Annabeth Chase the Triwizard Champion

Chapter Thirty

Harry watched as Annabeth walked right up to the Care of Magical Creatures class with her friends. She looked angrier than usual, but other than that, you would almost think she hadn't even seen the article.

Like always, Harry hadn't known what the big deal was that she was a half-breed. He hadn't even known they were a thing until Lupin. But, like always, Ron had filled him in. Given Ron's obvious dislike of Annabeth, Harry had been expecting him to be smug about the news article, but instead he had just seemed surprised and angry.

"It's Hagrid all over again!" he had exclaimed after getting over the shock (which was a good while later). "That Skeeter cow has another thing coming!"

"D'you think Hermione's seen it?" Harry had said. Hermione had had to go to the hospital wing after someone sent her bubotuber pus in the mail.

"If she hasn't, she'll find out soon enough," Ron had said.

When they had arrived at Care of Magical Creatures, everyone that was there before them had been talking about the article. Now, when Annabeth arrived, they all quieted.

"I can't believe she came," Ron said, bewildered. "Even most other half-breeds despise demigods."

"O'cource she came," Hagrid said proudly. "She's brave, that one."

Suddenly a bizarre thought occurred to Harry.

"Hagrid," He said slowly. "Did you know?"

"She came to see me after break, same day you did. When Skeeter wrote what she wrote." Hagrid looked over at Annabeth, who was glaring at anyone giving her looks. "She told me then."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Ron asked incredulously. "You tell us everything!"

"Yeh don't know what it's like, Ron," Hagrid said. "She's had a hard life, and it ain't me place to tell."

Harry looked back over at Annabeth. She was standing with her friends near the plot of overturned dirt. She was talking to them, but her eyes were skirting around the class and the edge of the forest, examining the students and the trees.

Now that he thought about it, that was something she always did, even before today. Harry realized that he had never actually seen Annabeth relax. She was always on guard, like she was expecting an attack at any given moment.

Had she spent her entire life on guard like that?

***

The mail started coming the next morning. Annabeth almost didn't notice it at first. Usually the only mail she ever got was from Percy and the rest of the seven, but owls liked to swoop down by her anyway, dropping little presents like twigs on her plate. This time, a lot more owls than usual crowded her, and Annabeth had a sneaking suspicion as to what they were.

Annabeth untied a letter from the nearest owl, which hooted once before taking off. The letter was addressed to her. Tearing open the seal, Annabeth unfolded the letter before Vera or Freddie could get a word in. It was short, but this was the gist:

You are a dangerous beast and if you had any sense you would leave Hogwarts before I call the aurors to take you to azkaban for child endangerment. Dumbledore made a big mistake letting a filthy half-breed like you into Hogwarts and I hope you get expelled and arrested.

Fury flooded Annabeth in a huge wave, raising her heart rate and heating her face. Filthy half-breed. Dangerous beast. Annabeth ripped the letter in half and made a grab for the next one, but someone with no sense of self preservation grabbed her wrist.

"That's a bad idea," Freddie said as Annabeth broke her grip and grabbed the next one.

"Screw that," Vera said angrily, also grabbing a letter. She read it and laughed darkly. "This person made a mistake including their return address."