Mayfly, Silene, Thalia, Astelle, and Wanda landed gently on the ground, by the border of the Protectors camp.

They were met by a small group consisting of Percy, Kayla, Clarisse, Will, Leo, Katie, and Nico.

"Hey guys." Mayfly said. "This is Wanda. Wanda, this is..."

She gestured to each person, saying their names.

"Hi." Wanda said nervously.

"Wanda, great to meet you." Percy gave her a smile, and Wanda relaxed.

She shook hands with everyone.

"So, Wanda." Percy spoke again. "Are you joining the Protectors?"

Wanda nodded. "If you'll take me."

"Of course! We love new people joining. Okay, now I'm going to sort you into a group. I assume Mayfly has already told you about that?"

Mayfly nodded. "Only the basics, though. She knows the groups and what they mean, but not the sorting process."

"Okay. I'm going to...sort of look into your mind. It doesn't hurt and it's only for a second, but I will read from your mind what I need to put you into a group. This will tell me which group you definitely belong in. If you don't want me to, you are allowed to choose a group, but we have found people sometimes make the wrong choices and aren't happy with it. No one has chosen this in 40 years, but we always give people the option."

"Who was the last person to pick themselves?" Wanda asked.

"A girl named Charlotte O'Neil. She chose Magic, even though she didn't have any powers suited to battle. In any case, Magic was sent on a mission to destroy a pack of Manticores, and...well...she died quickly. But it was because she chose the group that was wrong for her.

After she died, we found out she belonged in Healing, not Magic. Since then, no one has chosen a group without being sorted."

Wanda took a moment to process.

"How did you find out she was in Healing?" She asked.

"When a Protector dies, which hardly ever happens, the group they were in holds the funeral. Since it was clear Charlotte didn't belong in Magic, I had to ask Hades to grant me passage to the underworld, so I could talk to Charlotte. I asked again for permission to look through her mind, and she agreed, and I found out she should have been in Healing, so Healing held the funeral."

Wanda nodded in understanding, shivering at the thought of speaking to a dead person.

"So...Wanda. Will you allow me to look through your mind?"

Wanda thought about it. He would see all her secrets, her pain, her anger. But he seemed really trustworthy. Someone who would be an extremely loyal friend, but also a very deadly enemy.

"Yes."

Percy smiled. "Okay. Brace yourself."

Wanda felt her mind be stretched out, memory after memory flashing through her head quicker than Pietro could run. Percy was right. It didn't hurt, but she felt like her very soul was exposed.

She came rushing back, seeing everyone crowded around her.

Percy was smiling. "As I thought. Congratulations, Wanda Maximoff, Newbie of Magic!"

Astelle looked shocked. "That's the quickest sorting ever! It has to be a record!"

Percy chuckled. "It was obvious with just a glance. You're sorting was pretty quick too, sis."

Wanda felt an odd buzz on the back of her right hand.

She looked at it.

There was a tattoo.

It was circle-shaped. Running along the top, was something in a language Wanda didn't recognize. But she somehow knew what it said.

MAGIC

Running along the bottom, was

NEWBIE

The circle and two words were purple, matching Mayfly and Silene's outfits.

And in the center of the circle, was a flaming torch.

Its handle was silver, and its flames were green.