Harry

"Dragons?" Hermione yelped when he told her everything he'd learnt, the night before.

Harry had hoped her reaction would be different, that she'd say "Oh, that's easy! I read somewhere in a book that…" and proceed to solve the problem, as she had in the past. Instead, the panic in her eyes told him what he already knew – he was doomed.

The lake glittered in the morning sunlight. It seemed unfair, Harry thought, that the rest of the world should continue as normal while he faced such dire circumstances.

"You know what we need to do, right?" said Hermione, her mouth set with determination.

Harry groaned, "The library?"

Ten minutes later, he was pulling down every book he could find on dragons. Hermione muttered furiously to herself as she poured over an enormous pile of spell books while Harry, his brain filled with a blank buzzing, read the same lines over and over again…

"Talon-clipping by charms… Treating scale rot…"

"Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate…" This book seemed determined to point out the obvious.

"What do you think the first task will be?"

It was Annabeth; Harry glimpsed her, sitting with Percy, through the bookshelves. She was cradling a copy of Hogwarts: A History, Hermione's favourite book, in her lap.

"Whatever it is, I can handle it," Percy's voice carried across the room.

"Unless it's a spell you have to cast…" Annabeth pointed out, "Or a knowledge test… Maybe you should get a wand – you made Harry's work."

"I told you, I don't know how I did that!"

If Harry was right, Percy was the only champion who didn't know about the dragons. Madame Maxine had surely told Fleur, by now. The decent thing to do would be to tell him.

But Percy was a hero. Judging from the demigods' history lesson, he had faced much worse enemies and won. Why give him another advantage when he was already older and obviously more experienced than his competitors?

"I'm going to get another book," he told Hermione, making up is mind, "Stay here."

"Okay," she mumbled, barely looking up from Men Who Love Dragons Too Much.

"Hey, guys," Harry said, sliding into the spare seat at Percy and Annabeth's table.

"Hi, Harry," Annabeth smiled, "We were just talking about the first task."

"I know, I-I heard you," he opened his mouth to say more but found himself choking on the words. If he should have to suffer knowing what was coming, why shouldn't Percy suffer not knowing? What if Percy laughed at him and said, "Dragons? I eat dragons for breakfast!"?

"Dragons!" he blurted out, "I mean, the first task is dragons."

Percy stared at him, "Are you sure they're not drakons?"

"Um… yes."

"Oh, that's good," relief washed across his face.

Good?

"Look, guys," Harry said, seriously, "I don't know if wizarding world dragons are different but I'm talking fifty-foot, fire-breathing monsters covered in spikes and scales that even your sword won't touch."

"Oh," said Percy.

"Why are you telling us this?" Annabeth demanded, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I didn't want to, at first," he admitted, "But Fleur knows too, so it's only fair."

"Harry…" Percy grimaced, "Thanks."

"It's okay," and it was – really. Harry realised he felt better, lighter, like the knowledge wasn't so heavy now he wasn't alone in bearing it, "I should go… figure out how to fight these things."

"Harry, one more thing!" Annabeth called after him.

He turned to face her, "Yeah?"

"Can I borrow your wand?"

Annabeth

Autumn sunlight streamed through the windows of the empty classroom Annabeth had commandeered for their meeting. Demigods from all four houses were strewn across the desks, propping their feet up as they swapped stories and homework answers. Nico – the only one who'd ever actually used a quill – was scratching out Will's potions essay for him, while the son of Apollo played with his hair.

"So," the attention fell on Annabeth as she started speaking and she couldn't help missing the ping-pong table and cheese whiz that normally accompanied their war councils, "I called you all here to discuss something strange that happened the other day, with Percy and a wizard's wand."

Percy scowled at the desk and Annabeth resisted the urge to squeeze his hand comfortingly.

"We need to know if this is a demigod thing or a Percy thing." Please, not a Percy thing, she thought. Annabeth wasn't sure how many more "Percy things," they could handle, "So, Percy, if you will…" She gestured for him to take Harry's borrowed wand which sat, innocently, on the desk.

Sighing, he picked it up, "Uh… what do I say?"

"Abracadabra?" Chiara volunteered.

Lou Ellen chuckled, "Alakazam!"

"A real spell," Annabeth insisted, "Something you've heard Harry or one of his friends say."

"Okay, then. Here goes…" Percy glared at the wand, as if daring it to work, "Expelliarmus!"

For a moment, nothing happened. Annabeth even thought, huh, maybe it was a mistake, maybe Percy isn't in trouble again. Then; Crash! The windows shattered, broken glass scattering across the flagstones. People screamed, scrambling back, as Percy pushed Annabeth out of the way. He stared at the wand in his hand, terror creeping across his expression.

"Well," he said, with a shaky grin, "That worked."

Annabeth snatched the wand out of his hand, "Let's not try that again. Is anybody hurt?"

Connor had a nasty gash across one cheek that was healed with ambrosia and Sherman Yang had hit his head, diving in front of Miranda. Will rolled his eyes as he healed him.

"What is it with you and concussions?"

"That makes my pig balls look like nothing!" Lou Ellen gazed in awe at the wand, "Can we all do that?"

"Try it," Annabeth said, gingerly handing it over.

"Expelliarmus!"

There was no noise like the world ending, no broken glass or flashing lights. The unbroken windows stayed unbroken. After Lou, Connor tried it, followed by Damien, Sherman, Miranda, Chiara, Will and Paolo…

"Alohomora!"

"Aguamenti!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The demigods' attempts were met with deafening silence. Each failure turned Percy's ears redder and Annabeth's heart grew heavy as, finally, she picked up the wand.

It wouldn't work, she knew. She could feel it – she just wasn't a witch.

"Accio!" The summoning charm she'd watched Hermione learn summoned nothing, but some of the hope in Percy's eyes disappeared.

"No one else can do it," Lou said, "That means…"

"Nope! No. No way!" Percy pouted like a four-year-old, "I am not a wizard." But the demigods' looks told him otherwise.

Annabeth cleared her throat, "We shouldn't tell anyone about this. Not yet, anyway. Our priority is restoring power to Hecate." Lou nodded, gratefully.

The campers trickled out, leaving Percy and Annabeth alone. Will stopped, as he got to the door.

"Nico didn't try it."

Nico's eyes widened, "I-I don't think I should. It's a bad idea, I…"

Percy looked at him, desperately, "C'mon, you have to try it! I can't be the only one!"

"I…"

"Nico," Will frowned, concerned, "What's wrong?"

"I…I've been having dreams," nervously, he checked the corridor, coming in and closing the door firmly behind him. He was talking quickly now, flushing, "About Bianca… at Hogwarts. I-I think she was a witch." He looked up through his hair, as though expecting them to laugh.

Will rubbed his temples, "If she was a witch, does that make you…?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to! You can't tell anyone about this!"

"Nico," Annabeth leaned forward, "What happens in these dreams?"

"I see Bianca in a Hogwarts uniform. She's getting the train, and then-" he opened his mouth as though he wanted to say more, but stopped abruptly, "That's it."

Will was watching him, intently, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! I-" Nico took a deep breath, "That's all I remember."

Annabeth watched them leave. Percy came over, burying his face in her hair.

"I just want to go to college in New Rome, with you," he complained, "I don't want to be a wizard!"

But he was and so, it seemed, was Nico. How much more complicated could this quest get?

And, more importantly, how much more could Percy take?

Sorry it's (a bit) late! I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think of the story so far and remember to favourite/follow for more! Have a great weekend.