An: Thanks again for all of those reviews, follows and favorites. I didn't know that you guys will like this so much :). I have just finished reading Mark of Athena...which I didn't like. (Why did he make the ending like that ! UGHHHHHHHH). Er.. anyway. I hope you like this chapter. It's just a filler, so sorry about that.
Hopefully, the action will begin soon...
Cheers!
Rose
Percy was stumped. He had seen a lot of strange things since he been at Camp Half-Blood but this topped the blue cake.
There was no way in all of Underworld that a rat could turn into a teapot.
"Do you want some?"
Percy coughed nervously and said, "Er... sorry. I'm not a tea sort of guy, you know?"
Hermione nodded, understand reaching her eyes, "Yeah. American prefer...coffee?"
Percy shook his head, still staring at the teapot suspiciously, "Not really! I mean everyone is different right? I happen to like bluish things and ambrosia and er... am I supposed to be telling you about that?"
"Ambrosia?" Hermione said, her eyes twinkling in amusement, "I might have heard it once or twice.."
That was an understatement. Hermione spent the last few days researching all about gods and demigods. Especially demigods. Oh, she knew all about the legends the Hercules, blah blah blah. But what she needed now were different information.
How to become a demigod information.
"So tell me, Mr. Jackson." Hermione said. "Do you really have Developmental reading disorder?"
"Huh?"
"Dyslexia, I mean."
"Er... yeah, I guess," Percy said, feeling a little uncomfortable. "I mean, before I came here I had trouble in school. I mean, I wasn't stupid but I just had a harder time than everyone."
"Understandable," she said, taking a sip from her cup.
Percy shook his head. Why he was having a tea party with Miss Granger was beyond him. After getting claimed a couple of days ago, Miss Granger hadn't stepped out of the library, even to eat. Percy thought that Annabeth spent too much time researching...but this was insane. Chiron and the others tried to go in, but they couldn't, as if there was some sort of barrier blocking them. She had finally reappeared today and Chiron ordered Percy to take care of her for a while.
But Percy doubted that she needed taken care of.
Hermione put down her cup and smiled, "Who is Annabeth?"
Percy jumped, "You...can you read my mind?"
"Only if I want to. But don't worry, I don't take liberties...unlike some people I know."
Hermione's face turned dark. Percy never saw one of his friends with such a dark expression...except Nico when he lost his...
"Er... yeah. Well Annabeth is...my girlfrie-"
"Hey, Seaweed brain!"
Percy cringed as Annabeth slapped his head and sat on an empty seat. Despite being a couple, she still hadn't stopped hitting him. Out of all the monsters he had faced, Annabeth topped them all.
Hermione chuckled quietly, causing Annabeth to narrow her eyes.
Ah-Oh. Percy thought and prepared himself for the worse.
"What are you laughing at?"
Hermione just smiled, and said, "You are just very cute."
"Cute?"
"Yes, very." she said smiling, completely opposite of Annabeth's glare. Percy just slid further down from his seat, not wanting to become part of the fight that was about to begin.
"I'm not cute. I am the daughter of Athena!"
"I see," Hermione said, not missing a beat. "I once had a professor who's' name was Minerva, Athena's Roman name."
"Minerva is a horrible version of my mother. She was stripped of her powers as a -"
"Yes, yes. I know." Hermione said, swishing her hand.
Annabeth opened her mouth to retort was stared amazed as the teapot and cups began to stack themselves neatly upon the table, "How-?"
"Didn't Chiron tell you?"
"Y-yes," Annabeth said. "But I didn't think you could..."
"Do magic?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "I am a witch."
"How is that even possible?"
"Long story," Hermione waved her hand again, dismissing the thought. "Now before you get worked up, do you want some tea?"
"Er..." Annabeth glanced at Percy who was making large gestures which looked like a ball that busted into a teacup...or rat turning into a teapot. She couldn't tell.
"Ah! Miss Granger! There you are!"
Hermione sighed and stood up, brushing her robes. She tugged on her hair, which was astonishingly curlier than when she first came to camp, Chiron clomped into the view, and Percy and Annabeth stood as well to greet him.
"Hello. What brings you here?"
Chiron rumbled, "I have heard you had decided to come out of your hiding place. I came as fast as I could."
Hermione laughed, "I guess you can call it that."
"Now, do you have any questions? How are you fairing?" for a second Hermione saw Hagrid in the eyes of Chiron...but she hid those thoughts away.
"Just one," she said, glancing far away.
"What?"
"I want to see Hades' cabin, if you don't mind."
Hermione stared amusingly at the cabin before her. Black obsidian walled, green fire burning ominously, and the skull on its door, the cabin looked exactly like what the god of death should have.
Or a muggle haunted house. She thought before entering its doors.
Glancing around, Hermione took in the little details. One, it was dreadfully cold. Two, there was cobwebs everywhere, confirming Hermione's early analogy. The tribute table was meticulously clean, however, showing that someone had been here before but had been too lazy to clean.
There was only one bed. And it didn't look as if it was used in a long time.
Hermione took this all in and sighed.
She regretted ever seeing that horrible pine tree.
Hermione suddenly tensed, sensing something in the room with her. She glanced around, but she couldn't find whatever was bothering her. But she felt it, the electric tension in the air. It hurt, uncomfortable actually, and yet it felt familiar, so familiar in fact.
"Mr. di Angelo."
She heard the little boy gasp before sheepishly stepping out of the shadows. Hermione raised an eyebrow as she scrutinized her new relation. She hadn't really paid any attention to him the first time she met him (she was too busy gaping at the hologram on top of her head, after all) and after glancing at him now, she couldn't see the similarities.
They were total opposites, she figured. He was a pale, sickly looking boy child. He reminded Hermione of one Draco Malfoy without the trademark sneer. And Hermione bet that when Nico "told his father about this" it was an actual threat.
She on the other hand was golden. Tanned skin, brown eyes and hair. She looked alive, fierce, Gryffindor's lioness. Harry and Ron always said that she had her own light, that her magic created a soft glow around her that warned off any evil dark lords, bullies, and potential boyfriends.
Hermione snorted at that. Rubbish, really. It was impossible that Harry and Ron could see auras because only the magically gifted could see them. Although Harry is a candidate, Ron...
He only had an emotional range of a teaspoon after all (although she grudgingly admit it grew into a tablespoon portion after he gained his first child, Fred).
But enough about her past. Hermione had other problems to deal with, namely in the form of the boy-king Nico, "Why are you here?"
"This is my home," Nico said, shrugging.
"I hate to inform you, but unless you sleep hanging upside down from the rafters, there is no evidence that this place should be called a home."
Nico shrugged again, "I travel."
"Hm..." Hermione hummed, "I suppose you know who I am."
"Hermione Granger, witch and war veteran. Killed a total of 38 people in the last five years. 36 of them were sent to Tartarus. 2 of them were..."
"Enough," Hermione interrupted, her face dark and her fists clenched beside her.
Nico glanced at his supposed older sister and said, "You...understand pain."
"Yes." Hermione said, glancing at the little boy...no he was not a little boy... in front of her, "I suppose you know why?"
"Yes," Nico said. "I guess it's just a Hades thing, I suppose?"
Hermione slowly relaxed, letting go of a breath she didn't know she was holding. She glanced at her younger brother and gently patted his shoulder. He flinched, but Hermione didn't mind. She and he both had a connection. She didn't know what, but Nico had some pain in his life...just like her.
"I suppose so."
