriously.
"Damn right." The old man said and started to hobble forward on his walking stick. "Come on, ladies! We're guarding the Floo Access Point."
As they marched along the scorched landscape full of civilians huddling together tightly in fear, Moody continued his explanation. "She's offed someone-"
"In clear self defense, sir. I mean, it was a Death Eater for crying out loud." Tonk's said sourly, still plenty worked up over the situation. So much so that it drowned out how jazzed she was over her bastard of an uncle finally biting the big one. It was a long time coming in her opinion. "You've read the preliminary reports."
"So you want to just let her go after she kills someone?" Moody asked coolly, his magical eye leveling her with an unflinching glare.
"Of course not," Tonks clarified. "We should be bringing her in for questioning yes, just to set the record straight, but not arresting her for murder."
Dawlish sneered at her. "I thought Moody knocked that idealistic garbage out of you, rookie? Stop being a twit."
"Both ya shut ya traps." Moody gruffly chided them both. "I was talkin'. Tonks, don't matter if it was self-defense. Potter killed with a wand, a weapon, so she's gotta be hauled in."
"It's self-defense! He probably tried to use an unforgivable." She spat.
"And she killed him." Moody countered.
Tonks was about to reply, but Moody cut her off by continuing.
"The Ministry doesn't give a damn about any self-defense or any other extenuating circumstances for that matter. At least not enough to spare them a trip to Azkaban. It might reduce the sentence a bit, but that's about it. Nothing more than that. Not when someone uses their wand to kill. You should know this."
She did know that, it was part of her training, but she thought it was just an anachronism of the law that the blowhards in the Ministry never got around to bother changing.
It wasn't like they would send people to Azkaban just for defending themselves, right?
Moody just shook his head and grunted. "You're naive, Tonks. Tell me what would happen if we let people off easy for things like self-defense?"
"It would be fair?" She offered uncertainly.
The rest of her team burst into mocking laughter at this.
"Fair, she says."
"What an idiot!"
"Shut up, ya jokers!" Moody shouted. "Don't forget that we're in the field!"
At that reminder, the Aurors calmed themselves. Well, mostly anyways. A few were clearly still snickering. By now they had arrived at their destination and were scattering to do their job and establishing a perimeter.
"As for ya, Tonks," Moody said turning to face, effectively ordering her without words to stay. "If they did that then people would just be a lot more tempted to kill with magic. Fakin' self-defense and all that shite is easy, if you have half a brain. So ta keep everyone from throwin' deadly magic at the drop of a hat, the Ministry is deliberately harsh to ensure most wizards are too scared shitless of the legal fallout ta ever use their wands as weapons like they are."
"That's just not fair." She hastily argued.
Dawlish snorted. "Why don't you tell that to the next person shooting deadly magic at you. Oh wait! They almost never happens, because people are too scared of going to Azkaban to do so."
"Easy Dawlish." Moody told the man, but agreed. "He's got a point, Tonks. It ain't bout bein' fair, it's 'bout the rules."
Tonks herself just felt uneasy over the whole situation.
"I'm not all for it neither, trust me." Moody grunted once more. "It works though, so all we can do is keep enforcing it. Our job is dangerous as is, why make it harder?"
Tonks was about to ask if there was no better way when they were interrupted by one of their squadmates rushing over.
"Moody, there's some girl creating a fuss over on my end." The man told their squad leader. "I left her with Walsh, but I think you better come along."
"A kid? Mandric ya must be losin' your touch." Moody scolded the man. "Come on then, I'll come help ya."
After a tense half hour of sneaking around burnt tents and terrified wizards, the demigods finally arrived at the Floo Point at the mortal cottage. If they had been on their own, they likely would have taken even longer, maybe even got caught. But thanks to Lupin, they managed to make reasonably good time.
Unfortunately, despite that they found the whole area crawling with those wizard cops.
Will had to wonder when demigods ever got a break? The answer was clearly never because their bad luck was just snowballing today.
It was a minor consolation however, that it wasn't just them. It seemed Thalia, despite going off on her own had found herself having trouble with the local law enforcement too.
"I just want to go home!" The girl snapped at the officer interviewing her.
"Just a few more questions." The man said in what might have been an attempt at a soothing voice but was laced with frustration, even as he was joined by three of his colleagues.
Thalia looked ready to punch his lights out. That might have been helpful though, they needed a distraction of some kind.
"Hey! There's Potter!" Someone shouted, spotting them.
Percy winced. "Busted."
"Why didn't we cover her?" Will hissed to the group.
"Because that would look even more suspicious." Annabeth hissed right back.
The Aurors drew their wands and pointed them at the group. "Freeze! Hand Potter over, she's under arrest for murder."
"Yeah, no." Thalia frowned at the officers. "As much as I hate to admit it, I'm with these guys and I'm not about to let you arrest them."
Tapping her silver charm bracelet, she said. "Aegis!"
The shield of fright came to life and she pointed it at the Aurors. The sight of the horrific gorgon's face made the wizards run away screaming for Merlin.
Wow, she used that thing the right way for once. Will couldn't help but think with a snort.
Lupin looked at the demigods. "Go, I'll leave them a false trail to follow."
"You sure?" Percy asked him.
"Yes, now get her out of here." He ordered as he cast a sad look at the still shaken Andi and left in a hurry.
The group rushed towards the nearest firepit. Annabeth was at the lead and was about to call out their destination, when the flames suddenly turned green.
"Come quickly." A motherly voice echoed from the fire.
"Thanks Aunt Hestia." Will heard Andi mutter.
Yeah, the goddess was a real lifesaver here.
They jumped into the fire and popped right out of the campfire at Camp Half-Blood, tumbling to the ground. It was no longer dark outside and instead his Dad's chariot was slowly peaking over the horizon. The camp was lacking life, no doubt since whatever campers that hadn't gone home yet were still asleep.
Will stood up, helping Andi up in the process too as Percy dusted the grass off his face.
"I can't believe that place." Percy spat, looking angry once more.
Andi just nodded in agreement to him and said. "I'm done with the Wizarding World."
Will tried to comfort her. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding, let's not make big declarations here."
The girl shook her head. "I'm not going to Azkaban for this, Will. I've lost a lot to the Wizarding World, but I'm not letting them just do whatever they want to me anymore. They can sod off."
"You've got my support." Percy said even as he directed an angry glare at the flames of the hearth, and the wizards on the other end of it. "It's a madhouse. I mean Andi kills a terrorist in defense of innocent people and then she's the one wanted for murder?"
"I can see where they're coming from." Annabeth conceded grudgingly. "They want to maintain their monopoly on violence by discouraging the average folk from using it by making use of going to that Azkaban place as a deterrent. But the extent that they are taking things- Urgh! It's too much."
Will agreed with them and very much wanted to rant at the stupidity of the wizards too, but that wouldn't help Andi. One of them needed to be the calm one here.
Amazingly, Thalia wasn't fanning any flames and instead looked disinterested over the whole debacle. Or at least she was trying to.
"I'm going back to sleep, I'm drained." Andi stated.
Will nodded and helped her towards Cabin One.
Behind them, he could hear Percy and Annabeth still complaining about the wizards. Will would join them later, he needed to vent too, but for now he had to make sure Andi got to bed. She needed some rest.
Andi had pretty much locked herself up in her cabin for next day, Hunter faithfully by her side as they laid in bed. She had a girl's best friend, a tub of root beer ice cream, by her side and was eating away some of her woes.
Said woes only seemed to increase at the tapping on her door. She wagged her finger, and the door opened, and a bald eagle came swooping in to land on her bed softly, a letter tied to its leg.
"...You're with the American Ministry, aren't you?" The daughter of Zeus took a shot in the dark.
The bald eagle nodded and screeched, "For you."
"Thanks." She muttered as she untied the letter from the offered leg.
Dear Miss Potter,
I am Rebecca Chambers, Deputy Secretary of Magic of the United States of America . Normally, I would not be writing to you directly over matters like this. However, your father, Lord Zeus, impressed upon my Department the need to do so. While we American Wizards do not necessarily worship the Olympians, we do respect them as keepers of the Heart of the West, hence my acquiescing to his request for a more personal touch in informing you about matters at hand.
"Wow, so they know about dad." Andi felt somewhat warmed over the fact her father was strong arming the American Ministry to get them to help her.
I have digressed long enough however, so let us get down to business. I regret to inform you that you have been declared a fugitive by the British Ministry of Magic.
"Terrific." Andi drawled and looked to Hunter. "We're going to need another pint of ice cream."
Hunter barked in agreement.
It appears that they have accused you of murder, though from their rhetoric they seem to have convicted you of it already. Typical of the British Ministry and its mockery of a justice system.
"Okay, real glad to have citizenship here." Andi said, at least this country had your back!
However, you can rest assured that you are safe for the moment. We do not deport our own citizens. That said, the British are pursuing your extradition. A process that if successful will unfortunately lead to your arrest and transfer over to their jurisdiction. While, I and my Department deplore this, as you do not deserve a stay in that accursed British prison, Azkaban, we are powerless to stop the process. The British have been meticulous in following the procedures to the letter.
As such, I must strongly advise you to hire legal counsel immediately to fight the extradition and the case in Britain as well. We assure you that on our own end at least, we will do our utmost to provide you a fair hearing.
I hope that these legal problems are dealt with in your favor.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Chambers.
Deputy Secretary of Magic of the United States of America
Andi chewed her bottom lip and crawled out of bed. "Best show this to Chiron." She looked over to the eagle and said. "Thanks for the delivery. Want something to eat? I'm sure I can find something."
The eagle screeched, "No thanks."
With a flap of his wings, the avian flew off.
"Fly safe!" The child of Zeus waved him off and looked to Hunter. "Come on boy, time for walkies."
Chiron hummed as his sharp eyes scanned the letter. Both he and Andi were seated at the patio of the Big House, Mr. D was there too, holding a wanted poster like it was a piece of memorabilia. The damn thing featured a photo of her talking to Malfoy's conjured snake back during Lockhart's farce of a dueling club in her Second Year. It was quite the sinister image, even in Andi's mind, as without sound it just showed her conversing with the deadly serpent as if she was commanding it. Add that to the way she was clutching her wand in a combative pose, it painted a very menacing picture indeed.
The god's mad purple eyes looked eager. "Can you sign it?"
"Mr. D." Chiron warned, his gaze not leaving the letter.
"I told you this would happen some day, old chap. I just want it to be worth more in the next century or two."
"No thanks." Andi dryly told the god as she rubbed Hunter's ear as he laid his head comfortingly on her lap.
"Pity."
Nervously, the demigod of Zeus asked. "So how much trouble am I in? I mean, I'm on Wizarding Britain's Most Wanted. Tell it to me straight, Chiron. Am I doing to Azkaban?"
"No, you are not going to prison, Andi." Chiron reassured her. "Not if we have anything to do about it and I assure you that we do."
"I have some ideas."
"Mr. D, no one cares." Chiron tiredly noted, folding the letter up nicely and placed it on the table.
Mr. D's eyes flared purple for a moment at that, but the sky boomed overhead before he could do much more than that and he backed down, sinking into his chair all while muttering to himself about disrespectful centaurs.
"Spoils you girls, I swear. Best I got was being sewed to his thigh." Mr D. grouched. "He's even sending a nanny down to keep you safe. Like I ever got pampered like that. Why, when I was your age, I was already conquering kingdoms and partying like 1969. Even before it was a thing!"
"Nanny?" Andi reeled in surprise. "Like Mary Poppins?"
"Indeed, somewhat… Maybe." Chiron shook his head. "I will explain that in a moment, but before that let me assure you that these wizards are forgetting a clear loophole that we will lovingly exploit. We'll have you cleared of all charges in no time at all."
Andi gave a relieved sigh. If Chiron said things would be alright then she believed him. She had faith in the ancient Trainer of Heroes.
Seeing this, Chiron offered her a smile before continuing. "As for your new nanny. It'll be fine. You'll be in wonderful hands. She helped raised your father after all."
"Ah." Andi said, thinking back to the earliest part of her dad's history. He had a lot of people looking out for him when he was in godly diapers. Though considering how he turned out, both good and bad, was it really a good thing to have his childhood nanny come and take care of her?
"Okay." Andi said, sounding unimpressed, but Chiron just smiled at her.
"Don't worry about it, Andi, you'll be fine. She has plenty of experience."
"Yup, enough to know to turn you into a toad if you muck up enough." Mr. D added vindictively.
Chiron breathed through his nose in annoyance. "Why do you do this?"
"Are-Are you being rhetorical or do you want an honest answer?" Mr. D replied, looking genuinely confused.
Seeing that a argument was brewing, Andi decided it was time to beat a hasty retreat. "Er. If there's nothing else."
Chiron turned to reply, but Mr. D just gave her a dismissive wave. Taking the cue from the god, Andi fled. In the background, she could hear the two immortals start tearing into each other.
"Mr. D, I was not done."
"Well, you looked like you were."
"I wasn't and you know it!"
Andi thankfully managed to get out of earshot, even of her super-hearing, by then and missed out on the rest of the argument.
Feeling relieved to have dodged that bullet, she headed to the dining pavilion. She hadn't noticed it but time had flown by quicker than she'd ever expected while she'd been dealing with all the legal stuff. Something her rumbling stomach was now pointedly reminding her about.
Well, I guess it's time for lunch.
As lunch wound down, Andi decided it was time to talk to her friends about the latest pile of crap that had landed on her plate. Waving Clarisse and Bethy over to her table, she showed them the letter. They were both predictably outraged by what it said.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Damn fuckers!"
No guesses on who said what.
Their reactions caught some unwanted attention though and Thalia leaned over from the far side of the table, where she could be as far away from Andi as possible, and snatched up the letter to see what all the commotion was about.
"I knew you were going to jail!" Thalia said aloud as she finished reading, almost like she was gloating. "I mean look at you, you'll be passed around for a cigarette faster than you can get that orange jumper on."
"I'm not." Andi told her, trying to reach for the letter, but Thalia pulled away as she reread it. "Dad won't let it happen. Chiron says so."
"That's not what it says here." Thalia countered, "From the looks of it all the Brits have gotta do is dot their Is and cross their Ts and they'll be hauling your ass away in no time. FYI, try not to drop the soap."
"Thalia!" Annabeth glared.
"Come on, Annie, tell me she won't be losing her virginity to someone named Big Betty?"
"For the record," Andi glared, using her air powers to pull the letter back, thankfully avoiding ripping it to pieces as she did. "You have no idea how a wizard prison is like, so stop trying to freak me out."
It was sadly working though as Andi's nervousness was visible on her face.
"Oh shut up Cheryl Williams." Clarisse shot back even as she slammed a fork into the table right in front of Thalia. "At least we know who the Big Man likes better. Ain't that right?"
At her sneer, Thalia bared her teeth in return.
"Thalia this isn't a joking matter, so stop trying to scare her." Annabeth said firmly.
Thalia waved the blonde's complaint away. "It's not like the mortals have any hope of catching her. Not while she's in Camp."
"And for the rest of her life? We're not all going to be at Camp forever, Thalia."
The punk girl just shrugged.
This just served to infuriate the daughter of Athena, who replied in a scathing voice. "And what about you, Thalia? You've got a laundry list of things that could send you to Juvie too. You're going to turtle up here in Camp for the rest of your life?"
"Maybe?" Thalia shot back with a smirk. "I mean I'm still here aren't I? And not in Juvie, so that's a point to me. Besides all I have to do is wait out any outstanding warrants or whatever and I'll be fine."
"Murder doesn't have a statute of limitations, Thalia." The blonde explained in a furious hiss. "And the wizards aren't like normal mortals. The two situations are completely different."
"Like there's any difference." Thalia scoffed.
Annabeth ignored her and continued, "And more importantly unlike you, Andi respects the law."
Shaking her head in mock sadness, Thalia said, "Not my fault that she's such an idiot."
"Oh shut up!" The child of wisdom declared, her frustration clearly getting the better of her. "Just stop trying to freak Andi out."
"Whatever you say, Annie." Thalia said with a grating smile as she stalked off to cause trouble elsewhere.
"Bethy, it won't be as bad as Thalia says, right?" Andi asked her knowledgeable friend, her earlier confidence shaken by what Thalia had said.
"Of course not." Annabeth reassured. "The American Department of Magic isn't as insane as the British Ministry."
"They're still wizards" Andi pressed. "Can I trust them?"
"If we can't, then we'll just need to bash some more heads." Clarisse chimed in.
"I'm sure it's fine. I've done some research, just in case, and the Department of Magic isn't just a wizarding thing. It's part of the Federal government, set up after President George Washington, inspired by Lord Zeus himself, got fed up with the Magical Congress of the United States of America refusing to obey the laws of the land and dismantled it back in the 18th Century after the Bartholomew Barebones affair."
"We don't need no history lesson here, Princess."
"Right, sorry." Said with an apologetic smile. "What I'm trying to say is that the Department of Magic will be a lot more fair than the Ministry of Magic because it has Federal oversight."
"Like the Feds are always fair." Clarisse snorted.
"Clarisse! You're not helping."
"Fine. Fine." Clarisse said unconvincingly. "By the way, you really shouldn't worry so much, Andi. Murdering a terrorist? That's just gonna give you street cred. It's what fuckers like them deserve after all."
Andi knew Clarisse was only trying to help, that she used her name and not one of her many nicknames for her was proof of that. But it really wasn't doing any good.
"But I don't want to kill people." Andi said in a soft voice.
"Just stop helping." Annabeth bemoaned. "Please?"
"Geez, and you complain I'm not nice. And now when I am you get all up in my face about it? Make up your mind, Princess."
Andi managed a laugh despite the situation, her friends were weird.
Yet she'd trade them for nothing else.
The next day, Andi woke to the sound of shouting coming from outside her room. Scrambling to her feet, she pulled her shirt on and came out of her magical wardrobe to see Thalia dressed in only her Green Day shirt and checkered boxer shorts arguing with someone.
The unknown was a tall shapely woman with long purple hair. She was dressed in a slick business suit and a pair of oval glasses that gave her a stern look. Her eyes though were what was most striking about her. Even from a distance, Andi could see that they shimmered like crystal that reflected the light which made them seem like rainbows.
"No one let you in, get out!" Thalia demanded.
The woman just shot her a look one might reserve for a particularly annoying child throwing a tantrum. "I do not need your permission to be here, daughter of Zeus. Not when I have your Father's."
Beside Andi, Hunter slipped out of her wardrobe door and raced over to enthusiastically greet the newcomer.
Scratching Hunter in just the right spot, the stern woman smiled at the dog.
"Hello, Kyon."
"Hunter." Andi corrected her on reflex, and felt bad for doing so. "Sorry, I mean, uh, welcome to our Cabin."
"His name is Kyon Khyseos." The woman shot back. "And that will be his name forevermore, no matter what you chose to call him yourself."
"I'm going to guess and say you're the new nanny Chiron mentioned." Andi steered the conversation in another direction.
"Indeed." The woman said with a slight bow. "I am Ida, nymph of Mount Ida and caretaker and teacher to Lord Zeus when he was but an infant."
"Wait, back up, as in when he was in godly diapers?" Thalia held her hands up. "Wow, you must be ancient."
Ida shot the older demigoddess a scathing look. "I see why your Father said to not focus on you now."
"What now?"
"You are clearly a loss cause." The immortal said with finality.
Sparks flew from Thalia's frame as she clearly lost her temper, her fists balled at her side. "Say that again."
"You are a lost cause." Ida repeated easily, blinking in a bored fashion.
Thalia lunged, her body encased in a corona of wildly arcing electricity. Ida didn't so much as bat an eyelid, instead she waved her hand dismissively at the charging demigoddess. As a result, the electrokinetic found herself flung off course, flying through the Cabin's doors which had conveniently snapped open to let her pass before slamming into the ground of the yard beyond.
The older girl was just pushing herself to her feet when the nymph clicked her fingers and the Cabin doors slammed shut in Thalia's face.
"I-I think she might need her clothes." Andi meekly pointed out, a pit filling her stomach now. This nymph was no joke, she had the whole scary teacher vibe to a T. With her here, Andi had a feeling she was Head Counselor in name only from now onwards.
"It doesn't matter." Ida brushed some of her purple hair over her shoulder. She pointed to a corner of the room where an alcove had been cleared out and been furnished overnight. "She can get some spares from the Camp Store. More importantly, it is time for the two of us to talk."
Andi nodded and followed the nymph over to a coffee table in the little alcove which she immediately recognized was a magically expanded space just like her wardrobe.
"Would you like a drink?" Ida offered. Andi just shook her head, she was too nervous to drink anything.
"Very well, let's get down to business then."
"Sure."
Ida smiled soothingly, obviously trying to ease the tension. Andi smiled back awkwardly.
"I'm here, Andromeda-"
"Andi, call me Andi." Andi corrected automatically.
"Andi then." Ida acknowledged. "I'd like to outline for you what my duties as your nanny will be."
"Go ahead." The demigoddess replied uncertainly.
"Thank you." Ida said as she continued to smile comfortingly. "The first of my duties is to take charge of your education. On that front, I have to inform you that your schooling at Hogwarts is at an end. After this latest fiasco in the Wizarding World, your Father is not letting you return."
Andi's mind was left reeling by this revelation. She might have said she wanted nothing to do with the Wizarding World anymore, but she hadn't really thought about what that meant. Not going back to Hogwarts? Never seeing Ron and all her school friends again?
"But my friends-"
Ida just shot her a stern look. "Are not worth your life."
"Like being a demigod is safe?" Andi shot back, a frown on her face.
"Of course not, but we're honest about the dangers involved in our world." Ida smoothly countered. "In contrast, Hogwarts claims to keep you safe and then repeatedly puts you in danger instead."
"Hogwarts isn't so ba-"
"The deadly obstacles protecting The Philosopher's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, Dementors swarming you at school." The nymph listed, cutting Andi off. "And these are only the highlights. There are many more minor deadly situations you encountered in that place which purports to be the safest place in Wizarding Britain."
Andi had no counter to that. Ida was right, Hogwarts had been full of life or death situations during the daughter of Zeus' time there.
"Fine." Andi said with a defeated sigh, resting her elbows on the table. "Then where am I going to school then?"
"Right here in Camp." The ancient woman said as she snapped her fingers and conjured a small stack of paper that she passed to Andi. "I will be homeschooling you from now onwards. This is your curriculum overviews and reading lists for the subjects that I will be covering."
Resignedly, the daughter of Zeus began to flip through the stack. As she read what was expected of her, she felt a growing surge of panic. Unaware or more likely deliberately ignoring this, her nanny continued with her explanation.
"You will note that they will require quite a few new books and some other material besides. Do not worry about that, I have already made arrangements for everything you need to be delivered to your apartment by tomorrow. Any questions?"
Tentatively Andi raised her hand and waited for a nod from the woman before speaking. "Why are there muggle subjects here?"
"First things first, never use the term muggles again. It is considered an insult against non-magical mortals outside Europe and even there it is only seen as acceptable in the most isolationist or backward wizarding communities." Andi was staring at her wide eyed. She hadn't known that. She knew some people were uncomfortable with the term back in Wizarding Britain but she didn't think it was that bad. "Call them mundanes instead."
Her head was still spinning at the implications about her former homeland that Ida's revelations had hinted at, as such Andi could only numbly nod.
"Secondly, they are there to help correct the horrible holes in your education attending that terrible school left behind."
Just an hour ago, Andi might have jumped to Hogwarts' defense in the face of Ida's disparaging remarks towards it but with how she was reevaluating her opinion of the place with each negative point, she just couldn't.
"Honestly, completely neglecting the mundane subjects?" Ida ranted, though the sharp look in her eyes as she did made Andi think she was doing this quite deliberately. "How would its graduates find any decent jobs outside of their tiny little community if the need arose? And even if that was not a concern, surely they can see how a solid grounding in say chemistry would be useful in Potions? Or how mundane astronomy has far outstripped their own knowledge of the cosmos?"
"I get it." Andi said meekly when her nanny looked ready to keep going. "Hogwarts didn't do a good job."
The mountain nymph smiled triumphantly. "Good that you do. Any more questions?"
"Just one." Andi said as she fidgeted and flipped through the papers. "Are you sure I can manage with all these subjects at one go?"
"Of course." The nanny said with complete confidence. "You will need to work hard, that is a given. But if you do, then I can assure you that you will not just manage but thrive. I will make sure of that."
Some of the immortal's confidence must have been infectious because after hearing her say that the witch couldn't help but believe it too.
"Now, if you have no more questions about your education for now." Ida paused and waited for Andi to shake her head before she continued. "Then I will explain the other part of my duties here: ensuring that you live up to the expectations of comportment as befitting a daughter of the God King of Olympus."
Andi had no idea what that meant but she had a bad feeling about this.
With another snap of her fingers, Ida conjured yet another sheet of paper which she promptly handed to Andi. It was a timetable, like the one that detailed the various activities she did on a daily basis at Camp. This one however was modified so many of those activities had been cut out and replaced by homeschool periods and-
"Etiquette lessons?" Andi gaped as her fingers tightened around the paper. "Why am I getting etiquette lessons?"
"As I said earlier, so that you can behave in a manner that befits your status as one of Lord Zeus' daughters."
"So Thalia will get these lessons too?"
"No." Ida said decisively. "Your Father has decreed that your elder sister is a lost cause on this front and that any effort would be a waste."
"That's-"
"Unfair? Cruel?" The nymph asked with a raised brow. "Perhaps, though I'm surprised you would be so charitable to her after how she's been treating you."
"How?"
"We nymphs, like everyone else, gossip. I've heard plenty about the relationship, such as it is, between you two from the Dryads and Naiads who live here at Camp."
"Oh." Andi honestly hadn't even thought about what the many dryads and naiads that lived in and around Camp did when she wasn't around. They just seemed to blend into the surroundings so well, perhaps intentionally so, that she just forgot they were there a lot of the time.
"Indeed." Ida said with a knowing smirk. "If it is any consolation to you, I suspect that your Father's decision is being influenced by something he has seen in your sister's future. Something that will make any lessons I can offer her meaningless."
"Um, I thought Apollo was the one with foresight?"
"All gods have some ability to see the future."
"Is it okay for gods to use it for something like this?" Andi asked with some worry. After all, trying to use futuresight to your advantage tends to end badly at times.
The nymph shrugged. "He merely said a few things. Nothing to be concerned over."
Andi sighed in disappointment, she'd hoped Ida would say more. Maybe drop some clues so she could figure out Thalia's future on her own, but it looked like the nymph was being tight lipped about it.
"Now onto the last bit of information I need to cover."
Andi couldn't help feeling relieved at hearing that. With everything that Ida was telling her, the demigod was on the verge of an information overload already, and was glad that it was almost over.
"You need no longer worry over your legal troubles. My sister Adraesteia has been assigned by your Father to be your lawyer and will clear up all the unpleasantness in no time at all."
"So she'll fight the extradition and everything?"
"Yes," Ida replied with a small smile and nod. "That should not be an issue. Olympus has a lot of sway in the American courts, both mundane and magical. After that, she plans to fight your murder charge with you in absentia. She does not trust the British wizards to not ignore due process and just proceed to send you straight into Azkaban like they did to your godfather in the past if you did show up."
"We'll win that easily too, right? I mean I did nothing wrong." Andi said in what she hoped was a flippant way, so as to hide her nervousness. "A bad guy attacked, I stopped him. That's what heroes do. They put so much stock in me being that for them, so just a little reminder and this will all go away. Right?"
The nanny didn't seem to agree, not if her disapproving look was anything to go by.
"Your logic might work for heroes. But for wizards?" She asked. Andi tried to fumble a reply, but Ida didn't wait for her. "What you did is clearly illegal by their laws."
"Well, their laws are stupid."
The nymph just shook her head with an air of deep disappointment. "No they are perfectly logical."
"Wha-!?" Andi was incredulous. Was her nanny saying she should go to Azkaban?
"Stop overreacting." Ida commanded. Andi glared at her but otherwise tried to calm down. She wanted to hear what the nymph had to say anyway. "Now, put yourself in their shoes. Condoning you killing with magic is setting a precedent that this is an acceptable thing."
"But I acted in self-defense!"
"Yes, but they have a slippery slope to worry about. If they allowed leeway for things like this then there will be more exceptions in time. Both you and I might disagree with them, that there should be some exceptions, but overall their logic is sound."
Ugh, she's just saying the same thing Bethy is. If both of them are saying it, maybe they're right.
"...I guess that makes sense. I don't have to like it though."
"Nobody expects you to do so."
For a long moment, the two ladies sat there in silence. Andi mulling over what she'd learned and Ida observing her from behind steepled hands.
"Err. So what now?" Andi asked a few minutes later after having finished organizing her thoughts. "Any plans for today?"
"Only to observe you for now." Ida replied. "Go clean up and get ready for the day. I will wait for you here."
"Alright. See you in a bit."
With that, the daughter of Zeus set off for her apartment to freshen up for the day ahead.
I hope nothing else happens today. I think I'm at my limit already and I haven't even had breakfast yet.
Going to breakfast was a weird experience for Andi with her new nanny following her like a shadow. Every satyr seemed to be tripping over themselves as they went googly eyed at the sight of Ida. Even other campers were pointing and whispering at the nymph as well.
At the Cabin One table, Thalia - still dressed in her Green Day shirt and a pair of shorts she'd gotten somewhere - stormed off as soon as she spotted the pair, making her feel bad at what had happened earlier. Though Ida didn't seem to even acknowledge the girl.
After a quick sacrifice of food to the gods and a nice meal, Andi headed towards her first activity of the day.
Double archery.
Ida had taken to sitting under a nearby tree, a book in hand as she seemed to be both reading and observing the child of Zeus. Or she was till the tree's dryad showed up and started chatting with her. Andi noted however, that both nymphs kept shooting her looks so they were still watching her at least.
Will was there, thankfully not looking too bad after the whole Cup fiasco.
He must regret even coming. Andi inwardly wilted at this, but greeted her friend with a cheerful wave and smile. "Morning."
"Morning. You feeling better?"
At his worried look, Andi gifted him with a small shy smile as she felt aflutter. "Yeah, just had to go through the motions and whatnot. Sorry for inviting you to that whole mess. It went pear shaped in no time flat."
"It was fun." He hastily assured her as he adjusted his quiver. "Well, at least until the whole set everything on fire thing."
"Yeah, weird things like that happen when I'm around. Not that I'm saying that I'm a magnet for trouble! Well, that'd be a lie, still, what I mean-Let's just shoot stuff."
At her stupid- Stupid!- rambling, she held up her bow and strided towards the firing line.
"Okay." As the blond lined up next to her on the line, he glanced over his shoulder to peek at Ida. "New friend?"
"More like Dad sending me my own Mary Poppins in a skirt suit. She's also my tutor and life manager now." Andi grumbled as she drew her wind rope back and fired an arrow that skewed right through her target's bullseye.
Will raised a brow as he returned to look at her. He pulled an arrow out of his quiver and asked. "You're not serious, are you?"
"As serious as my godfather's name."
"Huh." Will answered and he fired his arrow, just barely getting a bullseye. "Hm."
At seeing his shot, she smirked. "Wanna see something cool?"
"Another trick shot?"
"I've been thinking up ideas." Andi simply said as she drew her bowstring back once more, the arrow she made had a cone tip that spun with a light hum. Releasing the arrow, it flew with a whistle and just as it was about to hit the target, the cone fanned out into a large spinning disc that proceeded to grind out a large hole in the target.
"While cool, I don't see much of a point to that." Will gently told her.
Andi let her arm hang, her bow falling to her side. "What do you mean?"
"I mean how is that any better for armor piercing than the drill arrows you use? And when it comes to area of effect, one of your wind bombs?" Will explained. "You already have things which do the things this arrow does better."
"Hm, you might be right. It sounded good in my head, but I guess it fell short in practice." Andi said with a disappointed sigh. "I was trying to think up some variety here. Don't want to be a one trick pony."
The blond snorted a laugh. "I would hardly say that you have only one trick, Andi."
The petite girl shoved him playfully. "Look at you, making a girl blush and whatnot."
At her teasing, he looked a touch red, but still grinned down at her and gave a witty reply. "I try."
"I guess I should just try going for how many arrows I can fire and aim accurately at once." The daughter of Zeus nocked three arrows at that and aimed. "Maybe I can come up with a rain of arrows move or something."
"Just let people know when you're going for some widespread mayhem."
"I'll sound the alarm." Andi grinned at him.
The lesson had came to an end a lot faster than Andi would have liked, but it wasn't like time could stand still. As time marched on, the lunch hour quickly rolled around. Thalia ditched the table once again, a sign Andi guessed that she was probably going to be miffed at Ida for a long while. Hopefully she'd learn to eat at the table again at some point.
Andi didn't want to be alone with Ida forevermore.
Just like with breakfast, nymphs would zip by, offering Ida plates full of goodies. Even double dessert. Some even murmured they'd have passed her alcohol if they could, but with Mr. D's restrictions? That'd never happen.
Ida just smiled at them and thanked them for their kindness with that cool collected attitude of hers.
The child of Zeus couldn't help but admire that persona of the nymph's. It reminded her of just how plain she was compared to other people. Feeling dejected, she just poked at her baked potato with her fork.
"Don't play with your food, Andi." Ida chided her.
Andi sat up a little straighter. "Yes, ma'am." She said on reflex, and winced her eyes shut while ducking her head.
Damn, does she have to use that tone of voice? I feel like I'm back at the Dursleys.
Her eyes opened and she noticed Ida frowning with a look that was an odd mix of disappointment and concern.
"Call me Ida." She said, much like how she corrected her earlier, while offering her a small smile.
Andi's nerves relaxed a little as she consumed her food in a slightly mechanical fashion.
Deciding to end the silence between them, Andi asked the nymph a question. "So what was Dad like as a kid? Any crazy stories? I mean, there's gotta be."
Ida just gave her one of her trademark enigmatic smiles and said nothing.
Hunter came padding over, nestling against Ida and lavished in the ear scratching she gave him. "Still spoiled, isn't he?"
Hunter whined pitifully at that.
Andi laughed. "Big time, he's lucky he's cute!"
The daughter of Zeus headed for her shift at the Camp Store with Katie. While she worked, Ida had decided to take a seat in one of the chairs in the store, reading her book silently. Thankfully, none of her nymph friends had chosen to come and chat this time. The store would have gotten too crowded if they had.
As she restocked the snack shelf with Doridos, Katie whispered to Andi. "So, what's she like?"
"Hm?" Andi said as she was putting some XL camp shirts on the rack. "Ida?"
"Duh."
"Gods, ya such a gossip." Andi teased, making Katie pout at her.
"Spill!" Her friend said in a hushed whisper.
"She's my tutor. Compliments of my Dad...I think."
"Okay, what's she like? She's all quiet and reserved."
"I've known her a day." Andi dryly pointed out with a dull blink. "I know as much as you do and what's said about her in the books."
"Which is very little." Katie reminded her.
"Duh." Andi shot back as she folded up the cardboard box that Katie had just emptied and got it ready for disposal.
"Has she taught you anything yet?"
"No, she's 'observing' me today. Kinda weird having a shadow to be right frank." Andi knitted her brow as she headed behind the counter, tossing the cardboard in the recycling bin.
"She's still cool though." Katie told her.
"You fangirling?"
Katie flushed, glaring with her green eyes. "No, just saying it's nice to have such a strong female role model around."
Huh, never thought of it like that. Andi tilted her head as she mulled over the statement.
"Hey! You guys get anymore chocolate?" One of the Stolls shouted as he came in.
"I'm not selling to you thieves anymore! Get out!" Katie snapped at the boy, the ferns stationed by the door knocking the son of Hermes right out the door. Even closing it.
"I'd have put cacti there." Andi chimed to her angry looking friend, leaning on the counter with a grin.
"I did, but Chiron took them away."
As Andi had her free time now -Probably her last free time- she could use it as she saw fit.
Which she chose to spend practicing her powers.
Ida was there, watching her intently, her book by her side now. Andi rather oddly, even in her own opinion, felt like she was putting on a particularly interesting show on the Discovery Channel for the nymph to watch.
Taking a calming breath, Andi called on the wind to coil around her in a gentle embrace. She slowly began to hover, making it past one foot off the ground. Nodding she went a little higher and just as she touched two feet, the daughter of the sky flinched and fell to her feet. She stumbled upon her landing and balled her fists.
"Bollocks!" She snapped, kicking the ground harshly, wind exploding from her foot and making a hole in the dirt. Taking another calming breath she muttered. "Okay, just do something else. Anything else."
Okay, let's try setting up some traps. They worked good on those Death Suckers, but the timing was off. Andi held out her hand, a good distance away, a lump of air appeared on the ground.
"Too bulky, way too visible." She stopped and dismissed the air mine. Stroking her chin she said. "I can't exactly hide them underground, but maybe I can make them look more translucent? It's air, so that can work. Alright! Take two."
As she continued her private practice, Andi got really into it as the ideas flew from her noggin. When she got into the flow of things, the child of Zeus could really pull out the stops as she tested little things about her powers to help upgrade her current skillset.
The half-blood tweaked the power, the visibility, and the blast radius of her mine until she felt it was satisfactory.
She did this until the dinner bell was heard echoing through the camp.
Wrinkling her nose, Andi said. "Time to wrap up I guess."
It was after dinner and Andi's day was coming to an end. There was only one last activity. The nightly singalong. As usual the Apollo kids led the thing by guiding the others through a number of songs. The campers enthusiastically singing along to the old favorites.
This time though there was something a little special. As before the usual songs, the nymphs - even a couple of the lake's naiads had come ashore for this - and the satyrs had decided to offer a song to honour Ida's arrival at camp.
"Crystals from the Mountain".
None of the Campers had ever heard it before, but they got caught up in the enthusiasm of the nature spirits and were soon singing along as best they could. Ida's formal welcome to Camp Half-Blood was thus a lively affair.
The guest of honor herself received the song with a pleasant smile and clapped along to the tune. After that one song though, she retreated to a corner - where she could still see Andi clearly - and took out her book and went back to reading.
Andi just shook her head at the sight. From the looks of it, her new nanny was even more bookish than Hermione and that was saying something.
The thought of her former friend brought a brief pang to Andi, but she quickly shook it off. There was no point crying over spilt milk. Besides she'd very likely doomed the other girl thanks to her deal with Hecate, so the least she could do was give her the space she wanted. Even if it killed her to give up on their friendship.
She was brought out of her musings by Clarisse jabbing her in the ribs. "Hey Potter, stop sulking."
"I wasn't sulking." Andi protested.
"Yes you were." Annabeth countered. "Now stop and come sit with us," the daughter of Zeus gestured to a spot where Andi's friends were all sitting together. "And enjoy the singalong."
With a smile Andi got up and followed her two friends over.
I guess now isn't the time to be thinking about Hogwarts. The daughter of the sky lord mused as she sat down. I wonder how they are doing nowadays though.
The Hogwarts Great Hall was once again hosting a great feast and as usual Ron Weasley was enjoying himself, though not as much as he normally would. For even while he was just as hyped up as the next person about the visiting schools and the Triwizard Tournament and thrilled about the great food, he was also troubled by how his best friend Andi Potter couldn't be there to enjoy it all with him.
Without Andi around things are a lot more peaceful. The redhead thought to himself as he shoveled spoonfuls of mashed potatoes down his throat. And boring.
He wasn't the only one to think that either. He knew from talking to his brothers Fred and George that they felt the same. Then there was the Luna girl from Ravenclaw that Andi had befriended last year too. Unfortunately, they seemed to be the minority on that front. Even Hermione, Andi's other best friend seemed to prefer the fact that she was gone.
Then again Hermione and Andi weren't exactly getting along for awhile now. Not since Andi told us she was a demigod.
And how cool was that? His best friend was a bona fide child of a god -The King of the Gods even!-, with all the cool powers and monster slaying that being such entailed. For some reason that Ron couldn't fathom, Hermione couldn't see that.
And she calls herself smart. Ron mentally scoffed even as he reached for a plate of brisket.
Despite his tone however the youngest Weasley son was worried for his bookish friend. He would have thought that since her problem was with Andi that with the daughter of Zeus gone, she'd have tried to mend things with him. To at least have one friend, you know? Instead, she'd become more and more of a reclusive loner.
He'd even heard from her dormmates that she's turned even more cold and standoffish than ever before. Heck, according to them she built literal walls of books around her area in the dorm to ward them off. What she was doing was so worrying that despite their own dislike for Hermione at times, the other girls were getting genuinely concerned. Even Lavender Brown who was on notoriously bad terms with Hermione because of their clashing personalities was talking about speaking to McGonagall about it.
Though even if he'd lost Hermione as a friend - Merlin, I hope not. - he was glad that he could still hang out with the guys in his dorm, so at least he wasn't lonely.
Still wish Andi was here though. She was always the best fun to spend time with.
Sighing at the prospect of life at Hogwarts without his best mate for however long it took the silly murder charge against her to disappear - He was sure it would. The Headmaster would make sure of that. - and Andi to come back, he decided to drown his sorrows in another serving of the delicious seafood chowder.
Nobody thinks the charges are anything but nonsense.
"Glad Potter isn't here." A girl's voice from the Hufflepuff table reached Ron's ear.
"Yeah, wouldn't want her to murder the other competitors would we?" The first speaker's friend replied before the two girls burst into giggles.
Ok, so maybe some people are taking it seriously. But that's only the Slytherins, other Dark families, and most of the pro-Ministry people.
As he listed the groups supporting the charge against Andi, an uncomfortable realization began to grow. One that set his stomach churning uncomfortably. Pushing his bowl of soup away, he shook his head uneasily.
That can't be right. Most people can't think she's really a murderer. Can they?
Unwilling to answer that question, even to himself, Ron decided it was time to think about something else.
Thankfully, this year there was a ready made distraction.
The Triwizard Tournament.
It was the talk of the school after all, and at the forefront of everyone's minds.
Merlin, if only I could compete. Ron griped mentally as he reached past his forgotten soup and grabbed a leg of lamb. But even I'm not stupid enough to risk my life in a dangerous tournament meant for those 17 or older. And even if I was, I'd never have got past Dumbledore's Age Line anyway.
He was just finishing the lamb when the tables cleared of food. Groaning at his interrupted meal, he nevertheless dutifully followed the rest of the Hall's occupants - staff and students from Hogwarts, as well as the other two schools competing in the Tournament: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang - in facing the Staff Table as the ceremony to select the Champions for the Tournament began.
Ron barely paid it any mind, he didn't really care how the Champions got picked. He just wanted to see them compete. So besides a moment of surprise when the impartial judge that chose the Champions was a flaming cup of all things, Ron just tuned things out.
Not that any of the Champions that do get picked would do better than Andi if she was here. The Weasley mused. I mean she's a bleedin' demigod. I bet that if she was here, she'd paste this tournament.
Suddenly Ron heard the sound of cackling in his ears. Jumping up in his seat he looked around, but he saw nothing that could have been the source of the noise.
That was weird. Where did that come from? The young wizard thought as he continued looking around. It almost sounded like a bunch of old biddies.
He was so distracted he barely registered the three Champions being picked, even when that hottie Fleur Delacour got selected. He was eventually pulled away from his frantic search however by a gasp from the crowd. Huh?
Turning to see what was going on, he saw the Headmaster bend down to pick up what looked like a charred strip of paper.
"Hey! I thought all three Champions were picked already." Ron asked his neighbor.
"Yeah, they were." Neville Longbottom replied nervously. "Then the Goblet spit out a fourth name."
"Is that supposed to happen? Like for a reserve or second or something?" Ron suggested, even as he started to get a bad feeling about this.
"No," Hermione said in a fearful whisper. "No, it shouldn't."
Any further discussion was cut short, when a spooked looking Headmaster read the unexpected name that the Goblet had picked.
"Andromeda Potter."
"...Aw shite." Ron said as he palmed his face, even as the Hall exploded into chaos.
I jinxed her didn't I? Merlin, she's gonna hate it when she hears about it. And when she hears what I did-
"...She's gonna hang me by my bits."
And boosh! Chapter eight is done and we got to see the conclusion of the World Cup! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as usual.
IMPORTANT NOTE:Now you guys know we usually have a buffer for our fics, like about five chapters ahead and such. Sadly, with Nameless' and my own work schedule, as well as our own personal schooling, our buffer had been depleted rather quickly. So this is the last Andi chapter for a bit until we get our buffer back up. So please bare with us guys. All our love to our understanding and kind fans. Now, on to the rest of the AN!
Yes, Lucy is dead, thank the flying spaghetti monster. Always hated that dick. Huh, that's two of my fics that the wanker is dead. First Alkaid, and now Andi...Eyes on you now Rhode…
Do it my child.
Anyway! Yes, Thalia freaked out, because frankly she felt vindicated. This was another reason why she shouldn't get close to Andi. But she didn't want that, not really. Hence, her kinda unhinged reaction. She was very off balance and conflicted. But shit like this happens.
As for her reaction to Luke, yes, she's still holding out some hope for him because she's stubborn like that.
Percy snapping? Well, it was originally going to be Andi, but we thought that would make her too psychopathic if she pushed the feeling of killing someone back just to vent on her sister. So, yeah, Percy went ape shit and we get to see that scary sea side of him again. Annie of course is indecisive as usual over the whole Team Luke bit. At least until BOTL.
Nameless: Yeah, so the British wizards come across as unreasonable here don't they? Well, because they kinda are. That said, we've tried to also show that there is logic to what they are doing, even if most people don't agree with it. Mainly the issue is with the extenuating circumstances. I would like to make clear though that it's not that they don't take it into consideration, it's that even with those taken into account the lightest sentence would still include a stint in Azakaban. We've seen them issue that sentence for less, so it makes senses that as part of a deterrent against magical violence at least a short term there would be included as part of even the minimum sentence. Everyone else, of course, thinks this is barbaric and is doing everything in their power to make sure Andi avoids this fate.
Also, not going back to Hogwarts? Oh no! Seriously, did you think she was going to go back after this little mess? Not a chance guys, Andi's out and bounced, but what's this?! Her name still pulled out the sippy cup of glory? Yeah, you'll see how that works out. Gonna be interesting.
Nameless: As for our decision to have the Rowling!verse MACUSA be replaced with a Department of Magic… Yeah, we just think Rowling goofed when she created the MACUSA. There's no way a mundane government would let the MACUSA exist after what it gets up to. They might not have a choice in the Rowling!verse where, very unrealistically, the mundanes have no defenses against magic or wizards willing to work for them. However, in a fusion verse where many mundane leaders are actually demigods? It's a sure bet that the gods will side with their kids against the uppity wizards. So yeah, the MACUSA got destroyed and replaced.
Yeah, personally, I felt greatly annoyed by this. I even had a few unkind words about Rowling, but I'm too much a gentleman to say them. At least to you guys. Just know that Rowling is a touch too Eurocentric towards all the other nations. Why? Simple! 'Cos according to her everyone uses a wand, even the Eastern cultures. Because talismans and other magical foci don't seem to exist!
Nameless: Yeah, don't even get me started on them. Really? Wizards are the only type of magic users? Really? Get off your high horse Rowling!
Now Ida! This has been a pet idea of mine since forever! Originally she was going to look like Glynda Goodwitch from RWBY, but I think I do too many homages from that show. So I decided to pull Rider from FSN, I mean, she's Greek, so why not? And she's got that stern caretaker vibe too, but less fetishy like Glynda.
Nameless: Ahem. I do believe the original suggestion for a change was mine.
Oh course, and you get cred for the visual aesthetics for the character.
Now grab your mounts and joust that review button! No flames and peace out my peeps!