First of all I can't tell you how sorry I am for not updating for so long. I have no excuse except for laziness and being distracted by other story ideas. Unfortunately I have exams in three or four weeks (I actually can't remember how long which is worrying) so I might not be able to update for a while due to revision. I apologise in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and any OOCness
Chapter 7: Draco's Big Mistake
Percy's POV
While we were waiting by someone called Hagrid's hut I noticed a pale, blonde boy looking at us with a sneer on his face. Then someone who was either a very tall man or a very small giant came towards us. I supposed he was Hagrid. "We're goin' teh be studyin' Hippogriffs today …" I zoned out when he started talking about how to approach them. I rolled my eyes at Nico Zeus forbid that we could actually learn anything about monster fighting!
Then I heard Hagrid say that he was going to bring them out. Some creatures who looked like a cross between a horse and an eagle came out. I looked at Thalia and as one we thought 'Oh brilliant (!)'
The things – they must have been Hippogriffs – came towards us. Everyone else backed away, even Nico and Annabeth though they didn't go as far back. The hippogriffs bowed to me and Thalia, people gasped, apparently this was significant. I sighed; it was no use pretending now. I walked forwards and out of the corner of my eye I saw Thalia doing the same. 'Lord,' I heard in my head. 'Who is the boy who smells of death and the girl with eyes of wisdoms?' I had a feeling that Thalia was being asked the same thing by the other one. 'That's Annabeth,' I confided. 'Daughter of Athena and Nico son of Hades.'
'Children of Lord Hades and Lady Athena as well as Lords Zeus and Poseidon, We are indeed honoured.' And with that they bowed to Annabeth and Nico as well. Again everyone gasped. Hagrid was silent for several minutes, gaping at us before regaining his composure and starting to talk about Hippogriffs again.
Hermione's POV
Yet again the transfers had proved that they were something else. The hippogriffs had bowed to them, Nico and Annabeth after Thalia and Percy had done something to the hippogriffs.
We were walking back to the castle when I spotted Draco Malfoy coming towards us. I suppose I should have known this was coming, I wondered what he wanted with them. "Are you a pure blood?" he asked them suddenly. They shook their heads looking confused. "Muggle-born?" it seemed he wanted to befriend them enough not to call them mudbloods-yet. Again they shook their heads. "You must be half-bloods then?" he stated. They looked at each other in a way that told me to them half-blood meant something different. "I'm Draco Malfoy. You're the new transfer students." They said nothing. "Who in your family is a wizard then?" they stared at him blankly, Percy shrugged. "Do you even have any magical blood?" he asked incredulously.
"No," this was Thalia. It was Malfoy's turn to look confused. "But you said you weren't muggle-born."
"What's a muggle-born?" inquired Nico.
"Someone who doesn't have any magical family members," he drawled, sounding more and more patronising as the conversation went on. It seemed that now that he realised how ignorant they were he no longer cared how powerful they were. Then I realised what was coming. Now that he had decided not to use them Malfoy was going to torment them.
"So, apparently your families are powerful." Percy stopped, Draco had his mark. "Oh what happened to them? Did they run away from the scary wizards?" he said in a babyish voice. They all stiffened and the lake seemed to grow rougher. "I bet they were all cowards," sneered Malfoy, apparently oblivious to the signal coming from the transfers telling you to run, and run fast. It had started to rain and tens of students were running past us towards the castle. Malfoy said something more about cowards and all the while Thalia, Nico and Annabeth were backing away slowly with their eyes closed as if trying to calm themselves down.
Malfoy said something else and Percy, who had been standing still, evidently too angry to even move, lunged at him and grabbed him. By now the rain was coming down harder and harder and the lake looked as if it were attempting to tear itself to pieces.
"Never call my friends and family cowards!" Percy said, his voice filled with uncontrolled rage. I glanced at Harry and Ron, their faces were filled with fear and respect. "They have seen things that would haunt you for the rest of your life. They have done things that would make the bravest man you know look like a coward. You will never insult them again." With that he released him and Malfoy scampered back to the castle.
Annabeth, Thalia and Nico all seemed to relax and Annabeth walked forward to Percy and put her arm around him. He did the same; they looked like they were leaning on one another, supporting each other. "Well," said Thalia loudly. "Let's get back inside before we get completely soaked." She seemed to direct this more to us than to Percy and Annabeth. We followed her up to the castle and as we got there I looked back at Annabeth and Percy. Two sad, mournful figures, arms wrapped around each other with the air of someone who has seen too much, too young.
We were quiet in the hall. Nico and Thalia had a quick discussion in their language and then fell silent. They seemed to be waiting for Annabeth and Percy.
After a while they came in and something had visibly upset them. They were soaking wet and I looked up at the ceiling to see that it was still raining. Then sat down and in an attempt to do anything to break the silence I said "Did you hear about the latest Death Eater attack?" To my extreme surprise they burst out laughing. "Who'd want to want to eat Thanatos?" asked Percy. It seemed that the sadness was gone. "Yeah and what are Death Eaters anyway?" added Thalia. I was astounded.
"They're followers of Voldemort," said Harry.
"So these followers of Mouldywart or whatever eat Death?" asked Nico incredulously.
"Well no… it's just a name to inspire fear." Replied Ron. They looked confused until Annabeth's expression changed to recognition. She said something in their weird language again and they stopped looking confused and nodded. "We remember who he is now." Announced Percy. There was a thud as if he had been kicked but all he did was glare at thala as if he hadn't felt it but knew it was her.
