The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 172 - Percy - Finding Transportation

The sounds of the galloping centaurs grew fainter and fainter as Alex and I ran back. 

"We lost them," Alex panted.

"Wandless magic," I added. 

"Smart plan," Harry spat at Hermione, having to release some of his fury. "Really smart plan. Where do we go from here?"

"We need to get back up to the castle," said Hermione faintly.

"By the time we've done that, Sirius'll probably be dead!" said Harry, kicking a nearby tree in temper. A high-pitched chattering started up overhead and he looked up to see an angry Bowtruckle flexing its long twiglike fingers at him.

"Well, we can't do anything without wands," said Hermione hopelessly, dragging herself up again. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"

"Yeah, we were just wondering that." said a familiar voice from behind her.

We moved together instinctively and peered through the trees.

Ron came into sight, closely followed by Ginny, Neville and Luna. And grinning along with them, were Jason, Annabeth, Will and Nico. A few of them looked a little the worse for wear--there were several long scratches running the length of Ginny's cheek; a large purple lump was swelling above Neville's right eye; Ron's lip was bleeding worse than ever--but all were looking rather pleased with themselves.

"So," said Ron, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and holding out Harry's wand, "had any ideas?"

"How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from Ron.

"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione's wand, too. "But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy--Bat Bogey Hex--it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you out of the window heading into the Forest and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"

"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs."

"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished.

"Alex and Percy saved us," Hermione winked.

"Never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or--?"

"Yes," said Harry, "and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."

They all fell silent, looking rather scared; the problem facing them seemed insurmountable.

"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" said Luna, in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice I had ever heard her use.

"OK," said Harry irritably, rounding on her. "First of all, 'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's me only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so--"

"I've got a broom!" said Ginny.

"Yeah, but you're not coming," said Ron angrily.

"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!" said Ginny, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George was suddenly striking.

"You're too--" Harry began, but Ginny said fiercely, "I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosophers Stone, and it's because of me that Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogies attacking him--"

"Yeah, but--"

"I just saved you from centaurs," Alex said indifferently.

"We were all in the DA together," said Neville quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real--or was that all just a game or something?"

"No--of course it wasn't--" said Harry impatiently.

"Then we should come too," said Nico simply. "We want to help."

"That's right," said Luna, smiling happily.

"Well, it doesn't matter, anyway," said Harry through gritted teeth, "because we still don't know how to get there--"

"I thought we'd settled that," said Luna maddeningly. "We're flying!"

"Look," said Ron, barely containing his anger, "you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we-"

"There are ways of flying other than with broomsticks," said Luna serenely.

"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?" Ron demanded.

"Oh, shut up, Ronald," I said, grinning. "I don't know whether the Crumple-Horned Snorkack can fly, but Thestrals sure can."

I pointed. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two Thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word.

'Hey, boss,' one of them said.

"Need a ride," Alex smirked. "What d'you say?"

The Thestrals neighed in delight.

"Yes!" Harry whispered, moving towards them. They tossed their reptilian heads, throwing back long black manes, and Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck.

'Ah! Human! Human! Warning! Human!'

"Bro, watch out," I said. 

"Is it those mad horse things?" said Ron uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the Thestral Harry was patting. "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?"

'I'll show that red- narrow nosed British-' the Thestral began.

"They're not mad, for god's sake!" Alex defended.

"How many?" Ron asked.

"Just two," Jason replied.

"Well, we need three," said Hermione, who was still looking a little shaken, but determined just the same.

"Four, Hermione," said Ginny, scowling.

"I think there are twelve of us, actually," said Luna calmly, counting.

"Don't be stupid, we can't all go!" said Harry angrily. "Look, you three--" he pointed at Neville, Ginny and Luna, "you're not involved in this, you're not--"

They burst into more protests. 

"OK, fine, it's your choice," he said curtly, "but unless we can find more Thestrals you're not going to be able--"

"Oh, more of them will come," Alex said, grinning.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because, in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood," Ginny said coolly, "and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That's probably why these two turned up in the first place."

"Also, because I'm about to call them," Alex grinned. 

"What?"

She cupped her hands and put it to her mouth, and screamed. Her voice wasn't like that of a banshee, or a human screaming. It was actually, pretty musical, like an echo calling out to a voice- silent whispers finally becoming one voice.

Luna smiled, although her eyes were wide. "There they are."

Harry turned: no fewer than twelve Thestrals were picking their way through the trees, their great leathery wings folded tight to their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness. He had no excuse now.

"All right," he said angrily, "pick one and get on, then."