With the children of Hades gone, the group decided that it was time to set off back on their quest. Before they left, Eurytion shuffled up to Annabeth. He said, "I reckon you'll be looking for Daedalus' workshop? Honestly, I don't know where it is, myself. Maybe Hephaestus knows."

Annabeth nodded, "Lady Hera said the same thing, but how will we find him?"

Eurytion pulled out a necklace from his pocket and handed it to her. The necklace was a silver chain with a smooth silver disc attached to it. He said, "Hephaestus comes here from time to time. Studies the animals and such so he can make bronze automaton copies. Last time, I – uh – did him a favour. A little trick he wanted to play on my dad, Ares, and Aphrodite. He gave me that chain in gratitude. Said if I ever needed to find him, the disc would lead me to his forges. But only once. I don't need to see the forges, miss. Got enough to do here. Just press the button and you'll be on your way."

She pressed the button and then shrieked fearfully when the disc suddenly grew eight metallic legs. The terrified girl threw it on the ground and it began scuttling away. Eurytion had the decency to look embarrassed, "Sorry about that miss. Forgot about Arachne's grudge with Athena."

The group soon followed the metallic spider out of the ranch. Annabeth was only too happy to let Percy take the lead, while she hung behind him. Harry volunteered to bring up the rear because he didn't want a nasty surprise ambush from behind.

For such a little thing, the spider was pretty quick on its feet. It was only thanks to Grover and Tyson's hearing that they managed to stay on track. The little spider took them helter-skelter and then finally into a marble tunnel that opened up into a large abyss. Percy would have tumbled to his death, had it not been for Tyson.

On the low ceiling hung a series of iron rungs in the ceiling. The mechanical spider was about halfway across, swinging from bar to bar by shooting out metal web fibre. Annabeth grinned, "Monkey bars! I love these!"

She enthusiastically grabbed one and began swinging her way across. Harry sighed good-naturedly, "Blimey! She's scared of spiders, but not potentially going splat on the ground and a one-way ticket to the Underworld?"

Percy snorted, "Go figure."

Grover was somehow managing, but when Tyson reached up and grabbed a bar, it broke loose. Now on the other side, Harry solved that issue by levitating him across the chasm.

As they continued down the path, they stumbled across a few stray skeletons. Strangely enough, some were wearing what looked like school clothes.

There was also a crunching sound, and when they shone their flashlights, found broken pencils and wooden shavings. The tunnel then opened up into a large room. A blazing light washed over the group and the first thing that Percy noticed was the sight of dozens of skeletons scattered on the ground.

Then he saw the monster. She stood on a glittery dais on the opposite side of the room. She had the body of a huge lion and the head of a woman. She would've been pretty, but her hair was tied back in a tight bun and she wore a ton of makeup. She had a blue ribbon badge pinned to her chest that that read: THIS MONSTER HAS BEEN RATED EXEMPLARY!

Tyson whimpered as the Sphinx snarled briefly. Percy moved closer to comfort his baby brother, remembering that he had a bad experience with one. The mechanical spider continued on without a care in the world, but the demigods were not so lucky.

Suddenly, the Sphinx plastered a big smile on her face, "Welcome, lucky contestants! Get ready to play… ANSWER THAT RIDDLE! Fabulous prizes! Pass the test, and you get to advance! Fail, and I get to eat you! Who will be our contestant?"

Annabeth was smiling, "I've got this! I know what she's going to ask."

However, Harry grabbed her arm, "Beth… be careful. I don't think it'll be that easy mate. It's been centuries, and she would have found different and tougher riddles by now. The last one I faced asked a different riddle."

She shook her head, "I doubt it Harry. She's most likely going to say the same classic riddle, but I'll keep what you said in mind."

She stepped forward and the monster cried, "Welcome, Annabeth Chase! Are you ready for your test?"

She nodded firmly, "Yes, Ask your riddle."

The sphinx cleared her throat, "My first is a Hundred, my second is a star sign, my third is a friendly gesture and my fourth is a sun god! String them together and you get a monarch!"

That threw Annabeth off and Harry shot her a long 'I told you so' look. She blurted, "Wait… What about that other riddle about man? The one that went, 'What walks on four legs in the morning…'"

The Sphinx gave a feral grin, "That's exactly why we changed the riddle. Everyone already knew the answer."

That shut her up and she face-palmed. After berating herself for her hubris, she began to think, "A hundred… a star sign… a gesture and a sun god… That last one's definitely not Apollo. Maybe Helios…?"

Then it struck her, "C, Leo, Pat, Ra… Cleopatra!"

Around them, canned applause rang out and the Sphinx was slightly disappointed for a brief moment. Then she plastered a smile back on her face, "Correct! You and your companions may pass."

As they walked past, Tyson nervously said, "W-w-well… that was-"

Harry interrupted him, "Don't say it! You'll jinx us and I hate tempting the Fates."

Eventually, they all left the Sphinx behind as she waited for her next victim. By the time they made it out, they lost sight of the spider. Tyson and Grover couldn't hear it either, so they turned to Harry, who used his tracking skills. It took a while, but Grover's sharp ears soon picked up a faint scrabbling sound.

They quickened their pace and the sound grew more audible. Then the sound changed to a faint pinging sound. Eventually they found it banging its tiny head on a metal door, repeatedly.

The door itself resembled an old-fashioned submarine hatch – oval, with metal rivets around the edges and a wheel for a doorknob. Instead of the portal window, there was a big brass plaque, green with age, with a Greek Êta inscribed in the middle.

Tyson grinned, "What are we waiting for! Let's go meet Hephaestus!"

With that, he grabbed the wheel door knob and turned it open. Once the door opened, the spider automaton wasted no time in scuttling in. Tyson also bounded in fairly enthusiastically. The others followed him in, not knowing what to expect.

The room resembled a mechanic's garage, with several hydraulic lifts. Some had cars on them, but others had stranger things: a bronze hippalektryon with its horse head off and a bunch of wires hanging out of its rooster tail, a metal lion that seemed to be hooked up to a battery charger, and a Greek war chariot made entirely of flames.

Smaller projects were arbitrarily scattered onto a dozen worktables. Tools hung along the walls, but in haphazard fashion. The next thing that assaulted their senses was a banging sound. It seemed to come from under the nearest hydraulic lift. It had a '98 Toyota Corolla mounted on it and a pair of legs stuck out from under the car. The owner of those legs was a huge man in grubby grey overalls and shoes even bigger than Tyson's. One leg was in a metal brace.

The spider scuttled straight under the car, and a moment later the banging stopped. A deep voice boomed, "Well. What have we here?"

Hephaestus emerged from under the car and sat up. Now that he was in the comfort of his own domain, he had no shame in his own appearance. He wore overalls smeared with oil and grime and his name was embroidered on his breast pocket.

His leg creaked and clicked in a metal brace as he stood, and his left shoulder was lower than his right. This gave the impression that he was leaning even while standing up straight. His head was misshapen and bulging. He wore a permanent scowl and his black beard smoked and hissed.

Every once in a while a small wildfire would erupt in his moustache and then die out. His hands were huge, but surprisingly delicate, as he picked up the spider and handled it with amazing skill and surprisingly delicate hands.

He tinkered with the spider before sending it away and finally turned to the group. He glowered at them, "I didn't make you all, did I?"

Annabeth nervously said, "No sir…"

He grumbled, "Good… shoddy workmanship. I would have gotten rid of that damn scar on that one's forehead."

Percy interrupted to cut the awkwardness, "We've met, sir…"

The god glanced at him, scratching his straggly beard. He grunted, "Have we? Well then, if I didn't smash you to a pulp the first time we met, I suppose I won't have to do it now."

He barely acknowledged Annabeth, Harry and Grover. However, his eyes twinkled at the sight of Tyson. He mused, "Well, a Cyclops. Good, good. What are you doing travelling with this lot? There'd better be a good reason you're disturbing me. The suspension on this Corolla is no small matter, you know."

Annabeth hesitantly said, "Sir, we're looking for Daedalus. We thought –"

He interrupted her rather explosively, as if a switch had been flipped. Hephaestus thundered, "Daedalus? You want that old scoundrel? You dare to seek him out! You're wasting your time."

He calmed down after a moment and began tinkering with some scraps. Mere minutes later, he had created a bronze and silver falcon. The metallic avian suddenly spread its wings and flew around the room. An ecstatic Tyson laughed giddily and clapped his hands. The bird landed on Tyson's shoulder and nipped his ear affectionately.

Hephaestus glanced at him and his face softened ever so slightly. He spoke, 'I sense you have something to tell me, Cyclops."

Tyson's enthusiasm wilted, "Y-yes lord. We met a Hundred-Handed One."

Hephaestus did not look surprised, "Briares?"

"Yes sir. He… he was scared. He would not help us. Briares should be strong, because he is older and greater than Cyclopes. But he ran away."

Hephaestus grunted regretfully, "There was a time when I admired the Hundred-handed Ones. Back in the days of the first war. But people, monsters, even gods change, young Cyclops. You can't trust them. Look at my loving mother, Hera. You met her, didn't you? She'll smile to your face and talk about how important family is, eh? Didn't stop her from pitching me off Mount Olympus when she saw my ugly face."

He sneered, "She also likes pinning that on Zeus. Makes her seem more likeable, doesn't it? Blaming it all on my father. The truth is, my mother likes families, but she likes a certain kind of family. Perfect families. She took one look at me and… well, I don't fit the image, do I? Believe me, you can't trust others. All you can trust is the work of your own hands."

Finally, he focused on Percy, "Alright, enough of living in the past. What would you ask of me?"

Percy replied, "We need to find Daedalus, sir. There's this guy Luke, and he's working for Kronos. He's trying to find a way to navigate the Labyrinth so he can invade our camp. If we don't get to Daedalus first –"

Hephaestus snapped, "I told you, boy. Looking for Daedalus is a waste of time. He won't help you!"

Annabeth burst out, "Why not?!"

Hephaestus shrugged, "Some of us get thrown off mountainsides. Some of us… the way we learn not to trust people is even more painful. Ask me for gold. Or a flaming sword. Or a magical steed. These I can grant you easily. But a way to Daedalus? That's an expensive favour."

She had an expectant look, "So you know where he is?"

Hephaestus narrowed his eyes at her, "You're a daughter of Athena, right? Fine goddess, Athena. A shame she pledged never to marry. All right, half-blood. I can tell you what you want to know. But there is a price. I need a favour done."

The blonde girl did not hesitate in accepting. To their utter confusion, the god belted out a belly laugh. He guffawed, "You heroes… Always making rash promises. How refreshing!"

He then pressed a button on his work bench and metal shutters opened along the wall. This revealed a massive window that showed a grey mountain surrounded by a ring of lush forests. Smoke rose from the mountain crest, indicating that it was a volcano.

Hephaestus explained, "One of my forges. I have many, but that used to be my favourite."

Harry gasped, "Blimey! That's Mount St Helens!"

Grover grinned, "I like the place. Great forests around there. I went there while on the search for Pan."

Annabeth tilted her head curiously, "Wait... Used to be your favourite?"

"Aye lass… that's where the monster Typhon is trapped, you know. Used to be under Mount Etna, but when we moved to America, his life force got pinned under Mount St Helens instead. Great source of fire, but a bit dangerous. There's always a chance he will escape. Lots of eruptions these days, smouldering all the time. He's restless with the Titan rebellion. Back in 1980, was it? There was an earthquake and he nearly broke free. Fortunately, us gods checked on him immediately and tightened the bonds."

Percy asked, "So, are you asking us to fight him?"

Hephaestus snorted, "That would be suicide. The gods themselves ran from Typhon when he was free. No, pray you never have to see him, much less fight him. But lately I have sensed intruders in my mountain. Someone or something is using my forges. When I go there, it is empty, but I can tell it is being used. They sense me coming, and they disappear. I've been sending my automatons to investigate, but they do not return. Something ancient is there. Evil. I want to know who dares invade my territory, and if they mean to loose Typhon…"

Percy finished for him, "So you're asking us to go and investigate?"

Hephaestus nodded, "Precisely. Go there. They may not sense you coming, since you are demigods. Go and find out what you can. Report back to me, and I will tell you what you need to know about Daedalus."

He then pointed to Harry, "You there… I've heard your mother say often enough, that you have excellent tracking skills. I trust that you will lead everyone?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, my lord. You can count on me."

Hephaestus then snapped his fingers and the spider automaton came swinging back down. The god grunted, "My creation will take you part of the way, until you reach the Labyrinth exit. From there, you're on your own."

As they left, Hephaestus called after them, "It is not far through the Labyrinth. And try to stay alive, will you? Humans are much more fragile than automatons."

The spider led the group for a while, and then stopped in front of a tunnel. Said tunnel appeared to be dug from raw earth and it was wrapped in tree roots. Harry took a deep breath and forged ahead, and the others followed, expect for Grover. The satyr stood stock still and his curly hair rustled in the breeze.

Percy stopped and called out to the others to stop. He asked, "Grover? You okay, dude?"

Grover had an awestruck look on his face, "This is the way… This is it… The way to Pan. Don't you smell is?"

Tyson nodded sagely, "I do… Earth and plants."

Annabeth swallowed her impatience and gently told him, "We'll come back. On our way back to Hephaestus."

He brayed, "The tunnel will be gone by then. I have to follow it. A door like this won't stay open!"

Annabeth debated on what to do. Percy spoke up, "We'll split up."

She shook her head violently, "No! That's way too dangerous. How will we ever find each other again? And Grover can't go alone."

Harry raised his hand, "I'll go with him. Maybe my connection with Artemis could be of some help."

She shook her head again, "Harry, we need you to show us the way to Mount St Helens."

Finally, Tyson placed a large meaty hand on Grover's shoulder. He firmly said, "I will go with him. Goat boy needs help. We will find the god person. I am not like Hephaestus. I trust friends."

Grover breathed deeply, "Percy, we'll find each other again. We've still got the empathy link."

Then Harry began rummaging in his backpack and pulled out a mirror. He handed one to Grover and said, "Just for the sake of insurance. This is a two-way communication mirror. Uncle Sirius gave a few of these to me. All you have to do is say 'Contact Harry Potter' while looking into the mirror."

Grover and Percy shook hands, Annabeth hugged him and he and Harry clasped each other's forearms and shook. Finally, Tyson wrapped all three of them in a big bear hug.

As Percy, Harry and Annabeth went on without their companions, the temperature in the tunnel began to rise. The walls changed to stone and soon adopted a faint orange glow. Then it began to slope downwards and then a dull constant roar could be heard. Harry wiped some sweat from his brow and continued towards the sound. The roaring grew louder, and nearly half a kilometre later, they entered a large cavern, the size of Old Trafford Stadium.

There was no floor, just bubbling lava hundreds of metres below. The trio had emerged on a rock ridge that circled the cavern. A network of metal bridges spanned across the magma-filled chasm. At the centre was a huge platform with all sorts of machines, cauldrons, forges and a massive anvil. Creatures moved around the platform – several strange, dark shapes, but they were too far away to make out details.

Percy muttered, "What the hell are those things?"

Annabeth turned to Harry, "You have your cloak?"

He shook his head, "Sorry mate. I gave it to Bianca when she came to take Nico back."

She sighed, "Okay, I'll go check it out. You see that mine cart over there? See if both of you can try and sneak in and hide. I'll join you in a few minutes."

With that, the girl donned her cap and turned invisible. Meanwhile, Harry and Percy crept along the outer rim of the lava lake. Eventually, they reached the cart and they slowly hopped in and pulled the tarp over themselves.

As they hid, they heard voices, one asked, "Bring it in?"

"Yeah," another said. "Movie's just about done."

The cart lurched forward.

"Damn!" a gruff voice said. "Thing weighs a ton."

"It's celestial bronze,' the other said. 'What did you expect?"

Both boys were just along for the ride, until a new voice ordered for the cart to be put at the back. Then there was the sound of multiple voices, and one authoritarian voice barked, "Now, younglings. Please attend to the film. There will be time for questions afterwards."

A voice droned, "As a young sea demon matures, changes happen in the monster's body. You may notice your fangs getting longer and you may have a sudden desire to devour human beings. These changes are perfectly normal and happen to all young monsters."

Harry muttered, "Bloody Nora. Give me old Cuthbert Binns over this."

Then, there was even more droning from the narrator, and mercifully, the film finally ended.

"Now, younglings," the instructor said. "What is the proper name of our kind?"

"Sea demons!" one of them barked.

"No. Anyone else?"

"Telkhines!" another monster growled.

"Very good," the instructor said. "And why are we here?"

"Revenge!" several shouted.

"Yes, yes, but why?"

"Zeus is evil!" one monster hollered. "He cast us into Tartarus just because we used magic!"

"Indeed," the instructor said fretfully. "After we made so many of the gods' finest weapons. The trident of Poseidon, for one. And of course – we made the greatest weapon of the Titans! Nevertheless, Zeus cast us away and relied on those fumbling Cyclopes. That is why we are taking over the forges of the usurper Hephaestus. And soon we will control the undersea furnaces, our ancestral home!"

Harry and Percy gripped their respective sword and bow and arrows. Percy muttered, "What's a telkhine?"

Harry whispered back, "No clue, mate. When we get back, we'll ask Chiron."

Meanwhile the instructor called out, "And so, younglings, who do we serve?"

"Kronos!" they shouted.

"And when you grow to be big telkhines, will you make weapons for his army?"

"Yes!"

"Excellent. Now, we've brought in some scraps for you to practise with. Let's see how ingenious you are."

Harry and Percy shared a look and prepared to pounce. As soon as the tarp was thrown back, they sprang to their feet to meet their opponents. Apparently, telkhines were creatures with sleek black bodies, stubby legs that were half feet and half flipper and human-like hands with small claws. They also had faces that resembled dogs, with black snouts, brown eyes and pointy ears.

They all bared their teeth and one snarled, "Demigods!"

Another yelled, "Eat them!"

Before they could react, Percy slashed a wide arc and wiped out the entire front row of monsters. Harry followed it up with several arrows, wiping out another row. Percy hollered, "New lesson, class. Most monsters will vaporize when sliced with a celestial bronze sword. This change is perfectly normal, and will happen to you right now if you don't BACK OFF!"

Surprisingly, they all obeyed, even though they outnumbered the boys 20 to 2. Then Percy yelled, "CLASS DISMISSED", before bolting for the exit. Harry tailed him, covering his rear as the telkhines got over their surprised and gave chase.

Fortunately, the telkhines were not particularly quick. The boys sprinted down a tunnel to a door leading to the main cavern. Percy slammed it shut and turned the wheel handle before running again. When they rounded a corner, Annabeth materialised next to them and she was running as well. She yelled indignantly, "What did you two do? Are you trying to get us killed?"

Percy quickly filled her in on the orientation class and her anger faded. She said, "So that's what they are. Telkhines. I should've known. And they're making… Well, look."

They peeked over the edge to see the platform. Four telkhines were standing on it and they were fully grown. Their black skin glistened in the firelight as they worked, sparks flying as they took turns hammering on a long piece of glowing hot metal.

"The blade is almost complete," one said. "It needs another cooling in blood to fuse the metals."

"Aye," a second grinned. "It shall be even sharper than before."

Annabeth muttered, "They keep talking about fusing metals. I wonder what that could mean."

Percy told her, "Harry and I heard them talking about creating all sorts of weapons, including my dad's trident."

Harry picked up where he left off, "They said something about creating the greatest Titan weapon."

She mused, "The telkhines betrayed the gods. Apparently, they were caught practising dark magic. I don't know what, exactly, but Zeus banished them to Tartarus."

Harry frowned, "Evidently, they were hobnobbing with their new neighbour, Kronos."

Their discussions were cut short when the classroom door exploded. On cue, several young telkhines came pouring out. They stumbled over each other, trying to figure out which way to charge.

Percy had a determined look on his face, "Harry, Annabeth… Go… I'll buy you guys some time."

Annabeth shrieked, "Are you mad! No! I'm not leaving you!"

Percy insisted, "We don't have a choice! Besides, I have a plan, I think. Both of you go find Hephaestus and tell him what is happening. Harry… drag her away if you have to."

Annabeth glared at him, and then she surprised him by grabbing him and pulling him in for a kiss. When she finally pulled away, she smiled, "Be careful Seaweed Brain."

He was dazed a little but shook it off quickly. Percy glanced at Harry, who playfully jabbed, "Oh no! I'm not kissing you, mate. I don't swing that way, and I don't think Beth is the sharing type."

She punched Harry in his ribs and he laughed. Then his face grew serious, "Look mate… Don't die out there. Or I swear to the gods, I will get Bianca and Nico to drag your soul back into your body."

The moment was ruined by a pack of telkhines spotting the group and charging towards them. Harry and Annabeth broke away, leaving Percy to face off against the monsters alone.

About halfway towards an exit, Harry screeched to a stop. "Bollocks, what am I thinking. The noble git won't last a minute. Beth, you go find Hephaestus. I'll give Jackson some backup and bring him back alive. Then we can kick his arse together, later."

She paused to think about it for a few seconds and nodded before running again. Meanwhile, Harry doubled back, firing arrows at any telkhines who got in his way. He was just in time to see Percy in the distance. Unfortunately, the son of Poseidon was surrounded, with all exits blocked. The telkhines appeared to be chucking handfuls of lava, and he was on fire. Harry broke into a sprint, trying to get to the platform.

The next thing Harry knew, there was an earth-shattering explosion. The ground by his feet blew up spectacularly and the last thing he felt was his body flying at breakneck speed. Then the son of Artemis blacked out, while still feeling the sensation of flying.

After an unknown amount of time, consciousness finally found Harry and he cracked his eyes open. He blinked several times and when his vision cleared, found himself staring at a plain white ceiling. He also appeared to be lying down on a familiar bed. He turned his head to his right and suddenly recognised his surroundings.

Harry thought to himself, 'How the bloody hell did I get here to Hogwarts? In the Hospital Wing no less.'

Then he spotted Madam Pomfrey a few feet away and she saw that he was awake. She bustled over, "Ahh! Mr. Potter… I see that you are finally awake. What on earth possessed you to go skydiving without a parachute!"

He croaked, "H-h-how did I get here? Last thing I remember, I was at Mount St. Helens. Wait… Where's Percy?"

She replied, "Mr. Weasley is probably at home with his family."

He weakly shook his head, "No I mean my friend Percy Jackson."

Pomfrey replied, "I do not know any Percy Jackson, I'm afraid. Now, could you please explain what on earth happened?"

Just then, the door of the Hospital Wing opened and Professor Dumbledore walked inside. His eyes lit up, "Oh thank goodness that you are awake, my dear boy. I daresay, you were very fortunate, very fortunate indeed."

Harry weakly replied, "Hello professor, has the school term begun already?"

"No, my boy, there is still plenty of time. It is July 26th, if I'm not mistaken. So we have over a month of the summer vacation. However, Poppy generally stays here, year round, as do myself and the other professors. You were very lucky that Professor Sprout saw your body hurtling in the air while she was talking a walk around the grounds. You probably would have gone head-first into the Whomping Willow, had she not used the Slowing Charm, Arresto Momentum. I think you gave her quite a fright."

Harry calmed down a bit, and allowed Madam Pomfrey to run some diagnostic spells. She informed him that he had been unconscious for two days. Dumbledore sat down on the bed, "Well… I suppose that there is a fascinating tale that led us to this current predicament."

Harry then explained his story and Dumbledore just sat there and listened. Eventually, Madam Pomfrey allowed him to walk around on his own strength and Harry had nearly recovered. Harry and Dumbledore walked along the corridors, in silence until they reached the Headmaster's Office.

When he sat down at his desk, he fished out an envelope and slid it towards Harry. The old wizard spoke, "Harry… There is something I wish to tell you. As you are aware, you will be heading into your Fifth-Year when the term begins. Normally, this is a time to choose the House Prefects for Fifth-Year, Sixth-Year and the Head Boy and Head Girl. For the Gryffindor boys, Professor McGonagall recommended your name for Fifth-year Prefect. Just so you know, your friend, Ms Granger has been selected as the Fifth-Year Prefect for the girls."

With trembling hands, Harry dug into the envelope and fished out a shiny Prefect Badge. Then, a thought struck him and he made up his mind. Putting the badge back in carefully and pushing the envelope away he said, "Professor Dumbledore, I am honoured. Truly flattered that you and Professor McGonagall hold me in such high regard. However, I am afraid that I must decline the position. Professor… There is a war coming, and if us demigods don't act, Kronos could destroy the world. In between my classes, I plan to work even harder in my training if we have to stand a chance to stop the Titan army. Rita's reports have been growing more and more worrisome. Professor, I mean no disrespect, but I'm not sure if I can accept the Prefect position at this point of time. Especially considering that I will also be juggling my OWLs as well."

Dumbledore simply smiled, "No offence taken, Harry. While I am a little disappointed, I am pleased with such a mature answer. I understand what is at stake, and shall not burden you any further. Do you know any of your peers who would be worthy?"

Harry smiled back, "Professor… I think Ron could be a good candidate. I personally think that he has matured a lot in the few years that I've known him. I'm sure that he will do a good job as prefect."

Suddenly, the Floo in Dumbledore's fireplace lit up and Remus tumbled out. He looked pretty panicked and was panting hard. He looked up and saw a confused Dumbledore and Harry. He wheezed, "Apologies… I hope I'm not interrupting anything. There's a slight emergency and we need your help. Madam Bones' residence is under attack."

Dumbledore shot to his feet, "Death Eaters? I thought they had all perished? And Barty Crouch Jr was also executed recently."

Remus shook his head, "No… It's a monster. That's why we need Harry. It's some kind of giant dog. Sirius and his Aurors are trying their best, and they are all holed up inside the manor. Last I heard, Madam Bones, her niece, a few friends are in the house and frightened out of their minds. Sirius is okay, but he's lost two Aurors already."

Harry also sprang to his feet, "Oh no! It's a hellhound! Uncle Remus, take me there! I'll take care of it!"