A/N - So here's the next chapter. Really sorry for the long wait…
Do review and tell me what your opinions are. Finally, the demigods and the wizards are going to be introduced to each other.
But first, there's the treasure hunt to finish. Next chapter will be the Gods' revelation, but it won't be coming out until March 15. My tenth grade board examinations are about to start. (Boohoo) Wish me luck!
Harry and his team returned to a chaotic common room. Their decisive victory over the opposing team had put them in the top slot for now.
The first Goofball match had been a roaring success, and the entire school was talking about it. Almost all the first-years and most of the second-years had turned up for the first match, but the next one was going to have an even bigger audience, Harry was sure. News at Hogwarts spread very quickly. Harry remembered when he had asked Ginny to go out with him to Hogsmeade after the first week back at Hogwarts. She had agreed immediately, of course and within an hour of it, the entire school knew it and was talking about it.
So, anyway, the game had been a startlingly huge success and Harry knew Fred and George would be beaming at each other over the success of their game, even now. Those twins had already made enough money to settle down and live the rest of their lives in luxury. But their dream, Harry knew (he was the only person they had told), was to expand their sales to the entire world, and then open a branch of products for the muggle world too. Arthur Weasley would be elated, and they would be the most-talked-about company in the whole world. It was a very, very ambitious dream, but Harry knew that if anyone could do it, the twins could. He had given them his enthusiastic moral support and they had said, "When you retire from Auror service, Harry, you will be the brand ambassador for our company. Imagine it... The Boy Who Lived (twice!) advertising our brand! We will have England under our cap in a month!"
Harry was jerked back to reality when Ginny squeezed his arm and leaned in to kiss him happily. He gazed around the common room and beamed at no one in particular.
Surprisingly, Dean's team had walked up to Harry's team as soon as they entered the common room and had congratulated them. "But look out for your lives next match. We won't go quite this easy on you next time!" Dean said teasingly.
"Sure, we'll be ready!" Ginny replied. Dean snorted and Ginny punched him on the arm. After the war, things had changed between Dean and Ginny. They weren't awkward or embarrassed around each other anymore. They seemed to have developed a lasting friendship, and Harry was happy about it. He knew for a fact that Dean had been sending furtive stares at a Ravenclaw girl for the past few months and teased him about it until Dean went as red as a tomato.
Relieved glances were sent all around the common room. The audience had been scared that the two teams would be at each others' necks because of Harry's victory. But their suspicions were proven groundless when Dean suggested a celebratory party.
"It's been a long time since we've had a party to celebrate a game victory! So let's have one now in honor of Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. After all, we Gryffindors stick together always! Why have a fight over a crazy game now?"
The Gryffindors cheered and hooted for Dean. Dennis Creevey spoke up, "I think the losers deserve a loud round of applause too. They put up quite a tough competition for Harry's team!"
"On this note, I want to tell you all about an idea that has been brewing in my head for the past couple of days. Why don't we name our goofball teams something? It's quite difficult to say 'Harry's team' or 'Dean's team' all the time..." Hermione said uncertainly.
The Gryffindors roared their approval. It seemed as if they were unable to do anything silently on that excitement-filled day. Hermione flushed, pleased at their approval of her plan, and sat down next to Ron. Ron took her hand immediately, and she flushed an even brighter red.
At one, the entire common room hooted, and the party began. Cocktails were passed around, music was played and everybody celebrated, warmth and happiness enveloping the students all at once.
Professor McGonagall trudged to her office wearily. Apart from being Headmistress, she was still Gryffindor head and Transfiguration teacher. She was seriously considering transferring responsibilities of Gryffindor head to some other teacher, though. She had just returned after instructing her noisy children to stop partying and go to bed. It was almost midnight, and they were still up, 'celebrating'. They just needed some excuse to stay up late, didn't they?
She was about to call it a day, and go to her own bed, when she heard the tapping of an owl outside her window. She let it in, and took the letter rolled up and tied to one of its feet.
Headmistress McGonagall read the letter thoroughly and sighed. She was not at all sure about this new plan of the Ministry's. Kingsley Shacklebolt had been elected unanimously as the new Minister for Magic, and he had decided to introduce the wizarding world to some other people who had been in hiding. He thought it was time to forge some new allies, should their help ever be required and should any other dark wizard like Voldemort ever rise.
Shacklebolt had set up communications with a centaur called Chiron, and soon, something big was about to happen at Hogwarts. The students would be let in on the secret, and then, the rest of the magical world. Hogwarts students would be sent to 'Camp Half-blood' (which, by the way, was not a camp for wizard half-bloods, as one would immediately assume) and would be taught various muggle forms of combat. During school-time, children from the Camp would be sent to Hogwarts for magical training.
McGonagall assumed there would be an experiment of sorts, where she would have to select certain students to go to Camp, and try the process out, before all Hogwarts students could be sent there. There would be no problem at all in selecting those students, though. Of course, it had to be the Golden Trio as they had begun to be called. And some other students who had survived the Battle of Hogwarts. They had been toughened by war, and would be ready to face any challenge. They were strong, capable of defending themselves and resourceful. Needless to include, Miss Granger's intelligence and decision-making capability would finish the qualities required for such a trial, perfectly.
And though these students were enjoying themselves perfectly, or so everyone else thought, Minerva could see that they really needed a change of atmosphere. At Hogwarts, they would always be reminded of their dead friends, of the terrible situations they had had to face, of the stands they had had to take in these very corridors, in these very classrooms and halls. Yes, her decision was made and it would stand firm...
A/N - Many thanks to my editor, Percy-Jackson-is-the-best-ever.
Any thoughts? Any comments? Any suggestions? Do review. Or feel free to PM me. Either is fine!
By the way, what do you think I should name the Goofball teams? I want an especially good one for Harry's team! You suggest and I'll pick!