Annabeth Chase and Things Are Getting Intense

Chapter Thirty One

A/N: I did it y'all

I might edit this chapter cause I'm not sure I like how it came out, but here it is.

"So... he was looking for something in the castle?" Vera said.

"That's what I'm thinking," Annabeth said. "Maybe another relic, something to make his next Horcrux. The school has to be full of them."

"That would make sense," Freddie said. "It is an ancient place."

"Right. So he knew about another relic here, something probably belonging to another founder," Annabeth mused. "It makes sense that he'd be looking for something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's, because he already had the other two founders. He'd want a full set."

Vera rested her chin on the heel of her hand. "What is it like in your brain? I can't even imagine figuring all this out."

The three of them were sitting in the Slytherin common room well after midnight about a week after Dumbledore's last lesson. It was the first time they'd been alone since then, so it was the first time Annabeth was able to tell her friends what she'd learned. Also how fucking annoying Dumbledore was being.

No more lessons until they got that memory from Slughorn. Okay, fine. Annabeth thought enough time had passed that Harry's slip up wouldn't be on Slughorn's mind anymore. And since Harry was the one who asked the first time, the potions master wouldn't be expecting an attempt from Annabeth.

"I don't think she can hear us," Vera said to Freddie, waving a hand in Annabeth's face.

Annabeth smacked Vera's hand away. "I can hear you fine."

"Yeah, totally," Freddie said, shrugging. "You didn't just get that look you always get."

"For the last time, I do not have a look—"

"We're past that, actually," Vera said. "I think I may have found another Ortiz? Not sure if she's related to our friend Bernard, but apparently she's family friends with a kid from Ravenclaw, so... lead?"

"Lead," Freddie confirmed. "How did you find out about that?"

Vera shrugged. "Hugo Quinn just, like, came up to me and told me. Apparently he knows we're looking for my parents, somehow."

"Hm," Annabeth hummed.

"It was a nice thing for a sort of friend," Vera said quickly. "No ulterior motives. Not everyone is out to get us, Annabeth."

"How did you know that was what I was thinking?"

"You got the look."

***

The next day, as Annabeth was planning her ambush of Slughorn (more of a surprise conversation than an ambush, really), Harry ran up to her in the hallway she was pacing through. Annabeth had no idea how he'd found her, but a glance at his hand showed the answer; he was holding the Marauder's Map.

"I figured it out," Harry said, skidding to a stop in front of Annabeth. "I figured out where Malfoy's been going all this time."

"Really?" Annabeth said skeptically. No offense to Harry, but she hadn't been expecting him to figure out anything. Most of the time, Annabeth was coming to all the conclusions. "Where has he been going?"

"Well," Harry breathed, "remember that Quidditch match when McLaggen hit me with that bulger?"

"Is it relevant?"

"Sort of. When I was in the hospital wing I asked Dobby and Kreacher to follow Malfoy for me because they're House Elves, right, so they'd be able to tail him without getting noticed—"