CHAPTER SUMMARY
Annabeth, Ron, Hermione, and Cho meet Slytherin, god of magical creatures.
BEGINNING NOTES
Chapter Rating: General Audiences
Content Warning: None
Word Count: 2903
I might post the final two chapters tonight, if not, they'll be up tomorrow. It's just that I have to edit the final chapter a bit and I don't know how long that will take me.
And all the characters are owned by J.K. Rowling, or Rick Riordan.
Credits at the end.
_HERMIONE_
Hermione slept fretfully that night. Surrounded by bad memories, her dreams consisted of Snape, Lupin, and a disheveled Sirius ready to attack. Cho, the traitor, stood by as Harry died again and again, screaming, "I thought you loved me, Cho! Help me!" "It was necessary," Nico di Angelo whispered in her ear. Then, he turned into Merlin. "Do not fail me my dear, or the Wizarding World will die. Be my champion or Harry died for nothing..."
"Hermione! Hermione!" Ron shook her awake. "You were screaming in your sleep. Are you all right?"
"Bad dream," Hermione admitted. She was beyond tired, but Merlin's words echoed in her mind. Harry's face gave her a surge of energy. She would get the Philosopher's Stone, and she would get it today. She'd save the Wizarding World just in time for Ceres' trial against Hades tomorrow. There was no other option.
"We need to get to Loch Arthur," Hermione declared.
"How?" Ron asked. "We can't apparate, we don't have brooms, thestrals don't exist anymore..."
Cho held up her cell phone. "The nearest muggle town is Fort Augustus. Loch Arthur's only four hours away by car; I have Lyft on my phone. It's not cheap, but I can use my debit card, I saved a lot of money last summer."
"Don't you want any money when you go home?" Annabeth asked a little suspiciously.
Cho said nothing.
The sun was rising over the Scottish Highlands by the time they made it to Fort Augustus. To Hermione's surprise, they found a Lyft driver willing to make the four hour trip. He cranked up the radio in his car and chatted amiably to them, joking and telling stories of his grandkids' antics. It was wonderful to be distracted from her worries of Cho and fears of meeting Slytherin, but it was also so... odd. The Wizarding World was in a state of anarchy, but the muggle world was perfectly fine. The apocalypse would come tomorrow unless the demigods could stop it. World War Two among the gods. The Wizarding World felt straight on the path to Armageddon. The muggle world had no idea what was happening.
"Have fun, girls. Stay warm," the driver said as he pulled up to the lake. The three of them said goodbye as they stepped out of the car. They waited until the car was a pinprick in the distance. They were all alone.
Hermione looked around. This lake was nothing like Hogwarts's. Sure, there were green hills in the distance, but that was where the similarities ended. Dark, almost black trees crowded the edges of the lake. Driftwood floated as far as the eye could see. The water was dark and cloudy; it didn't sparkle at all. She suddenly felt very cold, even in her warm ski jacket.
"Slytherin would be somewhere secluded," Annabeth decided. "That's usually what nature gods do, and he is the god of magical creatures."
"Don't tell me," Hermione groaned. "The woods?"
"I think so."
It didn't take long for the thick trees to reveal a plethora of magical creatures. Bowtruckles clung to the dark branches, billywigs buzzed around like flies. Flobberworms slithered on the ground, peaking out of holes like maggots.
Knezels and crups, the cats and dogs of the Wizarding World, weaved through the trees until half a dozen were trotting in front of them. They barked and meowed a chorus of sounds as though they were trying to communicate. "They want us to follow them," Cho guessed. Hermione had to agree.
The animals brought them back to the lakeside. Thick, thick trees surrounded them on all sides, hiding the shore from prying eyes. Nifflers played in the water like ducks, digging for shiny rocks beneath the water's surface. Mooncalfs popped their heads out of their burrows, even though it was still daytime. Thestrals and griffins flew above them, circling the area like pterodactyls.
I can see thestrals now.
She thought of Percy Weasley, Cornelius Fudge, Yasmina the Hunter, and all the dead bodies she'd seen at the mob outside the Daily Prophet headquarters. Too many had died already. The sight of those thestrals was living proof of how much everything had changed. How much she had changed.
A beautiful nymph tended to white flowers in a small garden. Her golden hair was covered in a wreath of flowers, and her dress seemed to be made of hundreds of tree leaves. "Leave now, chosen ones. He will not speak to you," the nymph said.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked.
"I am Patalena, once the goddess of flowers, but today the spirit of this forest." She thought for a moment and smiled, amused. "You may know me as the Lady of the Lake." She turned from her flowers. Her eyes were friendly, but Hermione also knew she meant business. "My Lord Salazar has chosen to remain neutral in this war. His parents, Lord Merlin and Lady Hecate, respect his neutrality. Her chosen people should respect it also."
"It's all right, Patalena," came a booming voice. Slytherin stood before them, as though he were always there. He looked exactly like his portraits: a balding man with silver hair and a beard down to his chest. He wore a flowing green robe and cloak. But, unlike the portraits, a snake circled around his head like a crown; it ate its own tail. A phoenix was perched on his shoulder. A she-cat and meerkat, the symbols of his mother, weaved affectionately between his legs. And that pendant he famously wore... it was the Philosopher's Stone in its true godly form. Somehow, she was sure of that.
Annabeth immediately knelt. Hermione, Ron, and Cho followed suit. "Lord Slytherin," Hermione said.
"There's no need for that," Slytherin said. "Especially not from my students." They rose. "You must forgive Patalena. She's been quite kind, my only company in my chosen isolation."
"Of course, my lord," Patalena said.
"I grew up here," Slytherin continued. "My father, Merlin, was still mortal. But, he drank the elixir of the Philosopher's Stone. It was enough to make me a god, rather than a demigod." He touched the Stone hanging from his neck. "My mother Hecate grew afraid. The birth of a god from a mortal would raise eyebrows. Pluto could not know of this Stone. She could no longer train my father as Morgan le Fey, and could not visit me. Merlin, still serving as King of the Wizards, could not raise me as a prince for the same reason. Patalena raised me here, at Loch Arthur, named after the muggle legend based on my story.
"When Merlin abdicated and could finally call me his own, he told me he would grant me any favor as an apology for being so distant. I asked him to help me found a school in my mother's name. He gathered Hecate's finest students, and the four of us created Hogwarts. When Merlin was satisfied we'd created something to last the ages, he gave me the Philosopher's Stone and stopped drinking its elixir so Hecate could turn him into the god of wizards. Hecate soon asked the four of us to rejoin her court, and so we 'arranged' our deaths, so to speak, and left the Wizarding World forever."
Slytherin looked at each of them in turn. "As Ravenclaw foretold, I would return in a time of great crisis. I would have the chance to save or to damn the Wizarding World forever, as my father made his choice to push the Romans from our shore. I knew when I decided to leave her prophecy would come true. And, indeed, the heroes arrive."
"My lord, you will not give it to them?!" Patalena cried. "You know as well as I do that that stone in Hecate or Pluto's hands could lead to the destruction of the mortal world!"
"That's not true!" Hermione protested. "We want to rebuild the Wizarding World!"
"Ah, so you see my dilemma," Slytherin mused. "To give or not to give the Philosopher's Stone. One will lead to the destruction of everything I've built. The other will lead to the end of all this suffering." He studied each of them carefully, eyes moving from Hazel to Hermione and, finally, to Cho. "The daughter of Hades, the warrior of Hecate, and the one caught in between." His hand closed over the Stone. "I cannot risk this falling into the hands of my enemies. Nor can I let my mother and father descend into cruelty. You must find another way to save our world. Patalena is right. I cannot help you."
"No!" Hermione shouted. "You have to!"
"You may rest here," Slytherin said. "Tomorrow at sunset marks the trial. I suggest you rendezvous with your friends and find a way to save the Wizarding World."
_CHO_
Cho didn't want to stay at Loch Arthur. But the sun was already setting, and they had nowhere else to go. Twenty-four hours marked the trial. If Lord Hades was true to his word, she would have a second chance at life in one day.
Yeah. In time to see the world destroyed.
She snuck away from the others when the moon was high in the sky. Back to the lakeshore, the full moon cast silver light over the water. It was beautiful and haunting at the exact same time.
That beautiful moon brought her back to the Hunters of Artemis. How had it only been a few days since Roszí offered her a new family? Why did she spend that money on the Lyft? Simple. She could never go back home to her parents and Sora. She'd betrayed Hecate when she joined Hades. She would kill her family if Cho led her back to them. And, after this failure, Lord Hades might do the same to punish her. She knew now the Genevieve the Olympian in disguise had sent her that prophetic dream to set her on this path to the demigods. And it was clear now: she could never go back.
With her last drachma, she resigned herself to her fate. "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering. Lord Hades and Queen Persephone-"
"Which path will you choose, Cho Chang?" came a familiar booming voice. Slytherin had found her.
Cho started to shake. "W- what do you mean? And how do you know my name?"
"We lose our way in times of war. We run in, sword drawn, as brave as a lion, as wise as the eagle, as fearsome as the badger. And, yet, only the snake can see the truth: when we fight, we are at our lowest. When we rush into battle, our amnesia runs both ways. We make choices we regret. The cunning snake fears nothing, for it walks among the dregs of life. You have seen more than a follower of Hecate should see, have you not, Cho Chang? You have felt my grief, and you have wandered and lost yourself to Time."
Tears poured down Cho's cheeks. "Time's just a metaphor for my grief," Cho said. "And I don't feel that grief anymore."
"Do you? Then why do you continue to serve a god you have no loyalty for? You are not fixed in your ways until you stand before the Judges."
"But, I am," Cho whimpered. "I've done so much already. If I'm halfway to hell, why shouldn't I forge ahead?"
"You already know the answer," Slytherin said. "It is not often an Olympian mentors a mortal. Especially that one. You must remember her teachings. What did you learn from Genevieve?"
"I don't know! She left me!" Cho shouted. "I swore an oath the Styx. No one can save me from that!"
Slytherin looked at her, disappointed. "Then you have made your choice. You must serve your patron." He unclasped his necklace and held the Philosopher's Stone out to Cho. "I reassign the Philosopher's Stone allegiance to you, Cho Chang, should you choose to accept my offering. I see now that this is the choice Ravenclaw predicted. You will decide the fate of our world. You will decide the fate of this war."
"Is this what Charon meant?" Cho asked, stalling for time. "He told me I had prophecy in me."
"It is true," Slytherin said. "You are a cho, the flower that Delphi predicted. Your time with the ghosts of millennia will come soon. The god you serve, be it Hecate or Pluto, grieve the loss of their son. Who do you stand with? Who will you choose?"
Who would she choose? That was the question, wasn't it?
You said I passed your test, Genevieve. What was the point of it? How did it help me? Please...
As she stood there, she thought back to her old friend for something, anything, that would give her clarity.
"Thank you for saving my life," the bride whispered, "I'm Genevieve. I'll get you help. You're going to be fine."
A young woman sat at Cho's bedside in a private ward. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, Cho's chest started rising and falling. The woman beside her gasped and grabbed Cho's hand. Tears wet her cheeks.
Cho's eyes opened. "Genevieve?" she asked weakly.
"I'm here," Genevieve assured her. "The healer said you were dying, but I didn't lose hope. You saved my life, Cho, I couldn't live with myself if you died in my place."
She hadn't thought of Harry or Cedric since she'd died, but with Genevieve's words, all those emotions came crashing back. A little voice in her head wanted her to tell Genevieve to suck things up, there were worse things that could happen than losing someone in a crowd.
Her fiancée could be dead.
And? At least she has hope. The world gave you no hope. Why should you be her rock with everything you went through? Let someone else deal with Time's torture. It's not your fault Wendy's lost. Why should you help Genevieve? You already died for her! You have a mission for Lord Hades!
Cho swallowed those words before they could come out of her mouth.
Cho felt angry. The moment she heard Fudge shout, "Avada Kedavra!" and heard Ron's anguished scream, every muscle in her body clenched. She wanted to walk right out of there and show Fudge how well she could duel.
But Genevieve put her arm on Cho's stomach. "This isn't your fight," she whispered.
"Fudge is dead," Cho said in an empty voice.
"You stunned him, Cho. He didn't feel a thing. I thought... I thought you were going to make him suffer." Genevieve lowered her eyes in shame. "I was afraid you would."
"I wanted to," Cho said, "but I couldn't. I'm not Umbridge. He saw my face, he knew who I was from the protest. His last thought was about me, how he would die because of what he did to me. That's my revenge. I'm not a monster. I don't need anything else."
Genevieve didn't say a word until they were aboard the train. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. There was something wrong, Cho could tell. "Is everything okay?"
"No," Genevieve replied with a quivering voice. "I dreamed-my fiancé-she's dead. There was a riot after the Minister died, and she was still in town, waiting for me..."
Tears fell down Genevieve's cheeks. Cho put her arm around her shoulders and side-hugged her. Despite herself, that nasty little voice in her head returned.
You knew this would happen the day you met her. Now she's broken, like you were. Useless. Time's got her trapped now. You're free. This isn't your problem anymore.
"No," Cho said under her breath, replying to the voice. "Look at me," she told her friend. "It's okay to be upset."
"She was in Diagon Alley for me," Genevieve whispered. "I was the one who wanted to get married there..."
"This isn't your fault," Cho told her. "We're going to fight for her now, and make her death matter. Don't give up."
Genevieve hiccuped. "The truth is, I was getting cold feet. I was scared, caring about someone so much... now, I'm paying for it."
"Being vulnerable is okay. Even when it hurts... it's worth it. I think about Harry and Cedric and Marietta all the time. But I wouldn't give them up for the world. They made me who I am today."
"I chose me." Cho's voice grew strong. "My suffering made me strong, but it also made me weak. I chose to give up my happiness and my family so I could return to fight on. But I don't want to fight anymore. I want the Hunters of Artemis. I want a family. I want to be free, surrounded by those who love me again." Overwhelmed with emotion, she lifted her head to the heavens and cried, "I hear you, Genevieve! I know you love me! I trust that you'll protect me from Hades and Persephone! I saved you! I'll let you save me!"
Slytherin pointed to the lake. Cho turned and gasped. A million sparks rose from the water like fireflies. Cho knew it was Genevieve, praising her, promising to protect her. She felt as though her friend was hugging her again, telling her everything would be okay.
"You know who she was, don't you?" Cho asked, still staring at the sparks over the lake.
"Yes," Slytherin said. "She was Vesta, goddess of the hearth."
END NOTES
So we know who Genevieve was! Were you surprised?
Also, I have work soon so I'll do comments on CH 34.
Credits:
Melody Rose - Author (Tumblr melody0rose)
Please comment so I know what you think! See you tomorrow!