Heroes with Wands

Chapter 40

The moment Annabeth was out of eye sight, we all started worrying. We'd forced Hedge to stay in the mess hall with us. It was too risky, with Annabeth in so much danger. We'd talked mostly, about kicking some serious butt.

Then Hedge grunted in pain. Percy was up in no time at all. "What is it?" he demanded. His eyes were bloodshot and tired. I couldn't blame him.

Hedge waved him off. "Stop worrying so much, kid. If she were in real mortal danger, I would sense it, wouldn't I?'' Percy shrugged uneasily.

"I don't know, would you?''

Thalia put a hand on his arm. "Easy, tiger," she warned. "Chill your face. She's okay, Kelp for Brains. He's okay."

Percy wiped a hand down his face. "We'll find her," I promised. "She'll contact Hedge, and we'll find her." He gave me a hopeful smile, and I returned it. But something made me feel.... stuffy.

"I'll be back," I said. "I need some air." They gave me worried looks, but I kept the smile on my face. I trudged up the stairs to the deck.

I leaned onto the railing and looked into the dark sky. We had an impossible battle to fight and a friend to save from an unknown fate. How was this possible?

"Hey."

Harry's voice. I turned. He had his hands in his pockets, and a smile that reached his green eyes. "Hi."

His face turned worried. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You looked like you were about to have a bloody panic attack in there."

I sighed. "It's just all this talk makes me wonder if they really think she's going to come back," I admitted. "She is. I know she is. For the first time, she's the main hero. She wouldn't mess it up."

Harry leaned on the railing next to me, so close I could feel his body heat against my cold skin. "They're worried," he said. "We all are. It's a dangerous war and a dangerous quest, but she'll get through it."

"What are we going to do?" I laughed with no humor. "An unbeatable war, a little girl who knows more about the evil side than anyone who refuses to help us, and the smartest one of us in life threatening danger?"

To my surprise, Harry set his hand over mine. "We've got this," he said. "All of us. We're a team."

"For the first time in forever, we are," I muttered.

Harry's brows furrowed, and he sighed. "Ginny," he said, and I felt speech coming on. I exhaled. "I know it's always seemed to be Ron, Hermione and I. But in the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago, taking down Tom.... his past self would've gotten away with the war much sooner. You postponed the war."

"And that's all I've ever done," I argued. "The Chamber, the diary, and even that put us all in danger. "When Sirius escaped, I didn't even know. During the Tournament, I did nothing. Last year... that spell almost got us all killed."

"You fended off the Death Eaters," he fought back. "Ginny, listen to me. Yeah, you weren't always there when Ron and Hermione were. Ron sees you as the annoying little sister he has to protect. Hermione sees you as the younger sister she never had. They don't understand that you're only a year younger than we are."

"Hazel's only about thirteen," I pointed out. "They're all sixteen. They treat her like an equal."

"And I would you, I know Now," he said softly. "All these years we've been a trio, and now there's you. Ron and Hermione's first instinct is to keep you from the danger. But I know better."

He was only trying to make me feel better. I gave Harry a look I wasn't sure he could quite decipher in the darkness.

I kept my gaze locked on the sky. The stars shined bright that night. I saw constellations Annabeth taught me-Hercules, Andromeda, Pegasus, and one of a girl with a bow. Zoë Nightshade.