American Royalty III

Part 20: Weird Dreams and Chaos

Thalia bolted upright in bed, gasping for breath. The vivid images from her dream burned into her mind—the green and red flashes, the screams of battle, the blood, the girl in the cell, and the out-of-place ferret. Her heart pounded in her chest as though she'd just been fighting for her life. She raked a hand through her hair, glancing at the clock on the wall. 4 a.m.

"Great," she muttered, swinging her legs off the bed and grabbing a shirt to pull over her head. She slipped her feet into her boots, not bothering to tie them properly, and stepped out of her room.

The hallway was quiet, the silence pressing in on her like a heavy blanket. She made her way down to the common room, needing the comfort of the crackling fireplace or maybe just the presence of others. What she found when she pushed open the door was entirely unexpected.

Reyna, Will, Nico, Leo, Frank, Hazel, and Clarisse were already there, sitting in a loose circle. Cups of coffee sat steaming in their hands, the shadows under their eyes telling her they hadn't slept much—if at all.

They all turned to her as she entered, and in perfect unison, they asked, "Nightmares?"

Thalia froze for a moment, caught off guard by the synchronicity. Then she nodded, her expression grim. "Yeah... you too?"

Nico set his coffee down, leaning forward slightly. "Was it a girl?"

Thalia blinked, her heart skipping a beat. Slowly, she nodded again. "Yeah. In a cell. There was... a lot of blood. And... a ferret?" Her voice trailed off, as if the word itself sounded ridiculous.

The others exchanged uneasy glances. "I saw the same thing," Hazel said softly, her voice laced with worry. "And then there were flashes of green and red, like spells—"

"And screaming," Frank interrupted, his hand tightening around his coffee mug. "A battle."

Reyna's brow furrowed. "The same for me. The girl... she looked like she was in a bad way."

Leo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck. "What about the ferret? What's with the ferret? Why does it even matter?"

"Everything matters," Clarisse said sharply, though her eyes were dark with concern. "Dreams like this don't just happen to all of us without a reason."

Nico's expression was grim, his dark eyes fixed on Thalia. "I think it's Kit."

Thalia's stomach dropped. "Kit?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. She had thought of Kit during the dream, but she hadn't wanted to believe it.

"It has to be her," Nico said. "The cell, the blood, the feeling of being trapped. And the ferret... it's like some kind of link, like it's showing us what she's seeing."

Reyna leaned back in her chair, her lips pressed into a thin line. "She said she'd get herself out," she reminded them. "But if we're all dreaming about her like this... maybe she can't."

"Or maybe she's trying to reach us," Will offered. "Maybe this is her way of asking for help."

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the possibility sinking in. Thalia clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. "If this happens again..." she began, her voice firm. "If we keep seeing her like this, we go after her. Agreed?"

There was a chorus of nods and murmured agreements. They couldn't ignore the dreams, but they also had to respect Kit's words. She'd said she'd get herself out—but how long could they wait?

"We'll stay on alert," Reyna said, her voice steady. "And if we see or hear anything more, we'll act. Until then, we prepare."

Thalia nodded, but the unease in her chest didn't subside. As the group sat in the dim common room, the only sound the occasional crackle of the fire, they all knew the truth: Kit was in danger. And sooner or later, they'd have to do something about it.

The group sat in silence for hours, the only sound the occasional crackle of the fire. Despite their attempts to distract themselves, none of them could shake the unease brought on by their shared dreams. The images—flashes of red and green, battle cries, and a girl in a cell—lingered in their minds like unwelcome guests.

By the time the pale light of dawn crept through the windows, Reyna glanced at the clock on the mantel and sighed softly. "It's time for breakfast."

The others stirred reluctantly, exchanging weary looks. Their dreams still gnawed at them, but the demands of life at Hogwarts pulled them from their thoughts. The castle had descended into chaos over the past few weeks, and they knew they couldn't afford to stay hidden away in the common room.

As they walked through the drafty corridors toward the Great Hall, the tension in the air was palpable. Whispers trailed behind them, and the already thin crowd of students only seemed to highlight the school's deteriorating state.

"Has anyone else noticed how many students are missing?" Hazel murmured, keeping her voice low.

Leo's face was unusually serious as he nodded. "Yeah. I've been counting at breakfast. Every day, there are fewer of us. Heard some parents took their kids out last week."

"Can you blame them?" Clarisse asked, her voice edged with anger. She kept her eyes scanning the corridor, her fingers twitching as if she were itching to grab her spear. "The Carrows are out of control. Punishments are turning into public shows."

Thalia clenched her fists. "I saw one yesterday," she said tightly. "McGonagall tried to step in when a first year was caught outside after curfew. The Carrows wanted to..." She stopped herself, her voice trembling with restrained fury. "Let's just say McGonagall didn't let it go as far as they wanted."

"More students are getting hexed too," Will added, his voice soft but grim. "And not just by the Carrows. Some of the Slytherins are taking it upon themselves to 'enforce the rules.'"

"Not all of them," Nico said quietly. "A few are just trying to keep their heads down. But yeah, it's getting worse."

Frank's broad shoulders sagged as he spoke. "I heard about a Hufflepuff fifth year. She refused to practice the Cruciatus Curse in class. The Carrows—" His voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat. "She's not coming back."

Reyna's expression darkened as she glanced at her friends. "We can't let this keep happening," she said firmly. "We can't just sit by and watch."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Leo asked, frustration creeping into his voice. "It's not like we can waltz into the Carrows' office and demand they stop."

"No, but we can fight back in small ways," Reyna replied. "Protect the younger students. Disrupt the Carrows' lessons when we can. If we're careful, we can make a difference."

Thalia nodded, her blue eyes burning with determination. "We've faced worse before. We'll figure this out."

As they entered the Great Hall, the conversation fell silent. The once-lively atmosphere of Hogwarts was gone, replaced by a strained hush. Students sat in small groups, speaking in whispers, their eyes darting nervously toward the professors' table, where the Carrows sat like vultures.

The demigods exchanged a glance as they took their seats. Their shared dreams, the worsening state of the school, and the ever-present threat of discovery weighed heavily on their minds. But as Thalia looked around the hall, she felt a spark of resolve.

It wasn't just about their own survival anymore—it was about protecting the others who couldn't fight back. They didn't know what would happen next, but they wouldn't let Hogwarts fall without a fight.