The Ever Twisting Wind: Of Monsters and Titans

by Engineer4Ever

Andromeda Potter has found a refuge for her anguished soul. But as challenges new and old arise, will she able to survive as her world continues to change all around her? Book 2.

9. Chapter 9

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

The Ever Twisting Wind: Of Monsters and Titans

Chapter Nine: My Posse Crashes a Tournament!

Beta: ShadowofAxios

---

Andi shot her surroundings a glare. The familiar furniture of her apartment inside her magical wardrobe that usually gave her a deep sense of home currently left her with nothing but frustration. It was no surprise, after all she'd been stuck there with nothing but her books and other texts, both various modern ones meant for her mundane subjects and archaic sources for her magical studies.

All without any contact with her friends, not even Hunter. The only person she'd regularly seen the past two weeks had been Ida when she came to conduct Andi's lessons.

Tossing her arms in the air, Andi gave voice to her frustration. "I'm going bonkers in here!"

Flopping onto her pillow, the daughter of Zeus sulked.

All of this was Ida's fault.

When they first started their lessons, it seemed to take off alright.

Andi's academics were terrible. Improving, but still terrible. It was a tough pill to swallow to learn how far behind she was in terms of her regular schooling as compared to her peers. Hogwarts had left her right screwed on that front. Thanks to its total lack of mundane subjects, she was barely at the level of a sixth grader. Or two years behind where she should be, and that was after two months of intense catching up.

Ida seemed pleased by her progress though, even informing Andi that she really should not expect any miracles. Like Athena suddenly bestowing on her some Brainy Bethy intelligence. While ever the optimist, even Andi wasn't that deluded.

It was going to take her a while to catch up, but at least she was on her way to finally being up to snuff on where she should be in terms of her schoolwork.

Magic was another cup of tea, though.

Her studies in the arcane were doing fairly okay, but nothing great at the moment. Ida was heavy-handedly reviewing the basics with Andi. Which to the young girl was dreadfully boring. There was no flair, no razzle dazzle, just stuff that was as dull as a rock.

Even with how they bored her out of her gourd, she was making moderate headway. Well, mostly anyway. Sure the halfblood would learn the stuff that Ida was trying to teach her, but it was in one ear and out the other with most of it. After Ida was done testing her on whatever little unimportant bit of magical trivia that explained some magical rule or whatever, Andi would just toss the knowledge in some dark corner of her mind to be forgotten. There was no point to that crap, so why put in any effort to properly memorize it?

However, when it came to a topic she found interesting, Andi tackled the subject with frightening ferocity.

Andi thought this would have impressed Ida, but she was just disappointed. In fact, she went on to say that the daughter of Zeus should have used that kind of attitude when it came to all of her studies. By failing to do so, according to the nymph at least, she was wasting her potential.

Bullshite! Who do I look like? A child of Athena? Andi sarcastically thought to herself as she glared at the stacks of books she'd been assigned to read for her lessons, hoping that they would catch fire and spare her from hours of pointless studying.

Thanks to Ida's reaction to Andi's efforts, the daughter of Zeus came to the amazing conclusion that nothing pleased the mountain nymph! In fact, Andi had given up doing so. She was honestly just going through the motions. If this was how her teacher was going to respond to her when she was enthusiastic, then why put any effort in at all?

Some teacher she is. She's even managed to kill my interest in stuff I used to like. Andi grumbled to herself as she scanned the towering pile of assigned readings, in the process spotting the thick book on proper etiquette.

It brought to mind her 'etiquette lessons', or in her opinion utter wastes of her time.

And they were! Why do I even need to learn to polite to a bunch of assholes!

It was this thinking that had led the blue eyed girl to ditching most of these lessons on principle.

Though the extra chores she got in exchange didn't improve her opinion on the lessons either.

After a couple of weeks of her ditching class only to get punished with chores, which Andi responded to by ditching more classes. Ida finally had enough. So she arranged for Andi to be grounded in her room for a single day. Which was extended to three after she tried to sneak out.

Like hell I was going let some stupid punishment stop me from hanging out with my friends. Andi self-righteously declared as she stood up and paced the room in anger. That's just torture!

So of course, she'd carried out more 'infractions' -Which they weren't!- like trying to communicate with her friends without permission, trying to coax Hunter inside her apartment, and sneaking out again -To, you know, get some fresh air!- , and etc. As a result, her punishment ended up getting extended to a whopping two weeks.

And so explains her house arrest!

The demigod had tried to complain to her dad, but using his most powerful parental skill, he just ignored her.

Ida seemed to have known about her attempt to go behind her back though. The next day she'd shown up with a disappointed look and told her that her dad had informed her about it and actually suggested extending Andi's punishment for it. She'd even tried to make herself seem generous by saying she'd overlook it this time. Too bad she spoiled it by adding that she wouldn't the next time.

"Generous, my foot! You're just a cruel bitch! And a bloody liar too!" Andi shouted in the direction of the door, and wherever the nymph was outside.

Zeus might have been an absentee father, but Andi was sure that he wouldn't have agreed with her unfair punishment.

Right?

Uncertainty gripped Andi as she realized she didn't know her dad well enough to actually be sure of that.

Trying to smother the unease this line of thought had fostered, Andi jumped back onto her bed and hugged her pillow tightly. It wasn't working very well. This place was supposed to be her home, but after all that's happened it felt like she was holded up in another closet. Albeit with much more space, but the sentiment remained.

The worst part? As far as she knew, everyone agreed that she deserved this. Even Chiron the one time he visited.

~Flashback~

It was a week into Andi's house arrest - it had become a lot more than a simple grounding a long time ago - when she received a welcome visitor. Chiron in all his centauroid majesty had squeezed his way into her magical wardrobe to speak to her.

At the sight of him, part of Andi idly wondered how Chiron's centaur body could even fit into the wardrobe. Mostly though, she was filled with a sense of hope.

"Please tell me you're bailing me out of here?" Andi asked the moment she saw him.

"Hello to you as well, Andi."

The daugther of Zeus flushed. "Sorry. Hi Chiron. It's just, I'm going crazy!"

She made a noise of agony while curling up on her couch.

"I'm sure." Chiron agreed, though the sarcasm was clear even under the smooth voice he always used. Clopping towards the couch, he explained the reason for his visit. "While I did come to visit you, I also have a message from Lady Hecate."

That got Andi's attention and she sat up straight to look at Chiron warily. "I have a feeling of foreboding."

Nodding approvingly, though if it was at her taking it seriously or her words Andi didn't know, the immortal continued, "She says, in her words: 'Learn some discipline and start taking your lessons seriously, my Champion.'"

"...That doesn't help me. At all." Andi grumpily noted as she shifted into an ungainly position, her body upside down as her head hung off the seat.

She glanced to see a disapproving look on Chiron's face as he moved to sit on the side of the couch, folding his horse legs in the process. "Andi, she is still your matron."

Andi snorted, dispassion written all over her face. "After the Empousai/Griverious attack, she really doesn't have much right to tell me anything."

Chiron sighed at this. Rubbing his face tiredly, he tried to reason with her. "Andromeda, immortals take slights like this seriously."

Andi just ignored his words as blood rushed to her head, she hadn't been in a very charitable mood as of late. Not hard to figure out why.

"Well, if you want me to take her seriously then how about getting me out of here?" Andi demanded seriously, jumping up from her seat to glare angrily at Chiron as she did.

Chiron just shot her a stern look of disapproval. Wilting under the look from her trusted mentor, Andi tried a different tack.

"Come on, Chiron. Pretty please?" She pleaded with her best imitation of a puppy. "I haven't even gotten to exercise! You know, something all good little demigoddesses need."

His face relaxed at that, even turned a mite sympathetic, but he nevertheless shook his head. "I cannot."

"But you're the activities director! You've got more seniority than my twisted Mary Poppins."

"She is your acting guardian, I am not." The ancient trainer pointed out.

Andi whined at this as she pouted.

"And while I do disagree with the severity of this punishment, I do agree with her reasons."

Andi felt crushed by this as she sunk to the floor near him. She respected Chiron like crazy, he was the only good teacher she'd ever had. To hear him say that she was in the wrong struck her hard.

He left soon after saying he would try to talk to Ida - "Perhaps get her to change her punishment."- but promised nothing.

Andi didn't really hear him, she was still jarred by his words and sat on the floor in misery as he departed.

~Flashback End~

Hugging her pillows more tightly, Andi sighed.

"Maybe Chiron's right."

As loathe as Andi was to admit it, she trusted the Trainer of Heroes' judgement. If he thought she was in the wrong, then there was probably some truth to it.

"Maybe I'm just too angry to see it?" Andi asked her pillow, who of course didn't reply.

For a long moment, the daughter of Zeus reflected on her actions before coming to a sad conclusion. "Yeah, I-I think I was."

Andi glanced at the books near her with a soft look. She reached for one poking out and plopped it in front of her. Flipping it open, she quietly began to read.

She managed to get one solid minute of quiet studying before being interrupted.

Ida, Chiron, and Hecate of all people entered the room.

"...Hullo?" Andi greeted the bizarre trio.

Just as Chiron was about to speak, Hecate spoke first.

"I cannot believe you forgot about the Horcrux in Black's house." The goddess berated Andi, making the girl's mood sour in an instant.

She really buggered herself with that deal. Damn the goddess for getting her while she was down.

"Relax, Hecate." Andi reassured while sitting straight, her hands up in a placating manner. "I'll do it the next time that I get the chance, alright?"

Hecate shot her a chilling look that frankly sent a terrified shiver down her spine. "That you have further opportunities to deal with it is the only reason why I have not turned you into a rabbit."

"Lady Hecate," Ida cut in firmly but respectfully. "Perhaps it would be best for us to proceed to the main reason why we are here today?"

The goddess looked disgruntled that she could not berate Andi longer, but nevertheless agreed with a wave of her hand.

"Thank you, Lady Hecate." Chiron offered as he took a step forward to look Andi squarely in the eyes. "Andi, we come bearing news."

Andi suddenly felt her stomach dropping like a stone. If Hecate is here then it's gotta do with magic… It's gotta be about Hogwarts. But what? Does it have to do with Ron? Hermione?

"There is a tournament going at Hogwarts." Ida continued with a stony look on her face. "It's called the Triwizard Tournament and you have been entered into it against your will."

"You've got to be kidding me." Andi pinched the bridge of her nose. "So what though? I mean, I can just not participate right?"

"Not if you want to keep your magic." Hecate informed her ominously, her eyes flashing warningly. "That is the price you will pay if you forfeit."

"I take it you don't like that." Andi asked the goddess, worriedly. She was not liking where this was going. At all. "What's the big deal, though? You're the goddess of magic, you can just make sure it doesn't happen or something."

"And why should I offer you such a boon, Andromeda?" The goddess retorted, fire literally in her eyes. "You have done nothing to earn it."

Andi glared at Hecate, she wasn't in the mood for some wizard olympics. "How am I supposed to do your quest if I have to play magical water polo in some competition?"

"The two are not mutually exclusive." The goddess said dismissively. "Besides the specifics of how you carry out my quest is none of my concern. All I am interested in are the results."

"Ominous." Andi breathed out, fiddling with her fingers to try and calm her nerves. "But I still don't see how this is going to work, I mean I'm still a fugitive back in Britain aren't I?"

The goddess' flaming eyes narrowed into a flinty look. "As I said, the specifics of a quest are none of my concern."

Both Ida and Chiron exchanged worried looks, before the centaur stepped in to try to calm the situation. "Lady Hecate, perhaps it would be best if Ida and I handled this from here?"

"No." The goddess said firmly, shooting Chiron a furious look. "I have wasted enough time on this. I want a resolution now." Turning to Andi, she offered an ultimatum. "I will not have a Champion without magic, Andromeda. So I will offer you a choice. Either you go and preserve your magic, or I kill you now and you ascend to your role as my Champion with your magic intact."

Andi was flatout stunned by this. "What kind of choice is that?"

"One that is heavily skewed, but which still perfectly fits within Lady Hecate's domain of crossroads." Ida observed coolly. "How convenient."

Wow, another example of gods being more of a brat than Andi was. Can't get what you want? Kill it! Someone sneezes wrong? Kill 'em!

"Crossroads are rarely between two equal choices." The goddess said dismissively. "Now, Andromeda, choose!"

"Alright, I give!" The demigod declared, disgruntled over Hecate abusing her authority. She wasn't even her servant yet but she was already threatening her to do what she wanted. Whoopdifuckin'doo! Looks like free will was forever a foreign concept for the young girl now.

Hecate seemed satisfied by this as she began to glow with a bright light that filled the room.

Andi hastily closed her eyes as she remembered Ares doing the same. The goddess was about to assume her true form and if Andi looked, she would be burned alive.

In an instant, the flash of powerful light was gone, leaving just Andi, Ida, and Chiron in the apartment.

"She's still angry with you." The centaur pointed out. "She likely sees your entire attitude towards her today as a slight."

"I figured, what with her flashing her true form and all." The aerokinetic demigod quipped dryly.

"You will need to be careful Andi," Ida warned. "Lady Hecate will not take this slight lightly. She will punish you for this at some point."

Her stomach felt like it was doing flips with how nervous she was. Sparing them a panicked look, Andi realized how not listening to her teachers had gotten her into deep trouble. From Chiron's warning, to her lack of attention towards Ida's lessons, all of it had left her feeling like she wasn't prepared for this.

If she had listened to Chiron she wouldn't have pissed her matron off that badly and not paying attention in her lessons definitely didn't help things either. The goddess obviously took great stock in magic, so to not take her magical education seriously must have angered her even more.

Bugger all, I really screwed up. Andi just slumped on her bed.

"To be fair, Andi," Chiron said soothingly. "I did warn you that you needed to take things more seriously. Particularly about your role as Hecate's Champion."

"I know!" Andi bemoaned. "I'm a fuck up, I continue to do so! All I know how to do is mess up."

"That is not true." Ida cut off her self loathing rant firmly.

All the nymph got was a dubious blue eyed stare. "You've seen my progress, it's abysmal."

"If that's what you think, which I do not agree with, then all you really need to do is work harder from now onwards." Chiron added his own two cents.

"You two'll help me, won't you?" Andi pleaded with just a hint of desperation.

"Of course." "It's why I'm here."

Reassured, the child of Zeus gave off a shaky breath. "Okay, time to hit the books. For real this time."

---

"Andi, you in there?" Annabeth called out as she knocked on Cabin One's door.

The daughter of Athena had returned to Camp over the weekend after spending the week at school in New York City, only to find that her friend's grounding had finally been lifted but that she was still holed up in her Cabin and refused to come out. Worried, Annabeth had decided to pay a visit to check what was up with the witch.

The door to the stately Cabin swung open, however it was not who Annabeth had expected that greeted her.

"Greetings, Miss Chase." Ida, Andi's nanny, greeted with that polite sternness that seemed to be her default personality.

A happy bark had Ida looking down with a smile at Hunter who had accompanied the nymph to welcome her.

"Hello Ida, Hunter." Annabeth greeted while giving the dog a scratch behind his ears. "Andi in? I wanted to visit her."

"Andi is studying at the moment." The nanny explained as she pushed the door open wider and gestured for the daughter of Athena to enter. "Though I do believe it is time for her to take a break."

Annabeth nodded with a smile. She got the hint. Ida wanted her to convince Andi to have a breather.

Following behind the immortal, Annabeth stepped into Andi's apartment and was greeted by a sight that left her with a bewildering sense of familiarity. The daughter of Athena found her friend surrounded by stacks of books and ancient texts, a situation that she and her siblings had found themselves in many, many times before. She was even murmuring in Ancient Greek - and Latin, which was different - and furiously scribbling in a notebook just like a child of wisdom in research mode was prone to doing.

"Andi?" The bemused blonde called out after a moment of taking in the scene.

"Let's see, so to create a levitation effect the magic must be shaped like this. So this is why all those spells are so simi-"

And she's ignoring me just like my siblings would in a situation like this too.

"Andi!" Annabeth raised her voice, sporting a long suffering smile as she did.

Her shout finally snapped the smaller girl out of her own little world and she turned her blue eyes to face the daughter of wisdom.

I knew it would work. It does the job in my cabin all the time.

"Bethy?" A surprised Andi asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit you." Annabeth explained with a smile.

Andi looked around at the mess that was her room. "Oh! Um, sorry about the mess. I was studying."

"I could see that." Annabeth flashed her a teasing smile. It was nice to see how diligent Andi could be when she made the effort to be.

The daughter of Zeus flushed a little at the teasing. Looking around, the magically gifted girl asked. "Where's Thalia?"

Like Annabeth, Thalia was attending school in the city. In fact, thanks to Chiron the two girls were going to the same boarding school. This even though the older daughter of Zeus was terribly behind in her schoolwork.

No surprise there. Years as a runaway and a tree adds up.

The centaur had even managed to arrange for the two old friends to be roommates, despite their age difference.

Which is for the best. If I wasn't there to help Thalia with her studies and to keep her in line… Well, expulsion would be the least of her worries.

The blonde's smile strained a touch and she replied. "She's stuck in weekend detention."

Again.

Andi looked disappointed but gave an unsurprised nod.

She knew full well the trouble her sister was getting into in school. Though both girls knew, and was loathe to admit, that even if Thalia had been free, she wouldn't have come back to Camp anyway. The older daughter of the skies was quite happy to be as far away from Andi as she could be.

"I know you just dropped by for a quick visit, Bethy, but can I catch up with you later? I really have a lot of studying to do." Andi pleaded.

"Actually, Andi, I think it's time that you took a break." Ida instructed her charge, Hunter barking in agreement as he padded over to the girl's side.

"But I've still got so much to read." Andi insisted, even as she looked down at Hunter and scratched around his neck. "Sorry for ignoring you, boy. We'll play fetch later?"

Hunter barked happily at the offer, his tail wagging in excitement.

A hoot came from the corner of the room where Hedwig was perched.

Andi flinched. "Sorry girl, I've neglected you too, huh? I'll let you out to go hunting soon."

The owl gave a unsatisfied hoot.

"And I'll get you some bacon later?" The witch offered.

The owl chirped in agreement, which caused Andi to heave a sigh of relief.

Annabeth used her hand to cover her smile. It was funny to see how much pull the girl's own pets had over her.

"I do believe it's not just your pets that you have been neglecting Andi." Ida informed her charge chidingly. "Since your punishment was lifted have you even visited your friends once?"

"I thought you were all for me studying." Andi mumbled, looking at her bare toes.

"There is a time and place for everything, Andi." The nymph said with a sigh. "Plus everything must be done in moderation."

The daughter of Zeus grumbled about something under her breath, but Ida heard her nonetheless.

"Watch your language, young lady." The nymph said sternly, before her tone softened. "I understand your frustration, but if you had bothered to listen to me when I gave you instructions about your studies. Actually listen and not just do so halfheartedly, then you would know that I have always told you to take things one step at a time and in moderation. I wouldn't have scheduled breaks for you at all if I didn't."

Annabeth shifted awkwardly as Ida scolded her student. She could relate with what the nanny was saying, she'd taught Andi lessons for a time too and she knew how annoying her friend could be when she refused to listen to instructions properly and just did whatever she wanted. Then again, Andi wasn't the only one who did that. Percy and at least half of the others did the same.

I guess dealing with it is part of being a teacher.

Unaware and likely unconcerned with the daughter of Athena's thoughts, the mountain nymph continued. "But that is something for us to discuss another time. For now, just go enjoy some time with your friend. Your studies can wait for now."

"You're sure?"

"I am." Ida said with a nod. "Taking a break to clear your head will do you good."

Hesitantly, Andi nodded and turned to Annabeth.

"Up for a walk, Bethy? If I'm taking a break, I want to stretch my legs."

"Sure." The daughter of Athena agreed easily.

---

A couple minutes later found the two girls strolling along one of the many trails in Camp.

"So Andi, what's got you so worked up about your studies all of a sudden?" Annabeth asked, sounding concerned. "I mean, your punishment got lifted but you still refused to come out of your Cabin? You had us all worried."

"Us?" Andi asked confusedly.

"Will and Silena are still in Camp. They knew something was up, and they told the rest of your friends about it. It's one of the reasons I'm visiting this weekend. I wanted to check up on what was going on with you."

Andi's faced paled and she looked incredibly guilty.

"I worried everyone, huh?"

The blonde nodded. "Yup. So what gives? Why the sudden interest in your studies?"

"Proper motivation, one could say." Andi stated with a resigned sigh.

"And said motivation is?"

Andi flashed her a pained smile. "You know, typical magical world shite. I got hooked into some deadly tournament. Oh! And I'm forced to participate if I want to keep my magic of course."

"Explain!" Annabeth demanded sternly.

Andi did just that, explaining to her friend all about how somehow without her consent she'd been made a participant in some magical death game, how she hadn't wanted to participate even if refusing to do so would have cost her her magic and how that had pissed Hecate off so badly that she'd forced Andi to take part on pain of death.

Annabeth groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is why you don't make pacts with gods without thinking things through very, very carefully."

"Like I was even given a choice." Andi snorted, kicking some dirt along the trail. "You try telling a god 'no' to their face. I like my molecules where they are."

Annabeth just shook her head. "Sometimes death might just be the better option, Andi."

"Well when something like this happens to you, let me know how it goes."

"I will." The daughter of Athena said with a glare, before taking a deep breathe and continuing. "That said, Andi, you need to be prepared for Hecate treating you like this more often. This is what you signed up for."

The daughter of Zeus gave her a tired look. "Don't remind me. I seriously don't need it."

"I know." Annabeth acknowledged. "Just remember it for next time. If there is a next time, which I pray there isn't."

"Gotcha." Andi said tiredly. She'd heard enough about her poor judgement about her pact with Hecate already and was in no mood for yet another lecture.

Desperate to avoid that, she changed the subject.

"So Bethy, how's school?"

The blonde raised a brow at the transparent attempt but let it slide and launched into a tale about her school life in the city. Andi listening on intently as she did.

---

At dinner the day before she was to return to Hogwarts, Andi was seated at Table One halfheartedly consuming the pizza on her plate. Her nerves were too on edge over what was to come though for her to enjoy the meal.

The idea of going back into Ministry territory had her thinking all kinds of terrible thoughts.

Am I going to be in shackles the second I set foot there? Are they going to ship me off to Azkaban without even a trial like Sirius? She fearfully pondered as she chewed her food. Can I even live through this tournament?

It didn't help that Ida wasn't around to shoo these worries away. She had left earlier that morning, on what she claimed was "important business."

She looked down at the pizza crust in her hand and grunted. Opting to finish her meal, she failed to notice someone behind her. It was not until he poked her in the shoulder that Andi twisted around to see Will.

A fact that filled her with embarrassment as she'd spun around so quickly that she still had a slice of pizza hanging from her mouth. Acting as nonchalant as she could, she finished taking the bite, chewed, and swallowed as fast as she could.

"Hey, Will. What's up?" She said trying and epically failing to sound casual.

He didn't seem to notice though, as he flashed her that boyish smile of his "Just worried about you. I heard what's going on."

Her face heated up. "Yeah, but you know. Life as a half-blood and all that. Sorry about ignoring you guys. I've just got a lot to prepare for."

The son of Apollo held up his hands. "I get it. You coming to the singalong tonight?"

"I gotta do a last minute cram session. Sorry." Andi looked apologetic. She'd love to spend some time with her friends at camp, but she had to get that final review in.

Will shrugged. "If it's what you gotta do, I won't stop you. Walk you back to your cabin?"

Taking him up at his offer, Andi got up from her seat. "Sure!"

As the two departed from the Pavilion, some of the campers hooted and whistled at them, while others shouted rude remarks at them. The only ones who acted with even a hint of maturity were the few older campers who either didn't even bother to respond or shook their heads in amusement at the other campers' antics.

Andi felt upset at this, she really didn't need this. Not now. So to avoid further teasing, she made it a point to keep at least an arm's length from Will as they walked along.

That didn't make the situation any less awkward though.

"What do you think you're going up against?" The medic asked her after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

Shrugging, Andi replied. "I don't know. I've got to be ready for anything I suppose."

"You've had a few months of practice at that here I think." Will told her encouragingly.

"Yeah, but...magicals do stupid stuff, so I don't know." Andi shook her head in frustration. "If the Tournament is anything like what I've looked up, my main objective will just be to stay alive."

"Which after two big quests, you're a pro at." Will offered confidently.

"I guess." Andi replied uncertainly. "I'm still worried though."

"That's natural. Just don't worry too much." The son of Apollo advised. "Otherwise, it'll just make things worse."

"Good advice. Thanks Will."

"No problem."

By this point, they were almost to Cabin One and were greeted by the sight of a familiar figure materializing in front of the cabin.

"Andi, good timing, I have something important to tell you." Ida said as she walked towards the two half-bloods.

"Ida?" Andi's eyes looked wide. "Did you just get back?"

Her nanny nodded. "Yes, and I really do have important personal things to discuss with you." Turning to Will, the nymph continued. "As such, Mister Solace, I must ask you to leave."

Will looked disappointed at that, but agreed. "Sure. See you later, Andi."

"See you, Will."

Andi watched Will go for a moment before Ida cleared her throat. Blushing a little, Andi faced her guardian, who for some reason was smiling at her with an odd gleam in her eyes.

"Apologies for interrupting your date, Andi." The nymph said teasingly, not that Andi noticed.

The daughter of Zeus was too busy sputtering denials to have noticed her nanny's uncharacteristic tone.

"Date? That wasn't a date! Will was just walking me back to my Cabin. That's all, Gods!"

"If you say so." Ida replied with a knowing smile.

"Ida~!" The daughter of Zeus whined.

The mountain nymph just giggled at her charge's expense for a moment before recomposing herself.

"Seriously though, Andi, I do have something I need to talk to you about." The nymph said as she opened the door to Cabin One. "So why don't you go wash up and I'll set out some tea and we can talk."

Tea? Ida is bringing out the tea? This is gotta be serious. The last time she did that was when she grounded me. Andi thought to herself nervously, even as she did as she was told and headed off to get herself cleaned up.

---

Ida frankly made the best tea the British girl ever had. It was so good that it made her melt inside all while inducing a feeling of calm. Too bad, the nymph tended to get all serious when it came to tea time. That really put a damper on the experience. The tea was still heavenly though.

"So you might have been wondering where I have been all day?" Ida asked as she poured Andi a cup of tea.

"Sorta kinda." Andi said as she reached for a scone. "I was really just nervous about everything that's going on."

As she took a bite of the awesomesauce bread, Ida began to explain.

"I was in London." Andi's head shot up and she levelled a wide eyed look at her nanny at that revelation. "I was speaking with my sister, Adrasteia, about your legal case."

Swallowing, Andi wiped her lip. "You mean the one where they the wizards were being idiots about me accidentally killing Malfoy Senior?"

Ida shot Andi a chiding look, clearly expressing her displeasure about Andi's attitude towards possibly breaking the law. "Yes, that case. It's been settled. You have been cleared. Thanks in no small part due to help from Dumbledore."

"Wait, wait, wait! Professor Dumbledore did what?" Blue eyes blinked rapidly in surprise. "But he's the super pacifist guy."

She honestly thought he'd want to keep the Girl-Who-Lived a good country's length away from him after this whole mess. She was poisoned goods after all, why would he want to undermine his reputation by associating with a killer like her.

"We were surprised by his decision to help us as well. You should thank him when you see him at Hogwarts." Ida commented as she took a sip of tea. Smiling in satisfaction at her brew, she continued. "We did not expect him to throw his political clout around to not only fast track the trial but for it to proceed with you in absentia, so that everything could be resolved as quickly as possible."

"That means I don't have to worry about getting arrested the second I step in Ministry territory!" Andi smiled brightly at this and Ida nodded.

"Precisely. Besides ensuring your trial was pushed forward as quickly as possible, he was also the one who informed Adrasteia of the little loophole about accidental magic that we used to have the case against you dismissed." The nymph added while stirring her tea. "He pointed out to us how the Wizarding World would rather believe the lie that you used accidental magic than accept you performed wandless magic."

"That was how I was cleared?" Andi's mind boggled at that. It just seemed so stupid. "Is this what it feels like when Dad uses loopholes?"

Ida made a noise of acknowledgement, but said no more on the topic.

They both could hear the rumbling of the mosaic ceiling, showing said god's displeasure.

"Was there anything else?" Andi asked after both women took a moment to smile at the god king's displeasure. Goading him into a reaction, especially when pointing out his faults, was oddly satisfying.

"Not beyond discussing some arrangements for our stay at Hogwarts that I made with Dumbledore for the Tournament, but those can wait till later."

Andi perked up at that and eagerly voiced her question. "So can Hunter come along?"

"Unfortunately, no." Ida said with a sympathetic shake of her head. "Not when Hedwig is your registered pet. It's the school's policy that only one pet is allowed."

Andi pouted but nodded. So it was either she brought Hedwig or Hunter. In that case, even if she hated it, she'd have to take Hedwig. As much as she loved Hunter, the ability to deliver letters to wizards like Sirius - who couldn't use IMs - via Hedwig was just too useful to give up.

"Now, you best get to bed early since we have to be up early tomorrow." her nanny instructed her. "You need your rest."

Andi wondered if she could even fall asleep with how hyped up she was.

A nervous Andi proceeded to her wardrobe and changed for bed. Despite the energy she had earlier, she felt sluggish and soon found herself yawning.

"Whoa, that was some chilling tea." Andi mumbled as she passed out face first in her snuggly bed.

As she drifted off into Morpheus' realm, she found herself facing a pair of red eyes and a triumphant laugh.

---

The following morning, Andi forcibly dragged herself from her bed. "Timezones should be illegal."

It was the day that Andi and Ida were heading off to Hogwarts to take part in the Triwizard Tournament and because of that the daughter of Zeus was waking up at the gods forsaken wee hours in the morning. All so she could arrive in Scotland at something that passed for a reasonable time for the locals.

After all the trouble they put me through, the least the wizards could have done was accomodate me a little.

"But no!" Andi continued to complain out loud as she finished her morning ablutions. "They only care about themselves and that's why I have to wake up in the frickin' middle of the night!"

It took her another ten minutes, grumbling the whole time, but Andi eventually managed to make it out of her apartment dressed appropriately for the chill Fall of Scotland.

She peeked at her Cabin's window to see that even her godly brother's sun wasn't even peeking over the horizon yet.

"This is way too early." Andi complained with a groan.

"It is." Ida said in agreement as she came over and offered Andi a cup of warm tea. "Which is why I told you to go to bed early last night and have come bearing tea."

"I love you. Platonically."

As the tea warmed Andi up inside, Ida smiled in faint amusement as the drink was gulped down in less than ten seconds.

"Go on over to grab some breakfast at the Pavilion." Ida said taking the cup from her charge. "I'll wash this up and join you in a moment."

"Breakfast is ready already?" Andi asked skeptically.

"I called in a favor." The nymph called over her shoulder as she headed over to the small kitchenette inside her niche.

The daughter of Zeus easily accepted that explanation with a nod. Ida was crazily well connected, so wrangling up some early breakfast for them before they left was really not much of a surprise.

As she strolled to the Dining Pavilion, still too sleepy to walk faster than that, she could see a few dryads chatting in the Pavilion while setting out a hearty looking breakfast on Table One. One of the wood nymphs spotted her and waved the demigod over with a welcoming smile.

Shaking off a bit of her lethargy, Andi covered the remaining distance in a light jog and greeted them. "Morning. Thanks for the breakfast...Juniper, Cedar, and Trish?"

She hoped she'd gotten their names right. It would be embarrassing if she hadn't, she'd had many a foot race with the dryads at Camp Half-Blood after all. But the wood nymphs tended to look so much alike that it was hard sometimes to keep track of who was who.

Juniper giggled. "All correct, you get them right more often than the other campers, Andi. As for breakfast? Well, Ida asked us. How could we say no?"

"You nymphs really look up to her."

"Duh!" Cedar said. "How many nymphs can claim to have raised Zeus?"

"A few." Trish commented, but Cedar swatted her with her ponytail.

"That are super famous."

"Oh, that's fair."

Andi and Juniper smiled at them in amusement. The demigod sat down and began her meal as the dryads bid her goodbye.

The daughter of Zeus was just digging into her cereal when someone sat down at the table across from her.

Glancing up, she saw that the other person was a petite girl with fair skin, chocolate brown eyes, elongated canine teeth and elfin features, much like the wood nymphs she had just been talking to. She had long, fiery red hair that reached down to her waist, with two bangs that framed her face which reached down to her chest. Dressed in a chiton, a outfit that nymphs tended to favor, the girl looked the picture of childish innocence.

"Hello?"

"Hi." The tiny nymph returned her greeting in a small voice.

Andi blinked at the girl a couple of times as she struggled to pinpoint why she found the girl familiar.

"Ah!" Andi said in triumph as she finally figured out where she'd seen her before. "You were one of the Aurae I summoned in my fight with the Dementors last year, aren't you?"

"You remember me?" The girl squealed out happily. "I'm so happy."

"Um. Yeah." Andi said uncertainly, taken aback by the strange nymph's enthusiasm. "Look, can I help you…?"

"W-W-Wendy, ma'am." The nymph shyly stammered, fiddling with the hem of her chiton.

"Wendy! Right, so are you looking for someone? It's kind of early right now. Maybe wait-"

"I was looking for you."

The child of Zeus quirked a brow.

Wendy fiddled with her fingers, an eager smile on her face. "You… Well, back when you summoned me, I, well, how do I say…"

"Uh, okay, take a deep breath and go slowly." Andi said, unsure what was even going on.

Wendy balled her tiny fists and plastered an earnest look onto her face. "I want to ask a favor of you!"

Andi was taken back by the sheer eagerness of the petite nymph.

"Err. What favor?" The daughter of Zeus asked uncertainly.

The nymph's smile grew incredibly broad but before she could, undoubtedly enthusiastically, ask her favor, she was interrupted.

"A that favor you can tell us about at another time, young Aura." Ida said as she walked over. "I'm afraid we're a little too busy at the moment."

Wendy wilted at this. "But I only-"

"Now, young Aura."

If the petite Aura could get any smaller, she probably would have. "Aw." Wendy whined pitifully as she rose to her feet, transformed into a gentle breeze and blew away.

"That was a little mean, Ida." Andi observed as the Aura departed. "I mean, she was a little bit of a chatterbox, but you didn't need to chase her away like that."

"Perhaps." The older woman agreed as she took a seat and started on her breakfast. "But you need to focus right now, there's no need for distractions. If that girl's favor is important, she will return again. Preferably when we are not so preoccupied."

"Fair point." Andi agreed.

The two ladies enjoyed their breakfast in companionable silence. Once they were done, they headed over to the Camp's central hearth to begin their trip to Hogwarts.

"Where's our luggage?"

"I had one of the satyrs carry it over to the hearth for us." Ida explained.

Andi just shook her head in amusement, the satyrs would just do anything for Ida. Tripping over themselves the whole time. "You really do know how to get the nature spirits to do whatever you want, don't you?"

Ida simply adjusted her glasses. "It is all about respect."

"Sure~" Andi replied skeptically. Like her being incredibly famous isn't part of it.

By this time, the duo were in sight of the hearth and spotted that they had guests waiting for them. Standing next to their luggage, Hedwig's cage included, were Silena and Will.

"Will I get being up, but Silena?" Andi couldn't help but tease the daughter of Aphrodite due to how haggard the normally well dressed daughter of Aphrodite was.

"Can't I come to say goodbye?" Silena asked with a playful smirk.

Will snorted at her. "I had to drag her out of bed."

Silena's shoe tapped his shin in a threatening manner.

"Anyway!" The son of Apollo changed the subject and smiled at Andi. "Go out there and kick some butt, Andi."

The daughter of Zeus felt her confidence rise at the encouragement and offered him a thumbs up. "There'll be a whooping, you can bet on that."

"Good luck, Andi." Silena said with a hug.

Andi offered her friends a smile and stepped into the green flames.

Hogwarts awaited.

---

Exiting the green flames, Andi arrived in an all too familiar office. A beautiful trill earned her attention as she saw Fawkes on his perch.

"It seems Fawkes has missed you, my dear. I cannot say I have not either." Dumbledore, dressed in his usual purples robes, greeted her from behind his desk. Smiling warmly as always. "Hello, Andi."

Andi eyed both the old man and his pet phoenix warily. The man might be helping her out lately but that didn't change the fact that he had been screwing her over for years. Honestly, she didn't know how to deal with him.

"Greetings, Professor Dumbledore." Ida greeted the old man, while gesturing to Andi to do the same.

"Miss Ida, a pleasure to see you again. Your sister has been interesting company over this farce of a trail. I am glad we were able to resolve it though."

"Hello, Headmaster." Andi greeted, sounding uncertain. She was still struggling to figure out how to deal with Dumbledore.

Looking just a tiny bit awkward, the old wizard made an unexpected request. "Andi, could I trouble you for a few minutes? Alone?"

Andi shifted her gaze to Ida, feeling nervous.

"I think it would be okay." Ida told her with an encouraging smile.

Nibbling her bottom lip for a few moments, the child of Zeus hesitantly agreed. "Okay, let's chat."

Dumbledore gestured to the chair before his desk. Andi took the invitation and sat down.

Ida placed a hand on Andi's shoulder. "I'll go help the elves arrange for our luggage to be sent to our rooms. That should give the two of you some privacy."

As the door closed behind the nymph, silence filled the room save for Fawkes' trills. The sweet notes seemed to bring the demigod's nerves down - something that caused Andi to eye the Phoenix suspiciously. Was Fawkes trying to manipulate me with its song? - as Dumbledore began talking.

"I wish to apologize to you, my dear."

Andi quirked a brow. "For what specifically?"

"Your entire situation." He heaved a tired sigh, as he rested his chin upon the back of his hands.

I doubt he even knows what my true situation is. Andi mused to herself as she withheld a snort and let the old man continue.

"What about it?"

Dumbledore shifted uneasily for a moment before replying. "Before I get into it, I will need to explain to you my motives for my treatment of you in the past."

"You mean putting me into dangerous situations all the time?"

"Yes," the Professor said with a guilty sigh. "You see, your conflict with Voldemort. I foresaw that it would ultimately come down to a direct confrontation between the two of you. And that troubled me. Greatly so."

"Why would you care?" Andi shot back with a narrow glare.

"I was getting too close to you." Dumbledore said with a self-deprecating smile. "After meeting you I could not stop myself from coming to love you as if you were my granddaughter. So knowing that a confrontation between you and Voldemort was inevitable pained me immensely. I've seen too many fall in conflicts like that and each were heartbreaking. I didn't want to go through that again."

Andi cocked her brow, "So you pushed it aside and used me as a tool."

"I wouldn't have put it that way, but essentially yes." Dumbledore said, with none of the vibrancy that often served to belie his age. "I tried to placate my conscience by entertaining thoughts of perhaps training you as my successor. But that would not have been much better. Either as the bane of Voldemort or as the inheritor of my mantle, I needed to test you constantly to prepare you. Which I did, breaking my heart as I did."

"It prepared me, that's for sure." Andi shot back sarcastically with an eye roll.

"And I am sorry about that." The aged Headmaster said sounding genuinely. "But things have changed. The murder charge has tainted the minds of the public against you, Andi. No matter what, they would not accept you as the leader in the fight against Voldemort, much less as the shepherd of our world."

"I'm actually pretty okay with that." Andi said with a relieved smile. "I'm not interested in leading the Wizarding World in anything. Why should I stick my head out for a bunch of idiots that won't even get off their arses to save their own lives."

Dumbledore grinned and nodded in agreement. "I have to agree with you that our fellow wizards are quite passive. Though not all of them, not all the time. For instance, things have motivated this man to action."

"What do you mean?"

"After what has happened, I realized I shouldn't be putting my fate and those of the entire Wizarding World entirely on you. So ever since the World Cup, I've been preparing to fight Voldemort. To end his threat to our world once and for all."

"Isn't that my job?" Andi asked skeptically. For so long Dumbledore had been actively working to shape her into his weapon to do the deed that she now found it extremely difficult to believe that he would suddenly change his mind.

"What grandfather would leave his unfinished business to his granddaughter?"

I'll believe it when I see it.

Despite her doubts, Andi forced a smile.

Even if he is lying… Having the courage to fight Voldemort… That's the stuff heroes are made of. Looking at Dumbledore's earnest face, and carefully avoiding his eyes and any attempt he might have made at reading her mind, Andi relaxed a little. She wanted to believe the man was telling her the truth. And if he is… Then when he faces old snake face I'll be there. Can't have a civilian doing my job for me, after all.

For a long moment the two sat in silence. Dumbledore seemingly trying to wordlessly convey that he was being honest in his intentions while Andi continued to eye him cynically.

In the end it was Dumbledore who broke first. Apparently deciding that he wasn't going to convince Andi after only one conversation, he pushed himself to his feet. "Just think on what I have said Andi, that's all I ask. For now, I believe it is time that I show you and Miss Ida to your room. We have had a suite prepared in the guest wing."

"Thanks Professor." Andi flashed him a polite smile. "I'll try to go easy on the Hogwarts champ, don't want to embarrass the bloke too bad."

"That's thoughtful of you Andi, but unnecessary. Just do your best. I'm sure that Cedric will be more than able to keep up." The elderly wizard said with a confident grin.

"We'll see about that." Andi said with equal surety. There was no way some privileged little wizard could outdo a trained demigoddess.

"It's good to see you have not lost your gumption." The old wizard noted with a chuckle, as they exited his office.

"No, she has not." Ida, who was waiting for them outside the door, agreed. "Though she has learnt to moderate it a great deal."

"Hey, you gotta go bold or you might as well go home." Andi shot back with a shrug.

Dumbledore shot Ida a sympathetic look. "There's still a lot of work to do I see. My sympathies."

"Hey!" Andi protested indignantly. "I'm not that bad."

"Not anymore." Ida agreed. "But your arrogance could still do with a little more tempering."

I plea my sire!

Dumbledore nodded in agreement with Ida but thankfully chose to change the topic. "Has the luggage been delivered, Miss Ida?"

"Yes," The nymph answered as the trio began their journey to the castle's guest wing. "The House Elves were most helpful. Thought I must ask why the guest wing was so empty? Are you not also hosting staff and students from two other schools participating in the Tournament?"

"We are. Thankfully however both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons brought their own accommodation. So the guest wing is mostly empty. Beyond the odd guest from the Ministry, the two of you will be quite alone."

Andi was hyped about this, it meant that things were private enough to practice with her powers and wandless magic without tipping the wizards off.

"Alone except for the portraits, elves and whatever ghosts might choose to wander into the area." Ida noted cooly.

"Aw." Andi whined in disappointment, as she rested her arms behind her head. "I guess no super secret strategy sessions at bed time."

Dumbledore shot the two women an apologetic smile. "That, I'm afraid, is the price of living in Hogwarts."

"And why your competitors chose to bring their own housing." Ida concluded. "I suppose that we are lucky that we do not care enough about the outcome of this Tournament to think of bothering with the expense of doing the same."

"Apologies again for getting you involved Andi." Dumbledore offered sounding genuinely guilty as he did. "If only I had protected the Goblet better, than you would not have been needlessly dragged into this fiasco."

Andi just waved the sentiment away. She had made her peace with the whole thing already. Mostly, anyway.

It was at this point that the trio reached a set of suites in the guest wing.

"These are your suites, ladies."

"Thank you for escorting us here, Professor." Ida offered a polite dismissal.

Taking the hint, the Headmaster wished the two goodbye and departed.

"So how did the talk with him go, Andi?" Ida asked as she guided the demigoddess into their quarters, gesturing as she did at the layout. It was pretty straightforward, a simple common room with a sofa set around a coffee table that was set in front of a fireplace. On either side of the room there were doors that led to bedrooms that came with en suite bathrooms.

"It went okay." Andi replied even as she peeked into the bedroom on the right and found her luggage laid out at the foot of the four poster bed, obviously this room was going to be hers. "I still don't really trust him but he does seem like he's trying to help me out."

Hedwig was napping on her own little roost, Andi snuck in and stroked her feathers with a tiny smile.

"I agree with your assessment. I do not think it is wise to fully trust him either, but I do acknowledge that he seems to be trying to be genuinely helpful to you."

"Yup." Andi said as she finished exploring her room. "So what do we do now?"

"First things first, unpack your things." Ida said with a nod towards Andi's bags. "We'll decide on the rest later."

"Yes ma'am!" Andi replied cheekily with a mock salute as she complied.

Ida just shook her head in amusement as she left to do her own unpacking.

Alone, Andi smiled as she eyed her surroundings. It was different from her old Gryffindor dormitory, but it was still Hogwarts. And even after everything that happened, even after finding a place at Camp, to a part of Andi, the castle was still…

"...Home."

---

The Great Hall was, as always, filled with the chatter of the students. It was nice to see some things never changed. The students of Durmstrang sat with Slytherin while those from Beauxbatons sat with those of Ravenclaw. Their respective headmasters were seated up at the high table for the staff.

"She's like a female Hagrid." Andi muttered at seeing the towering woman that was Madam Maxime, as she idly ate her chicken pot pie.

Still chewing on a mouthful of food, Ron who was sitting across from her, nodded. Swallowing, he replied. "Crazy right? Hagrid seems to be sweet on her, he is."

Andi had decided to eat at her former house's table with Ida right next to her, even though the nymph had been invited to the staff table.

Funnily enough, since they were now technically representing a fourth competing 'school', Ida was entitled to be a judge. Of course the nymph declined the position. Accepting it would have legitimized their participation in the tournament, something that went directly counter to their stance that they were only taking part under duress.

"Yeah." Andi told her friend as she did her best to ignore some of the looks she was getting. Ida had been right, a good amount of people didn't look pleased to see her. Looks like the Daily Prophet was doing a wonderful job at slaughtering her in the papers.

Tough tits. As far as the daughter of Zeus was concerned, the matter was dealt with and prattling on about 'injustice' and such did nothing productive. They just wanted a villain to put to the flame.

And here Andi thought the Witch Trials ended a long time ago.

As her friend continued to stuff his face, the blue eyed girl felt her stomach churn. Not in disgust for his lack of manners, she was used to that, but for what she had done to him.

"Hey, Ron. I'm real sorry mate."

"What for?" Ron asked a puzzled look on his face.

"I-I messed up in a big way." Andi explained earnestly, desperately hoping that her friend would forgive her. "What I agreed to with Hecate? I cursed you with the Styx. I'm so sorry."

"What's to be sorry about?"

"I had you make an Oath on the Styx. One where you could never tell anyone about," Andi shot a look around and leaned in so as not to be heard by the students around them at the table. "My secret."

"Yeah, I remember. It isn't that hard a promise to keep." Ron reassured. "I keep secrets all the time."

"This is different, Ron." Andi insisted sternly. "You can never tell anyone about it. Even a unintentional slip-up will count as you breaking the Oath and when that happens-"

"All kind of bad stuff will happen to me, I know." Ron said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I did my research."

Andi was stunned.

"If you know, then why aren't you worried?"

"Like I said," Ron said with a serious look on his face. "It won't be a problem, I'll just need to keep the secret. It's not too difficult."

Andi was skeptical but in the face of the Weasley's confidence, she really had no way to respond. There was nothing she could think of saying to convince him otherwise.

A part of her was glad that he didn't hate her for what she had done. Still, another part of Andi was nervous at how casual he was acting about it.

At least I've got one friend to talk to here at Hogwarts. At this sad thought Andi's eyes wandered over to Hermione, sitting apart from everyone at the other end of the house table.

It was obvious Andi's other best friend had figured out what had happened from the beginning and was so angry at what the daughter of Zeus had done to her that she would now not even attempt to talk to her.

'Mione's going to hate me till the day she dies. Hell, she'd hate me in Hades too.

Andi was jarred from this depressing thought as Ida gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

The demigod glanced up at her with a small smile that clearly conveyed her thanks.

"Don't think on it." Ida advised. "What's done is done. Focus on the present and for now that means dinner."

It was nice to know that she had support here.

---

"I forgot how heavy the food was here!" Andi patted her stomach as she and Ida walked back to their quarters. "Still good though."

"I believe your next meal should be more healthy. They eat a feast like that every meal?" Ida frowned.

Andi nodded as she stretched her arms a little. "Yes, always."

Ida's frown deepened. "I think I'll have a word with the chefs. They're house elves, correct?"

"Gotta find the kitchens first."

"Not a problem." Ida airily retorted. "I'll just ask Dumbledore. After all, getting the chefs to prepare balanced meals for my charge is part of my duties. Considering how accommodating he has been, I'm sure he'll oblige."

"Can I make requests?"

Ida gave her a flat look. "I'm not lifting your limit on sweets."

"Can ya blame a girl?" Andi pouted.

"Yes, yes, I can." Ida said with a teasing smile. "Don't worry though, I'll be sure to have them prepare one of your favorite desserts whenever you do something to merit it."

Andi whooped in joy, jumping and hovering in the air for a moment. She landed and flashed Ida a winning smile. "Sounds like a deal! Thanks!"

"Taking care of you is my job, after all." Ida replied with a wave of her hand.

That made Andi feel warm inside. She looked at Ida with sincerity and said. "Thanks. You know, for all the support. And I don't mean arranging things and stuff. But like giving me space with Dumbledore and Ron. And helping with my feelings and that kinda thing too. I'm terrible with it. I'm rambling aren't I?"

"A touch. But your sentiments are graciously appreciated." The nymph replied to the blushing demigoddess. "You do know that you're not really as bad with your emotions as you think, right?"

Andi made to say something, but Ida put up her hand to gesture her to stop and continued.

"You're a tennager." The nature spirit pointed out. "Being confused about your emotions is to be expected. Perhaps, you've been through a few more extreme things than most but at the very least, you're on the road to getting a grip on things. That's better than can be said for most teenagers at your age."

Offering her nanny a brilliant smile, Andi questioned. "You really think that?"

Ida nodded.

Impulsively the daughter of Zeus gave her guardian a hug, one that the nymph easily returned.

"Thanks. I needed to hear that." Andi admitted.

"You're welcome, Andi. I was only telling the truth."

There was silence as the daughter of Zeus took comfort in the physical contact. It was broken however as her ears picked up the sound of someone casting a spell.

"Diffindo!"

What came next was a blur.

Acting purely on instinct and moving at superhuman speed, Andi released Ida and whipped out Skyline in its sword from all in the same motion. Without wasting a single moment, she used the celestial bronze blade to deflect the incoming severing charm - she recognised it from learning it in Second Year - into the stone wall.

Looking down the corridor where the spell came from Andi spotted her assailant. Draco Malfoy.

Her old rival was oddly enough alone, without the bookends Crabbe and Goyle that used to follow him wherever he went.

That wasn't the biggest difference in Malfoy though, that honor went to the wild look in his eyes that just screamed bloody murder. It was a far cry from the snide superiority that he normally exuded.

Proving this point, he took a step forward and cast another deadly spell. "Confringo!"

Andi didn't recognise the spell, but deflected it nonetheless reasoning that whatever it was that it was nothing good.

As the spell struck the wall and triggered a small explosion that showered the whole area in dust and loose stone, Andi was grateful for her caution.

At the explosion, a nearby portrait screamed bloody murder and fled from the scene shouting at the top it's painted lungs.

"Murder! Someone's trying to commit murder! Call the Headmaster!"

"Okay, Malfoy… I know you must be pissed." Andi tried her best to talk him down. She'd already done enough to hurt the guy, anything more would just be bullying. "But this isn't going to change anything."

"Shut up!" He lashed out and pointed his wand at her. "Incendio! Incendio! Incendio!"

Gouts of flame spat at her in rapid succession, making Andi crease her brow with annoyance. She waved her hand, conjuring forth a mighty gust to snuff out the magical flames.

The gust sent Malfoy stumbling back a few steps but he held his ground and levelled his wand once more.

"Disarm him, Andi." Ida advised. "He's not going to listen. Remember to use your wand."

Nodding, Andi drew her wand even as she parried another hastily cast severing charm.

"Expelliarmus!"

Andi's disarming charm - the only useful thing she'd learned from the farce of a duelling club back in Second Year - hit Malfoy like a bag of bricks and sent his wand flying out of his hand. The daughter of Zeus might have packed a little too much power into the spell however as it also sent the boy flying back a few feet where he lay on the ground, looking winded.

Cautiously, with her weapons still drawn and ready, Andi edged over to check on Malfoy.

He was just feigning though and as the girl got close, he sprung to his feet, his fist cocking back for a punch. "You bint! I'll kill you!"

It didn't connect though, as before it got anywhere close to her, Malfoy was suddenly picked up by another powerful gust of wind - that naturally left the daughter of the skies unaffected - and was slammed into the wall, knocking him out.

Ida smirked, "Nice work."

"I… didn't do that." Andi blinked.

The nymph was looking towards a nearby window. "I know."

Following her nanny's gaze, Andi spotted Wendy sitting on the window sill and waving shyly at them. "Hello."

"Wow, you stalked me all the way to Scotland?" The daughter of Zeus said as she put her weapons away.

"I-I'm not stalking you!" Wendy protested greatly, her cheeks as red as her hair. "This is a coincidence! Yup! A total coincidence. I'm just here on a vacation. This place is nice to visit after all. Plenty of pure and rich air around this place. Furthermore-"

"Stop." Ida told the young Aura.

"Okay…"

"Don't go using excuses to cover stalking my charge." The mountain nymph told Wendy sternly.

Wendy's whole face was inflamed - As in literally caught fire - as she sputtered denials.

Amused by the younger looking girl's antics, Andi decided to humor her. "So what do you want with me?"

Ida moved a few feet away to give the two some space. She crossed her arms and headed over to the unconscious form of Malfoy. With a nod, the boy's still form levitated into the air and she began walking off in the direction of the Headmaster's office with his body in tow.

Andi not wanting to be left out of whatever proceedings that followed in regards to her attacker, followed. Wendy doing the same even as she took a deep breath and exclaimed with a squeak. "I want to be your personal Aura!"

"My what?" Andi cocked a brow, confused by this. Was that like a personal secretary or something?

"She wants to be your permanent ally." Ida said, alleviating the young demigod's confusion. "If you agree, it will create a magical bond. It's like having a familiar, but with a more equal relationship."

"I dunno."

"Please! I really, really want this." Wendy pleaded, clasping her hands in an imploring gesture while shooting Andi the puppy dog eyes.

Argh! She does it better than me! And Hunter! Bloody hell, who can say no to that!? Andi observed as her will to resist wavered.

She held on though, as before she agreed there was something she needed to know.

"I'm flattered and all, but why do you want to be err- whatever Ida said." Andi thumbed to her nanny.

Wendy fiddled with a lock of her hair, smiling sweetly. "Because I know you."

"O-kay?"

"I mean, not personally, but, you know from the nature of your wind." Wendy rushedly explained.

"Uh-huh."

"What I mean is," Wendy fidgeted, clearly struggling to put what she was trying to convey into words. "I can understand you, the real you, from the nature of your winds. In a way, you're just like us Aura. Controlled chaos? Yeah, that's the best description I can give you. So I thought, being with someone like you would be tons of fun!"

At her chipper explanation, Andi wondered how wind could give a personality test or how you could read something like that. Did different wind speeds give tells? Or maybe it was the way it moved? And her ADHD was getting the better of her.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt." The daughter of Zeus hummed, before turning to look at Wendy seriously. "But you're sure about this?"

"So you'll agree?!"

"I guess." Andi said a little uncertainly. "Do I have to do some ritual or something? Or make an Oath?"

"Nope." Wendy said happily. "Your agreement is all the ritual we need. We're bound together now, partner!"

Andi blinked at that. She could feel it, the slight tug on her power that wasn't there before but now connected her to Wendy.

Up ahead, the daughter of Zeus noticed Ida shaking her head in amusement at the development. That amusement quickly faded though as the mountain nymph - and Andi - spotted Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape rushing towards them.

"Andi! You're alright." The Headmaster called out joyfully at the sight of her. "I was worried."

"Nothing to worry about, Headmaster. I've tangled with Malfoy plenty of times, I know how to take care of him."

"Even so," Professor McGonagall said as she came over to look Andi over for any injuries. "Do I have permission to scan you for injuries, Andi?"

Andi shot Ida a look and after receiving a nod, agreed.

Andi's former Head of House proceeded to cast a slew of diagnostic charms over Andi even as Professor Snape did the same on Malfoy.

Dumbledore meanwhile was listening to Ida explain what had happened. It didn't take long. What he heard had him adopting a stern expression on his usually kindly face as he waited for his colleagues to finish their examinations.

"Severus, Minerva, are there any injuries?"

"No, Potter is perfectly fit."

"Draco has a few bruises and a rattled head, but nothing serious."

Dumbledore let out a sigh of relief before he looked down at Malfoy. With a foreboding look on his face, he pulled out his wand and flicked it, a moment later the blond roused from his forced nap.

"W-What happened?" The clearly confused boy asked as he looked around trying to get his bearings.

"What happened, Mr. Malfoy, is that you have tried to kill someone today and as such will be charged for the crime." Dumbledore answered the boy in an uncharacteristically cold voice.

The blond wanker paled like a ghost and quickly shot Andi a look.

Before the idiot could formulate a reply, the Headmaster continued. "As you did so with a wand, something that we have no shortage of witnesses to corroborate, there is no chance of using the same defense Andi did."

Visibly shaking, Malfoy got onto his knees and began pleading with Dumbledore.

"Please spare me! You've let others off for worse than this before, Headmaster. You can do the same for me."

"The days I turned a blind eye to attempted murder is over." Dumbledore informed the scion of House Malfoy with the finality of the grave.

"...Bad. Ass." Andi broke the chilling moment of silence that followed the Headmaster's declaration.

"Language." Ida chided her charge.

Andi felt it was completely justifiable.

---

It was time for the First Task and Andi was walking alongside Ida down to the Champions' tent while going over their plans to deal with the beginning of the tournament. Unlike the other contestants, who all had specially tailored outfits for the Tournament that were in their school colors, the child of Zeus had chosen to dress casually. She had chosen a simple white turtleneck, jeans, and her high-tops.

She'd prefer to have worn something that showed off her affiliation to camp in some way, but sadly Ida reasoned that any camp gear or gods forbid armor would raise some uncomfortable questions. Andi saw her point and so had agreed.

The daughter of Zeus had not entirely foregone symbolism in her choice of attire though. To top her outfit off, she was wearing her new aviator jacket and that was something that was full of meaning to her.

~Flashback~

The leathery fiber felt heavy in Andi's grasp as she held it in front of her. While she had been glad Silena wasn't upset at how she totally ruined the last one and that her friend had even given her a replacement, doubt filled her mind at wearing it

However, it was not out of fear of ruining it once again.

With a shake of her head, Andi tossed the jacket back on the bed and knelt down to tighten her laces.

Wendy padded over and picked the bomber jacket up with a frown. "Why are you tossing this away? Wasn't it a gift?"

The demigod's face twisted into a frown. "It's just, I don't know if I need to wear it here…"

"Isn't it cold out?"

"Okay, it is, but that's not the point." Andi said as she got back to her feet and turned to look Wendy in the eye. "With my newfound… fear of heights, it just feels like a joke every time I put it on."

Wendy's face looked thoughtful as she looked at the jacket.

"Well, that's one way to look at it." The Aura acknowledged, before she turned towards Andi with a challenging look.

"Or you could see it as a sign of encouragement to get over your fear. You know, a reminder of how fun flying is!" The nymph offered with a radiant smile.

Andi swallowed heavily, as she reluctantly agreed. "...I guess."

It's also a reminder of how I was once Scylla's chew toy too though. The demigod thought to herself with a barely suppressed shiver.

Her new friend did bring up a good point though. So, hesitantly, she took the offered jacket from Wendy and put it on.

~Flashback End~

The jacket honestly felt like a heavy weight on her shoulders, the heavy meanings that it represented pressing down on her. Burdens that only served to compound her sense of unease about the Task.

"It's only a dragon." Ida reassured at seeing Andi's nerves. "You've slew them before. There's no need to panic at facing another one."

"I'm not panicking." Andi retorted even as her face colored. Ida wasn't completely right about what she was nervous about. Sure, she was a little unsettled with having to face a dragon. Even if she had defeated ones before, they were dangerous monsters and Andi knew that they warranted fearful caution. Honestly though, the jacket and everything to do with it was bothering her a lot more.

Despite that, she was grateful that Ida was trying to help her out. Even if what she said was something that she'd told herself a thousand times already and which even Luna's owled letter from last night had said. Though, in Luna's own odd way.

She had felt bad for neglecting the blonde girl after returning to Hogwarts. With all the crazy things that were going on, reconnecting with the Legacy of Apollo had pretty much slipped her mind. Andi tried to meet up, to have a friendly chat, but on the first night at Hogwarts Luna had sent her a note that had warned her against it.

Something about the gods and Ida not liking that.

It confused the daughter of Zeus about why that would be the case, but she trusted Luna's visions enough to listen to her advice.

It wasn't just Ida and Luna Andi whose help that the pixieish girl appreciated, turning towards Wendy she began offering the nymph her gratitude as well. "Thanks for the recon, Wendy. Never would have known what was going on in this one without you."

Looking a touch bashful, the small nymph nevertheless beamed at that.

"It was not a problem! It's the least I could do, we are a team after all."

A smile tugged at Andi's face, despite her nervousness. "So how are you liking your room?"

Wendy shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. Personally, I'd rather be drifting on the winds or a cloud. But, it was nice of that old mortal to give me a room no questions asked. He didn't even bat an eyelid when he realized I was an Aura! It was very nice of you two to ask him to give me one anyway too."

"Like you said, we're a team. Least I could do."

That made the nymph just smile more brightly.

Just then they got close enough to the Quidditch pitch - next to which a special arena had been set up for the Task - for the noise of the crowd to become deafening and made any further conversation difficult.

It also meant that they were now close enough that Andi could spot some of her friends in the crowd, Ron and his siblings were easy to spot as they waved at her enthusiastically and just before she entered the Champions' tent, the child of Zeus even managed to see Luna waving to her with an encouraging smile.

Offering a small wave back, Andi idly noted that she was neither surprised nor upset that Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

I guess it really is over between us. The daughter of Zeus concluded with a resigned sigh.

It was on this somewhat sad note that the Fourth Champion entered the tent.

She was greeted by a host of mainly unfamiliar people. They looked at her with contempt, annoyance, and disinterest. Only a handful were even slightly cordial. The only friendly face in the room was Dumbledore. Well, there was Ludo Bagman, one of the judges in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and his overly happy attitude too. But there was just something about his mannerisms that set off warning signals in her mind about him and why he seemed so pleased to see her.

"Ah, excellent! Excellent. There's our fourth champion." Bagman, a large portly man with blond hair and blue eyes said with that odd smile of his. "Come Miss Potter, we must have your wand weighed. This way, this way."

Ollivander himself was in the tent, looking disgruntled. "I don't see why I had to come a second time for this. I do have a business to run, Mr. Bagman."

Ida gave the old wand maker a look and coolly retorted. "You are here to weigh Andi's wand, because at the time of the first weighing she was a fugitive."

"Ah yes, it is good to see the Killer herself." Karkaroff, the grizzled Headmaster of Durmstrang said.

"Fuuny, considering the company you kept." Madame Maxime snorted in her thick accent.

The man sent the giant of a woman a harsh look.

Ollivander was oblivious to all this though as he was too busy staring at Ida's long and luscious hair with fascination and curiosity. "My dear lady, pardon my forwardness, but may I have a sample of your hair. It's simply magnificent and most certainly special."

"Do your job and leave." Ida ordered frostily, her crystal eyes glaring at him.

The old man startled, as if suddenly jolted out of a trance. "Ah, yes. Apologies my lady, I was simply entranc-"

"Just get on with it, old man." The nymph cut in rudely, her tone radiating cold fury.

Andi could understand where she was coming from. Ollivander had been looking at her like someone would look at a particularly good piece of meat at a butcher, like he couldn't wait to cut her up and use her parts to make his wands. If someone looked at her like that, like an object to be used, Andi would be beyond furious too.

Thankfully, the aged wandmaker took the hint and got down to work.

"Miss Potter, your wand please?"

Andi handed over her wand without a word. She wanted to get this over with.

"I remember this one well. Twelve inch oak, a well aged tree. The core is a sliver of a bezoar from a magical goat. Very potent. Excellent for charms. Some nicks here and there, but overall in fair condition." Ollivander noted as he examined it closely, before seemingly satisfied moved on to testing it with a spell that caused a collage of flower petals to appear and dance in the air.

Apparently judging everything seemed to be in order, he nodded and dispelled his spell.

"Keep it in better shape Miss Potter." He told the demigod as he handed her magical foci back to her.

"Yes sir." Andi said with an unimpressed shrug. It's not like I really need it anymore.

Andi was just walking away from the man when a camera flashed in her face, leaving spots in her eyes. In the next moment, some reporter woman with a predatory smile was all up in her face.

"Rita Skeeter, reporter for the Daily Prophet. As I've done with the other Champions, I'll be requiring a private interview with young Androm-"

A firm hand grasped the reporter's shoulder and Ida shoved the woman away like she weighed nothing at all. Skeeter landed on her rump with her floating quill and pad still jotting down notes.

Hopefully about how she ended up on her arse! Andi thought viciously as she blinked the spots out of her sensitive eyes.

"There will be no interview." Ida told the woman as she brushed her sleeve in a show of cleaning off the residue of the contact with the other woman, all while looking down at her with distaste. "As her guardian, it is up to me to make decisions about whether Andi will be speaking to the media in any way. And it is my decision that she will be having no interviews whatsoever with any media outlet. That includes trashy tabloids."

"Tabloid!" Rita sputtered and glared at Bagman. "I was promised an interview."

"Not for this minor." Ida harshly stated.

Bagman held up his hands. "Apologies Miss Skeeter. My hands are tied."

The reporter's face looked so red, she seemed on the verge of a stroke. "The contract for the Tournament, includes-"

"Nothing beyond the Champion's participation in the Tasks. Everything else is voluntary." Ida countered. "My lawyers were quite clear on that."

At the mention of lawyers, Skeeter paled.

"Fine." The reporter declared in a show of faux bravado that was betrayed by her still ashen face. "But Bagman, you'll be paying for this."

With her plans thwarted and her threat made, Skeeter stormed off. Apparently taking this as his cue, Ollivander departed as well, the Headmasters and Ida trailing behind him.

It was just the Champions and Bagman. Well and Wendy, though no one but Andi knew that since the Aura had decided to make herself invisible.

"Well, now that the preliminary stuff is done and it's just us - it's time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" - he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them - "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different - er - varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too...ah, yes...your task is to collect the golden egg!"

Huh? It's that simple? I just need to fetch that fake egg? Andi mused incredulously.

"Ladies first, gentlemen. As the older Champion, Miss Delacour you can pick first." Bagman said, offering the bag to Fleur Delacour.

The tall and willowy blonde part-veela put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon - a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck. And Andi knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that she wasn't the only one that had done the smart thing and engaged in some recon.

"Miss Potter." Bagman offered next.

Nodding, Andi reached down into the silk bag and pulled out a nasty little thing with the number four on it.

"Hungarian Horntail, that's a toughy." Bagman noted in an oddly chipper tone. The dragon stretched its wings and bared its minuscule fangs at the demigod.

The sallow Krum went next. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground. Clearly as prepared for what was up ahead as Delacour was.

Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck. He swallowed audibly and looked shaken, as he had been ever since he saw Delacour draw a dragon from the pouch. In that moment the tall handsome young man lacked the easy confidence that had made him so attractive to his female peers in Hogwarts. It seemed he hadn't done his homework and was now suffering for it.

"You have each pulled out the dragon you will face," Bagman continued with the explanation for the Task once all four Champions had drawn their dragons. "And the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right?"

Cedric didn't even nod, in fact he looked ready to soil himself.

"I have to go to the judges panel, see you all on the field." Bagman waved as he left the tent.

It was quiet for a moment until Cedric made a noise of frustration. "Dragons? Dragons! This is, the the bloody hell?!"

Krum quirked a bushy brow. "Did you not look around?"

"No!"

"Your fault then."

Andi nodded in agreement, it was kind of dumb to not snoop around for an event like this. If all her years at Hogwarts proved anything, it was that you had to know what was going on. Especially since your life could very likely be on the line. Since that was a given in this Tournament, it was doubly stupid of Cedric not to have done his due diligence.

A whistle went off and Cedric hung his head. He took a deep inhale and balled his hands. He bravely -Or foolishly?- turned around and marched out of the tent, his legs knocking the whole time.

"He is boned." Krum confirmed.

"Totally."

"Still better than tee leetle girl." Fleur commented while looking at Andi pityingly.

Andi glanced at her. "I don't know about you, but I've dealt with dragons before. I've got this."

"Lies." Krum shot back with a snort. "Or bravado. Either way, we crush you."

Andi's electric blue eyes turned stormy. "I'm going to enjoy knocking you flat on your arse. Just don't cry too much when I win."

"At leest you are brave." Fleur said with a sad smile. "I hope you live."

"I will-"

Before Andi could finish screams drowned out all further discussion.

"Medics! Where are the Merlin damned medics!" Bagman's panicked voice shouted, making Andi wince. "Oh Merlin, a direct blast from dragonfire. Oh Merlin!"

Fleur gulped while Krum grunted.

"Datz one down."

"Yeah we can count, you git." Andi told the professional athlete with a frown. "Don't sound so pleased about it."

"I not pleased." Krum shot back. "Sad. But also practical."

Andi wondered if the guy was a demigod, he certainly had the perspective of one.

"Let us all have a moment of silence for Cedric Diggory, a brave young man that was taken far too early." Bagman announced to the crowd as silence washed over the arena.

The French girl wrung her wrists nervously as she tried to keep calm. She was next after all.

"Let us proceed on ladies and gentleman, let us welcome our second Champion and hope they survive."

Fleur was trembling from head to foot. She recomposed herself admirably though and managed to leave the tent with her head held high and her hand clutching her wand as the whistle sounded off.

It was just Andi and Krum now, neither bothered to look at each other as Bagman commented on how Fleur was doing. They didn't pay much attention to that either, Andi didn't know why Krum was ignoring it but she herself was too worried about hearing any bad news about Fleur to do so.

Ten minutes later, Andi heard the crowd erupt into applause - though it seemed a lot more subdues than at the start of the Task - once more. Fleur must have been successful. "Now for our judges to rate her!" Bagman didn't comment on her score, but there was clapping while the whistle blew.

"And here comes Mr. Krum!" cried Bagman, and Krum slouched out, leaving Andi all alone in the spacious tent.

Taking a seat on one of the many stools in the tent, she swung her feet to and fro as her ADHD caused her attention to bounce around, as she looked for something interesting all while she half listened to Krum's performance.

"Very daring!" Bagman was yelling, and Andi winced when the Chinese Fireball emitted a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath. "That's some nerve he's showing - and - yes, he's got the egg!"

The crowd was roaring in approval, wild claps and hollers filled the air. Even more so when he was judged. Apparently, all it took was a few minutes for them to forget that someone had just died in this stupid competition.

And like clockwork, the whistle came.

Looks like it was her turn next. Andi hopped to her feet and left the tent.

Her ADHD darted around the entire stadium at the sea of faces, until her focus finally shot across the arena floor that had been transformed to look a quarry or something similar and landed directly on her opposition in this stupid task.

The Hungarian Horntail was a big western dragon. Even with its wings half-furled, it looked bigger than the average dragon that snoozed in the woods at Camp Half-Blood. The creature's scales were the color of charcoal and each looked roughly the size of a tower shield. The dragon's yellow reptilian eyes were locked onto her for a long, assessing moment before it roared in challenge, making Andi cover her ears at the volume. The mama dragon added to this display by slamming its spiked tail against a boulder, breaking it.

It was crouched protectively over a nest of eggs. Amidst the clutch of alabaster eggs, the demigod's excellent eyesight easily picked up the glint of gold in it. There was the target.

Now to get it.

The daughter of Zeus aimed her wand at the dragon and cried out her spell.

"Αερο (Aero)!"

Nothing happened.

Andi cocked a brow at her wand and gave it a little shake, before trying again.

"Αερο (Aero)!"

Again, she got nothing.

"Seems Potter is in a bit of trouble!"

Andi tried her best to not shout at the announcer, she was in more than a "a bit of trouble".

Mainly the dragon breathing a gout of flames at her.

Andi made to escape it with the speed spell that she'd been practising with lately. "Sonic Move!"

Sadly, like the last two times, her magic was snubbing her or something.

Desperate, she used her air powers to do a super leap across the pitch and behind a sturdy outcrop of rock. The dragon raked its flaming breath after her though, and the demigod barely avoided getting cooked alive. She was still singed quite badly though.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" She whispered to herself furiously, even as she winced at her burns. She peeked around her cover to see the dragon snarling and snorting flames at her threateningly. Apparently not pressing its attack now that Andi was further away from the nest. That wasn't what concerned Andi though.

No. Her eyes picked up something fuzzy on the field. To be more specific, a polecat.

And Andi only knew one polecat.

"Gale!" The daughter of Zeus hissed like a serpent, wanting to snap the little thing's neck. Gale was a servant of Hecate as well, who did whatever the goddess told her to.

Basically, Hecate was screwing Andi over.

"That total-!" Andi covered her mouth to stop her words. She wanted to curse out the goddess so badly right now, but that would only get her in deeper shite with her matron. She understood what this was about, it was punishment for angering the goddess. Or having an opinion on her life.

Typical. The gods are jerks.

The demigod just hoped it wasn't permanent.

"Okay, no magic. No weapons. Looks like it's old school from here on out." Andi told herself to psyche herself up. She kept her wand handy so as to fool all the magicals around her and broke from her cover.

She sprinted towards the dragon. It eyed her warily, roaring warningly. When Andi crossed some arbitrary line in the sand that made it think she was too near its nest again, it began spitting fire in her direction once more. The daughter of Zeus broke left and leaped away, slashing her wand right at its wings.

Again, her magic did nothing, but Andi was expecting that and used her powers over the wind to launch a bladed gale that swept at the membranes of the wings, ripping them apart.

Gods I'd give anything for Skyline right now. Why do I have to use this thing? Andi complained to herself as she darted towards another boulder for cover.

Hit and run was her friend this time around.

"Knocking out its wings! Seems Potter's got a vicious streak in her!"

The dragon roared in agony at the injury that it had been dealt. Capitalizing on this, Andi shot out from cover once more and with a unnecessary sweeping motion of her arm sent a wind blade roaring into the dragon's side. The creature's thick scales proved too hardy for the attack though and it only managed to scratch them.

It did however distract the dragon from its pain and cause it to return its attention to Andi. Clearly enraged, the mother dragon began flooding the whole arena in fire starting with a torrent of flames aimed at the demigod, who with a power enhanced leap, tumbled into cover behind a nearby spur of earth.

Safe for the moment from the giant reptile that was bathing the whole area in heat with her flames, Andi wiped the sweat and dirt off her face as she thought of what do next.

It's scales are too tough. Distaction! I need something to draw it from the nest and snag the egg. Okay, okay, what to do? Andi pondered furiously. It took her a moment, but eventually an idea flashed across her mind.

What better distraction could there be than herself?

Or rather a copy of herself.

The daughter of Zeus looked up and thanked her dad for the beautifully cloudy day that Scotland normally had. It had proven a wonderful source of inspiration for what she was about to do.

She concentrated and in a few moments, several clumps of cloud hovered around her. Andi gritted her teeth a bit as the vapors began to take humanoid shape and transformed into four cloud clones of her.

They were near perfect copies of Andi. In shape anyways, otherwise they looked all white and cloudy.

She hadn't figured how to give them proper colors yet.

"Alright mes, go out there and get roasted." Andi commanded them and the cloud clones ran around the boulder, zigzagging across the pitch in random patterns.

Andi ran around the other side of the boulder and headed for the nest.

For a brief moment, it seemed to work. The dragon looked interested at the cloud body doubles and moved towards them, but as it got closer its nostrils flared. Its sense of smell revealing the trickery, it let loose a furious snarl and whipped around to face Andi, who had by now managed to get within twenty feet of the nest.

The beast inhaled deeply and fired an epic torrent of fire at her.

It felt like time slowed to a crawl as Andi saw the deadly flames coming right at her.

Flight or fight instincts took over, she could have either tried to block the gout with an air shield or take to the skies.

Her body picked for her and she rocketed into the sky. She was a few feet into the air though when her conscious mind caught up with her and with it her fears.

Andi's blue eyes widened to the size of saucers as panic seized her. Seeing the reptilian creature, rearing up on its hind legs to snap threateningly at her, with its rows of sharp teeth brought back terrible memories of what happened in the Sea of Monsters. All at once her mind blanked out and she was thrown back into the awful memory of being torn apart like a ragdoll. She began to struggle against the monster only she could see, twisting and turning in midair as if in convulsions.

Gripped by the terrible flashback, she didn't even notice as she lost control of her powers and started to plummet like a rock. She was saved from a painful meeting with the hard earth when a gust of wind picked her up in its grasp and carried her higher into the air.

The sudden jerk from the wind shook her out of her delirium and she returned to full consciousness exhausted by her terrified flailing. As she recovered her senses she looked around her frantically as she fought to regain her bearings. She found herself encased in a translucent fiery red tornado that covered her body like a shell of protection even as the dragon took to blasting her with its scorching breath.

Andi did her best to not scream in fright as she was blown back, but didn't feel any pain from the attack.

'It's okay!' The voice of Wendy said from all around her.

"Wendy?" Andi asked as she darted her head from side to side, searching for her friend even as she floated down on top another rock. "That you?"

"What's this?! I've never seen such magic before! I thought we were going to need the stretcher again folks! Is that really Potter? I can only just barely make out her silhouette in that strange tornado."

'It's all okay!' Wendy told Andi reassuringly with a mental nod. 'I'll control the flight patterns. All you have to do is nudge me where you want to go!'

Wendy, I can't just-

'Yes you can! We're partners, so I'm doing my part to help you. Let me! Please!'

Andi took a deep breath and glared dangerously at the dragon, who now that the daughter of Zeus had once more moved a safe distance from the nest was now doing nothing more than growling warningly, as she steeled her frantic heart. Alright, but we're talking about this later.

'Of course. Now let's send this thing to Tartarus!'

Andi was liking the little Aura more and more.

Wendy?

'Yes?'

Thanks.

The tornado took a deeper shade of red, like Wendy was blushing.

'Anytime.' The Aura declared as together they charged their reptilian foe.

The dragon roared furiously at them and blasted another searing gout of fire towards the girls.

Andi nudged right, Wendy sending them barrel rolling around the breath attack. The dragon followed their movements and tracked its natural flamethrower after them, but Andi's quick reflexes and Wendy's precision maneuvering allowed them to keep one step ahead of the fire breathing lizard.

As the girls' closed, the dragon stretched itself over its nest protectively even as it intensified the volume of its flames. What had previously been a stream of fire transformed into a literal sea of flames that spewed forth from the magical creature's maw.

The demigod and her Aura partner had no sympathy for the desperate dragon though and in one final burst of speed closed within striking distance of their enemy. Gathering the power of a gale into a fist, together they slugged the reptile right in the jaw.

The Hungarian Horntail tumbled to its rump, looking dazed.

"Eat it!" Andi whooped as Wendy cheered as well. Even as they celebrated, they shot down towards the nest and snagged the golden egg. She lifted the golden object over her head. Unfortunately, the dragon didn't take kindly to what must have seemed to it like Andi stealing one of its eggs and it snapped at her. Andi shot out of the way and was about to do something when the dragon suddenly fell under attack from all sides as a bunch of wizards surged out from the sides of the arena to subdue it.

The dragon fought back furiously, one bloke nearly getting his body chomped in half.

'I feel sorry for the dragon.' Wendy confessed as the dragon was finally knocked unconscious by a barrage of spells from the wizards. 'It was just protecting its eggs.'

Yeah… This was a really bad challenge. I mean, where's the animal rights? Andi mused guiltily as she looked down at the golden egg in disgust as she finally realized just how terrible the whole thing was. Even as she mulled over the Task, her new armor dissipated, revealing the upset Girl-Who-Lived underneath.

Wendy drifted off back to Ida as a gust of wind. The other nymph, Andi noticed, was looking on the whole affair with distaste. She wasn't the only one. A good portion of the now much smaller crowd had similar looks.

"She's done it! Potter has done it and in the top time as well!" Bagman ranted by the judges' table. "Now for the score! Judges?"

Andi ignored the judges handing out her score, she was too busy feeling disgusted with the wizards for both their callous disregard for Cedric's death and their cruelty towards the dragons and herself for abetting them by participating in the event.

She just walked back towards the Champions tent, the moment that she was signaled to do so. She would have just left immediately, after what had happened she wanted nothing to do with the Tournament, but Ida's lessons about how important it was to keep up appearances and stay polite kept her from doing so.

Inside the tent, she found Fleur and Krum hanging around as Bagman's voice rang out.

"Forty-one points! With that, Potter takes first place! A strong start for the youngest Champion!"

Andi glanced towards both foreigners and raised her hand. "Who else feels sick inside? Because I do."

Krum looked at her in confusion while Fleur nodded in agreement.

"Yes, itz was moost crueel to treat the beastz like that."

And what about Cedric? Andi thought as she shot the other girl a glare. You know the guy who died?

Krum grunted and looked Andi dead in the eye. "No think this lead means you won.""

"Mate, I give zero shites. I'm glad I bailed out of magic school. This is screwed up."

The Bulgarian raised an eyebrow in confusion, apparently not getting at all what had Andi so upset. For that alone, the daughter of Zeus wanted to deck him.

She didn't get the chance though as just then Bagman showed up.

"Well done, all of you!" Ludo Bagman cheerfully congratulated as he bounced into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon. "Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth - but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open...see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg - because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"

Andi just shot Bagman the stink eye as she stalked off. If the egg wasn't her only clue about the next Task she would have tossed it, preferably at the disgusting wizard's head.

"Only two more and this mess is over." Andi muttered to herself unhappily. "Hope they aren't as shite as this one was."

The daughter of Zeus had a lot of time to prepare for the Task, she just hoped she didn't snap by the time the event happened.

Because Andi felt it was going to be a trying year at Hogwarts for the fourth time in a row.

---

Done and done! Long chapter is long! Nearly 20k words! Yesh… I know, but we had to get a lot of things done guys. Thanks to the awesome team of Nameless and Axios as always!

Nameless: So this is a long, long chapter. We kinda realized that a little too late when splitting it was kinda impractical. We apologize for that. Hope you don't mind too much though since we covered loads of stuff here.

Nameless: Oh, and at some point when discussing reviews (I can't recall if it was in response to one or our internal discussions within the team about it) we realized that Andi does seem to backslide in her character development a lot. We talked about it and realized (or more like reinforced something we talked about before but forgot) that this actually makes sense. One, because Andi is a teenager and they tend to do this. A lot. Two, because Andi has Zeus inherited godly levels of stubborn. Sure, she can learn but these two things combine in such a way that she compartmentalizes what she learns. For example, she learns that she needs to be stop trying to be a leader because she's not cut out to be one? Well, that lesson of being what she is and not what others expects her to be won't carry over to other fields beyond leadership. So her fighting style and mannerisms? Yeah, she'll still want to go for the flashy stuff because flashy, powerful stuff is what's expected from her even as it dawns on her that it doesn't really suit her anymore. That's why she had difficulty accepting Ida's lessons. However, as we showed in the chapter, Andi is making progress there too.

That Ida, this lovely nymph is looking out for Andi's best interest here. So while she's a tough momma type, it's out of love. Which I hope we've shown through their little touchy feely moments. So when it's time to hit the books, Andi knows what she has to do.

And Wendy! Andi's personal little Aura! She is based off Fairy Tail's Wendy Marvel, but with red hair. Don't worry, the moe is here with Andi's new partner in heroics. Hope you enjoy her stay!

Also Draco is expelled and will be tried. But we're not going to show that because we don't care about him, he's not an important character. And frankly? I just like laughing at his misery. Gods I'm an asshole.

Nameless: Yeah, good riddance to bad rubbish. On another note, hope you liked the First Task. We had the dragon seem a lot more reasonable and realistic than I think Rowling and most fics do. Ultimately, it was a mother protecting its young that was then abused by the wizards in a sick form of entertainment. Frankly, after putting some thought to it, I can't help but be disgusted with the whole thing. I hope you feel the same.

How PETA hasn't attacked this scene like they have the Pokemon games (you know the BS game they made) I will never know. Now! On to the list of things to blather about. Andi and Hecate aren't going off on the right foot, or rather Andi is having a tough time dealing with her new boss. It's a growing process.

Nameless: Yup, the whole thing with Hecate is actually almost entirely Andi's fault. She's basically the goddess' servant/employee now, but not only does she do slipshod work, she's also disrespectful to her boss. Of course, Hecate is pissed. A mortal boss in a comparable situation would be too. Hecate is just acting out in the way goddesses do. I mean you can't expect her to just give Andi overtime or fire her like a mortal boss would, right? Basically, what Andi has to do now is understand where she really stands in the hierarchy of Olympus i.e. Hecate's servant, and start acting accordingly.

Oh! And Cedric died. Yeah. Moving on-Alright! Alright, I'll talk about it. Frankly, without Harry dropping him the hint, Cedric wouldn't have gotten out of that alive. Seriously, dude is average at best. I mean he just used a dog as a distraction. That's it. Seriously, he was a boring character and we just wanted to have some fun. Like how we did with Lupin in Rhode's story. All in good fun. :)

Nameless: If you do want to read more into the decision to do this… Well, maybe that we want to play up how callous the wizards are? I mean, they did just basically brush his death under the rug without a care in the world.

Finally, Dumbles himself. Old man's grown that backbone and is taking up arms himself. Yay! Of course, Andi is going to be involved, she has to be. Just, he's not going to be backseat driving -Brooming? Flying?- and that's all I'mma say here folks. You gotta wait and see!

Nameless: Yup, Dumbles has redeemed himself in one of our fics at last. I hope you guys are happy. Honestly, we don't set out to bash the old dude, he just… Has so many things to bash him over. Well, at least for once we are playing him as a undisputed good guy.

Now, smash that review button and show us your love! Be kind, no flames and peace off my peeps!