A Tale of Gods and Magic

Annabeth: The Honking Biscuit

Annabeth really, really wanted to scream. But she was in a highly populated school of magic in England at one in the morning and she doubted her ear-splitting screech would please any. So she settled on clenching and unclenching her fists so many times she got a cramp.

Percy was gone.

Oh, and Jason.

Apparently Potter was gone, too.

And they hadn't even left a note.

The story was that Ron Weasley, who shared a dormitory with Percy, Jason, Harry, and a few other boys, had woken up because of indigestion (he claimed it was the biscuit he had found on the floor and decided to eat anyway although it made a honking noise when he picked it up) and not seen Harry. While panicking, he had noticed that the other two boys in the room were gone. Subsequently, he'd ran to the his girlfriend's dormitory, told her the news, and woken up pretty much all of Gryffindor tower. The head of house, McGonagall, had been roused by the chatter, listened to the story, and immediately (still clad in her dressing down), bustled downstairs and most likely started a meeting.

She'd also charmed the door closed.

So Annabeth was stuck in a crowded room with only Hermione, Leo, and the Stolls for solace while her boyfriend and quest-mate were possibly being murdered.

What in the name of Demeter's holy Corn Chex did Percy think he was doing, sneaking off without any warning?

Terror and anger slapped at Annabeth, vicious red waves bringing with them a headache.

"We have to get out of here," said Annabeth to Hermione, who was sitting in a poufy chair with a thick, dusty book cracked open on her lap. Hermione slipped a scrap of scribbled-on parchment into her book as a marker and slammed it shut. A cloud of dust made the witch sneeze.

"I think McGonagall has it under control." Though Hermione's voice seemed sure of the statement, her face betrayed other feelings.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine, you're right. McGonagall and the others will do more talk than action." Hermione stretched and yawned.

"We have a plan." Annabeth jumped back. Leo, Connor, and Travis seemed to have materialized between the girls. Before Annabeth could say anything, Leo started talking. "You know how we're not allowed to go to Hogmsmeade. Well. I went. And I met this guy who, like, started crying when he saw Connor and Travis." Leo stopped, and Connor and Travis verified with a nod. "He asked if they were twins, and obviously, they said no and then he pulled us into an alley and then... "

Travis coughed. "Okay, the short story is that he gave us some magical prank supplies and now we can take over the world!"

"No, what he means is that we can make the entire room go dark courtesy of our handy Peruvian INstant Darkness powder and then everyone will scream and McGonagall will come and in the panic you can sneak out and rescue our mighty friends. Part Two of the plan, we have under control so no need to explain."

"Could work," said Annabeth. She was more than a little skeptical.

"Has to work," said Leo. "Connor just ripped open the package." Billowing sheets of black made the room pitch within seconds. According to plan, many Gryffindors started to scream. Apparently, Gryffindor wasn't only the house of bravery. It seemed to be the house of shrill screaming, too.

Within thirty seconds and about forty muttered Lumoses, steps could be heard rushing up the stairs.

"This is your cue," Travis hissed.

"What is going on up here-" Annabeth, pulse racing, sprinted through the darkness towards the door and-

"Miss Chase! I expected better of you!" McGonagall was holding Annabeth by her t-shirt collar. "But that was before. I can't believe you, putting all these innocent students into jeopardy, capturing the woman you claim to be our blood relative! Shame on you! Demigods, follow me, now!" McGonagall was red in the face. "All of you! I've already assembled the liars from the other houses. Get behind me! McGonagall didn't seem to care that there wasn't enough light to even find the demigods.

"What's-"

"Be quiet, Chase." Leo and the Stolls emerged from the gloom.

"Thank you. Follow me or there will be consequences."

Annabeth didn't really feel like defying this all-powerful witch, but she also didn't feel like letting her boyfriend get slaughtered.

So she gave McGonagall a push as they reached the end of the stairwell and went running.

Of course, that didn't go too well.

"Accio running demigod filth!" Annabeth was lifted from the ground and slammed in McGonagall.

The witch looked her right in the eyes.

"I know everything. All your lies have been exposed. We will show no mercy. Now get back in line or I will have to render you unconscious and float you along behind me."

"I think there's been a mistake, Prof-"

"There has been no mistake. Don't believe I will hesitate to knock you out. I am giving you five seconds to get behind me. One, two-"

Annabeth bit back a response and stood behind her professor.

"Oh, right. Expelliarmus!" Annabeth's wand flew from her back pocket, and so did the boys'.

McGonagall picked them up and snapped them, one by one. Her face was spotted by circles of red.

"Move. You're going to the dungeons until we get those boys back here and chained up."