Hello! Here's your earned chapter!

Chapter 18

Piper

As I woke up, I thought about the events in the night before. We knew exactly who we couldn't reveal our covers to...but most people we weren't familiar with. I sat up and was immediately attacked by a big and blond ball of hair. In other words, Jason. He wrapped my arms around me and pulled me up.

"Why the hurry?" I asked him. He didn't answer. He pulled me to the common room, then threw his money bag on my head.

"Hey!" I protested, rubbing my forehead where it had hit. "What was that for?"

"We're going to Hogsmeade, snappy!"

"Wha-? But...I thought Hogsmeade was yesterday!"

He grinned. "That's the best part! Dumbledore gave us permission. Of course, Umbridge won't know a thing."

I smiled back. "All right, lightning boy. But...what about homework? We still have loads to do..."

He rolled his eyes. "Pipes, you're starting to sound like Hermione, and most of all..." he looked around and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Annabeth."

I frowned. "Why are you whispering?" Well, all right, Annabeth would probably kill him if he said I was like Annabeth, because we were completely opposites. The fight with Mimas had proved that. Saying Annabeth was like me is like saying she's stupid and trusts her instincts completely. No way is that ever going to be true.

"Hang on," I protested. "What about breakfast?"

He grinned. I like it when boys grin like that. It usually results in the boy trembling from head to toe and bowing at his girlfriend's feet. Or, maybe the boy is inviting his girlfriend to a surprise breakfast. I think that would be the reason Jason was smiling mischievously today.

"I thought we should explore the place," he explained. "We didn't get much adventure yesterday, and as Leo said...it was the boringest meeting ever. Everyone else is coming. Well, the other demigods are."

I was shocked. How come everyone knew but me? "Does everybody else know?"

He grinned again. "Just the boys. You ladies are whispering secrets all the time, why shouldn't we have a chance? Oh yeah, Dumbledore told us to meet him when we're back. But for now, PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" He whipped his hand out from behind his back.

I jumped back about a foot and hit my head on a table. "Really?" I asked. "You just had to bring mini-Hedge along?"

He shrugged. "Twasn't me, Twas Leo. He thought I might've wanted to have thee surprised, the highness. Or scare thee. In this case, it would be the latter."

I rolled my eyes. "Great. My boyfriend is starting to learn Shakespeare."

I went back into our room to change out of my pajamas.

Annabeth greeted me when I came out. "Hey. Did Jason surprise you with the visit to Hogsmeade?"

"Yes," I admitted. "You?"

She grinned. "I didn't know anything until Percy told me."

I blinked. Annabeth didn't know either? Wow, the boys are getting better at keeping secrets!

"Impressive, huh?" Annabeth asked. "I didn't know they got permission, either. But...come on, they're waiting!"

I followed her out. The boys were wearing t-shirts and jeans. Nico still had his black jacket on, not surprisingly. Together, we walked down the road to Hogsmeade. We got to the shops and looked around.

"Wow," said Annabeth softly. "I didn't think about it yesterday, but this place is really cool."

Percy nodded and wrapped his hand around Annabeth's. "So...where shall we go?"

She shrugged. "Bookstore?"

"Annabeth!" Percy said exasperatedly. "Why would you make us go to a bookstore? We're supposed to have breakfast!"

Leo yelped in joy. I knew he was happy because I had gotten better at understanding emotions after the cornucopia. Our heads all spun around to look at him. He was looking at a door to a shop. There was a girl standing there, smiling. "Calypso!" He gasped, running towards her and throwing his arms around Calypso's neck. "My Sunshine!"

"Sunshine" scowled. "I am not Sunshine," she said. Then she kissed Leo full on the lips. "I came here because Dumbledore told me you were going to be here without any wizards. Even though I left Ogygia, I am still the daughter of Atlas and have some powers. Can I go...wherever you're going?"

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks," Leo said, pointing to a pub. "Not much people. Only the teachers."

Percy grinned. "Let's see if Umbridge's here!"

He pulled a paper out of his pocket. "Harry gave it to me. It's a map that Harry's dad and his friends made. Really useful."

Calypso peered at it.

Percy tapped the parchment with his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said. I gasped in shock when it opened up into a map of Hogwarts. Names and dots were all over the place.

"No way," Leo breathed, leaning in. "A map of where everyone is!"

I grinned. "Umbridge is in her office, see? She's pacing, and...I think the paint hasn't disappeared yet."

Percy nodded. "Celestial bronze doesn't go away that easily. I promised to give this back to Harry when we were done with it."

We went in the Three Broomsticks. Professor McGonagall was there, drinking tea and reading a newspaper. "Hello," she said, without looking up. "Dumbledore told us you would come. Would you like butterbeers?"

I nodded. The stuff I had drunk yesterday was pretty good. Jason steered me to a table, followed by Percy and the others.

Calypso approached the Professor. "Hello?" she asked. "Chiron sent me for the day, I wonder if you have any way to get me back?"

The professor looked up( finally). "Yes. Chiron sent an owl ahead of time to tell me. You have a bit of traveling magic, but it doesn't work when you are outside America, I assume?"

Calypso nodded.

"You can use floo powder," Professor McGonagall said, going back to reading her paper. "See me when you are about to leave, I'll be at my office."

"Well, this is fun!" said Leo, leaning back in his chair. "Nothing to do, no monsters-"

I clasped my hands over his mouth. "The last time I thought we were safe, Sciron's giant turtle attacked!"

He looked at me. "Really? Oh...then maybe I should-"

"Shut up?" Will suggested.

Calypso cocked her head. "I'm guessing 'shut up' means to be quiet?"

Nico nodded, putting his hands on Will's shoulders despite the no-touching rule he has. "Calypso, you should learn to say this more often if you're going to be Leo's girlfriend."

Calypso smiled. "I'll keep that in my mind. Speaking of that, what is the matter between you and Will?"

Nico glanced at me, then at Jason. "Well...I am his...friend?" he managed. "Good friend?"

He answered Calypso's question with his own questions, I thought, grinning. I mean, a daughter of Aphrodite knows plenty about love. I could clearly feel the relationships between Nico and Will, and it was much better that friends.

Will shrugged helplessly.

Calypso nodded, but she still looked confused. Well, somebody who stayed on an island for, like, three thousand years probably doesn't know much about love, but she probably knows very much about being lonely and hurt. Calypso had fallen for all the heroes who had gone to her island, but none of them stayed with her. Leo was the first to go there twice.

"Okay..."

"Let's have some pizza!" Percy exclaimed. Do you think they have it in this bar?"

Annabeth shook her head. "No."

"But...can't you just summon food?" I asked.

Annabeth smirked. "Of course not! Food is one of the five-"

"Oh, please," Percy interrupted. "Leo, you've got the magic chest, right?"

My mouth opened wide. "What? But how?"

Calypso laughed her twinkling laugh. "I used my transportation powers. Jake thought you might've wanted in."

Leo nodded. "So, here it is!" he said brightly. He rummaged in a bag he had brought along. "So...Percy, you wanted pizza?"

He pulled a plate full of hot pizza out of the chest. Then he got a platter of pancakes( duh). Percy started wolfing it down.

The rest of the trip was fun. We got new quills, Annabeth got a book because she said she would "die" if she didn't get one.

We went on our way back. Calypso turned to us. "I'm going to the Professor's office. Do you know where it is?"

Leo nodded. "Come on. Are you coming?"

I nodded, and so did everyone else.

When we got there, Professor McGonagall gave Calypso a jar of green powder. "Throw this in the fire and say where you want to go. Then step in the flames.

Calypso stepped up, smiled, and gave Leo one last parting kiss. "I have to go, Leo. Don't try following me, it won't work. The best we can do is keep in contact with Iris-messaging."

She looked to the sky. "You know, speaking of that, I haven't seen Iris for a while. Maybe I'll say hi to her"

Leo gave her a sad smile. "See you."

With that, Calypso threw the powder into the flames. The orange light turned green. She called out, "Camp Half-Blood!"

She disappeared into the flickering flames. Leo looked at her smiling face one more time before it vanished, probably to Camp.

"Dumbledore now?" Jason asked. "He said to go meet him after the trip."

Annabeth nodded and pulled Percy out the door. After a nanosecond, we followed.

"So what's this about?" Thalia asked. I shrugged

Annabeth looked at the next corner. "Gargoyles," she said. "Great works of-"

"All right, Annabeth," said Percy , a little impatiently. "We don't have time for your usual architecture lectures."

Annabeth smiled and pulled him into a kiss. "Sorry. Got a little overexcited."

"Anyway, Lemon Drop!" Percy said. The gargoyles sprang apart, opening the door to Dumbledore's office. We went up the stairs.

"Welcome, my dear demigods!" Dumbledore said, smiling. His half-moon glasses twinkled. "Do you miss training at your camp?"

Annabeth and Percy nodded immediately.

"Well, I've been thinking of that," Dumbledore told us. "Chiron sent me a note at the bottom of his letter that you would be greatly pleased to have a small training room in your free times."

I brightened. "Professor, is that possible?"

"Oh, yes."

"Where?" asked Leo excitedly. "I could use some hammering."

"Well...I arranged an empty classroom. At your enchantment, it can..." Dumbledore thought for a moment.

"Ah yes, it can look like a wall, have no sound, have machine-made different scenes, and a forge. Leo, of course you may make metal monsters to fight with."

Leo blinked. "Fight my automatons? Only problem is that I love my automatons!"

"Or your friend Hazel could make some monsters out of mist?" Dumbledore suggested.

"Or we could try the old fashioned way-make Thalia or Nico or me to step outside for a minute," Percy grumbled. "But who knows what kinds of monsters are here, now that we're in the same continent as the Ancient Lands?"

"Bad kinds?" I asked. "Worst-than-American kinds?"

"Yeah."

Dumbledore stood. "Follow me, my dear students. Afterwards, you are dismissed to dinner."

We went with him until we were facing a wall. Luckily, this wasn't just a wall, it had a door in it! Surprise, surprise. I mean, seriously, if I had to run through a wall one more time (and I think I will), I'll try charmspeaking the wall to open a door.

"Here's the room?" Jason asked, putting his hand on the doorknob. Dumbledore nodded. "Of course, you could make passwords, but that is of no use when the other pupils cannot even see the door, correct?"

Annabeth nodded. Jason turned to me. "After you, Pipes."

I smiled at him and entered. "Wow. So fancy.

Sarcasm. There was nothing actually wow about it. There was a sword stand, but not much else. Oh, right, there was also a table.

"Uh...what's so special about this place again?" I asked Dumbledore.

"My dear, you have magic, do you not? Say, imagine for the door to disappear. Your friends shall be witnesses."

I took my wand out and closed my eyes, leaving Jason peering at me through his glasses and the rest of my friends outside. Vanish the door, vanish the door...

I peeked. The door was still here, but it was the other side that mattered. "Yo, guys!" I called. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" came Percy's reply. Then Leo's voice cut in.

"Awesome! Is this like the barrier? Can I run through it?"

I wanted to yell at him to stop being an idiot, but it was too late. A second later, I heard a bang and a muffled voice that was evidently cursing. "Stupid door!" Leo yelled. "Piper, can you let me in?"

I laughed and concentrated on making the door appear again. Within seconds, Leo burst in. "Wow!" he said. "What a clear space! Uh...emphasis on 'clear'?"

"Yeah," Annabeth sighed. "But Dumbledore told us we can make the scenes change at will, remember? Let's try it out!"

Percy's stomach groaned. "Dinner first?" he pleaded. "We can go back to this classroom later."

We stepped out of the room, then Hazel used her magic to reduce the door to a mark the size of a quarter. "Press that when you want to open it," she said.

Well...after dinner, we all went back to the practice room.

"Are we going to do homework anytime soon?" asked Annabeth crossly. "I mean, I love training, seriously, but we don't want to get T's for everything."

"Use some voodoo magic?" Percy asked. "Hey Annabeth, aren't you already done with everything?"

Annabeth nodded. "But I was talking about you, seaweed brain! You and...everyone else."

"Hey!" Percy protested. "Can't you just tell us what to write and get it over with?"

"Well...hey, that's cheating! That's...that's plagiarizing!" Annabeth shouted.

"No it isn't," said Jason. "You guys are, like, one person."

Annabeth glared at him. "We are not completely one person. But we are kind of attached, maybe."

Percy grinned and slapped Jason on the back. "Nice one, bro."

Jason smirked back. He pecked me on the cheek before grabbing my arms and pulling me into the room.

After a long day of party, sleep was welcoming-even if it included dreams about some stupid scorpion. I sighed. Morpheus was probably messing with me again. Either that, or we will have a hard day tomorrow.

If I had to guess, it would be the second option: we will have a hard day ahead of us.

Yeah, it's longer than that other one. Oh, question. When they do patronusus, do you like animals for demigods or people? Ta, bye!