What happens if Camp Half-Blood and Hogwarts collide?

Chapter 2

"Gah!" I watched the soldier fall, a satisfied smirk tugged at my lips, but I knew that more of them were coming.

I looked behind me to see more soldiers, but they were mine.

"Get into Formation Alpha!" They quickly scurried like ants while the other army approached. They had no formation; they just ran and yelled war cries. "Faster!" I called back over my shoulder. If they didn't hurry, we were going to get massacred.

I charged forward to buy some time, but managed to get locked into a three on one battle. This was no problem for me: I've dealt with much worse, but my own army wasn't ready for me to get engaged elsewhere.

I used one opponent's shield to catapult myself out of the ring they'd made and hurry back to my soldiers. I joined formation and led the assault.

The other army retreated, knowing that there is no way to beat Formation Alpha. We chased them all the way back to their side of the field. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move.

"Warner, take over!"

My brother nodded his head in understanding while I ran after the enemy agent. There is no way that I'm going to let them win. I caught up to him quickly. I sent out a spell with my javelin and knocked him down. I looked into his stunned face.

"Irah, when will you learn that you cannot beat me?"

I took my flag back from him just as Lizzie, a Hermes camper, jumped across the boarder with Irah's team's flag. I gave her a high-five as she landed without even breaking eye contact with Irah.

"Maybe next time I'll join your team, huh?"

I smirked at him as I offered him my hand to help him up.

"I think you should take the paralysis off before helping me up, Al."

"Right." I flicked my right hand over him. Irah wiggled his shoulders before grabbing my hand and hauling himself off of the ground.

When Irah was upright, my head barely reached his broad shoulders, and I'm not small. Irah looked nothing like his brother or father; he looked more like one of the Ares campers. Add that his father is Hades and it's no wonder most of the other campers tended to give him a wide berth, but I've known Irah forever. He's more harmless than his sister, Hazel.

Irah wrapped his arm around my shoulders the way Warner does and led me into the clearing where Chiron was waiting for us.

"Well, Ali Ann, it looks like you have led yet another victory in Capture the Flag." I smiled. I love hearing those words. "Now, tomorrow is the last day of camp. Everyone leaving must pack tonight after we present the beads for the end of the summer. Go have some supper."

As I passed, Chiron placed his hand on my shoulder. "Ali Ann, I need to speak with you."

Irah kept going but kept glancing over his shoulder back at me. Once he was out of hearing distance, Chiron turned his eyes on me.

"Ali Ann, you father has requested that you not go home tomorrow, but go to stay with his parents in Edinburgh. He wants you to Iris Message me as soon as you make it to their house. He gave me no more information than that."

I stared up at him and blinked a couple of times. This is highly unusual, even for my eccentric father.

"And you have no idea as to what's going on?"

"I'm sure that you have no reason to worry, Ali Ann."

"What makes you think that I'm worried?"

"You speak much more formally when you're worried."

I scrunched up my face. "Okay. Do you mind if I eat with Irah at supper tonight?"

"You can eat with Irah. Come on, I'll walk with you back to camp."

The walk back with Chiron was long and silent. He knew I was worrying about my father, but he just let me worry in silence.

I slid next to Irah, ignoring all of the stares and whispers of the other campers. Nico sat down across from me.

"How long do you have until school starts again, Ali Ann?"

I glanced up from my BBQ. "We start September 1. I'll be staying with my father's parents until it starts back up."

Nico tilted his head. "Doesn't your father teach at your school?"

"Yeah, he teaches history. They finally convinced Professor Binns to leave."

Nico went back to his mashed potatoes. "That's cool." Nico practically raised me, so he knew something was up, but he didn't press it. Either he already knew, or he didn't want to make me uncomfortable.

"How's Hazel doing?"

"She's doing pretty well. She and Frank had a little girl. Named her Emily Marie after Frank's and Hazel's mothers. She looks like Hazel, but she definitely has Frank's abilities. She grew a leopard's tail when I went to see her a few days ago. I nearly jumped out of my skin."

I giggled into BBQ sandwich. "Poor Nico. I bet Frank is one proud papa."

"He is. He carries Emmie into the senate meetings just because he's praetor and he can. Reyna thinks it's hilarious."

"Poor kid, growing up in meetings like that."

Nico shrugged. "It's better than having her grow up on a battle field like Chase. I know it's not Percy or Annabeth's fault, but it's still not a fun way grow up. Believe me, it sucks."

"Believe me, I know. Camp isn't much of a battle field, but it is what it trains us to expect."

"Can we change the subject?" I looked over at Irah. "I am losing my best friend for the next ten months. I just want one last fun happy night."

"Irah, we're at the Hades table. Were you expecting sunshine and rainbows?"

"Well, considering that my brother is dating an Apollo camper, yes. And I hate that stereotype, by the way."

I giggled again and shoved him. "You're such a nerd, Irah."

"But I'm the nerd that can beat up the football team single-handed."

"That you are."

Irah nudged me with his shoulder. "I really am going to miss you, Al."

I give him some faux shade. "Don't get all weepy on me now."

"Because we both know that if I start crying, you'll start crying."

"Irah, I'm coming back for Christmas."

"If nothing weird happens like it did two years ago."

"That was my friend wanting to introduce me to his parents. And actually, I got to meet some celebrities out of it, so yeah."

"What, did you get to meet Harry Potter or something?"

"Yes." Irah almost choked on his Dr. Pepper. I tapped his throat with my finger to clear the soda away. "Their son, Albus, is our age, so he's in some of the same classes as me. He's outcasted because he's the Potter kid who ended up in Slytherin, and I'm outcasted because I'm American. We kinda banded together."

"Does he know that you're a demigod."

"Yes, and he's the only one who knows, just like you are the only camper that knows that I'm also a different kind of witch from my brothers and sisters."

"I know."

"You don't count, Nico. You're technically an adult, not a camper."

Nico shrugged and turned back to sandwich.

I turned back to Irah. "I promise that I'll come back. This place took me in first."