When Myths Meet Magic || 2

21|| Percy

"Hagrid. Hagrid, the Heir of Slytherin?" Annabeth folded her arms over her chest and sank back into the armchair.

Harry nodded vigorously. "It was definitely him! How many people do you think were holding up creatures like that in the castle?"

"Well, we could ask him later," Thalia said uncertainly.

Jason raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "What a lovely visit that would be. 'Oh, hello Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"

Nico pursed his lips to hide a smile. "Yeah, but if it was him, then we should talk to him sooner or later. Best wait until there's another attack, I guess."

>>>•O•<<<

It had been nearly three months since the last attack on Frank and Hazel. People had grown less tense, not whispering as suspiciously as Harry walked down the halls.

"It's a relief," Harry said when Percy brought the subject up. "I was really getting sick of it."

"I know what you mean," Percy nodded. "Horrible, when I got claimed."

"That was positive attention though," said Annabeth.

"Not from you," Percy reminded her. "All that whispering and self-arguing; one would almost think you were planning something!"

They stepped into the common room and began to walk up the stairs, but was met halfway by Neville Longbottom.

"Harry— Harry I don't know who did it— I just found—" gulping fearfully, Neville pushed the door open. Harry, Percy, Ron, Nico, and Jason walked inside and gasped.

The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor, the sheets of his bed pulled off, the drawer pulled out of his nightstand, the contents tipped over.

"Oh my gods." Jason crouched down. "It looks like someone's been looking for something."

"What's missing?" Ron asked, pulling the sheets off the floor to reveal scattered quills and parchment. Harry shuffled through his textbooks before realizing—" Riddle's diary is missing."

Nico's mouth dropped open and he examined the floor. No diary.

"What?"

Harry jerked his head to the common room and they headed down, meeting with the girls who were doing their homework.

Annabeth's eyes narrowed at the news, half-glancing to the girl's dormitories. Hermione looked aghast.

"But, only a Gryffindor could have stolen- no one else knows the password—"

"Exactly," Harry murmured.

>>>•O•<<<

That afternoon, Percy, Nico, and Thalia were heading down to dinner, as the rest had gone ahead of them.

"I really hope it isn't Hagrid," Percy said for the millionth time, still discussing the events in the diary. Nico shook his head. "It sure seemed like it, though, didn't it?"

"Yeah. I wonder if—" Thalia stopped short, tensing. The rest followed suit, hands going to their weapons.

"Cyclops!" Thalia whipped out her dagger and slashed at the monsters lumbering out at them. They were rather large, and slow. Percy felt a stab of guilt as he disintegrated one, thinking back at Tyson. But these weren't friendly half-brothers, and would happily turn him into a Percy-ka-bob. So he, Nico, and Thalia killed them without mercy.

"That was easy," Percy said as he pulled out Riptide. "Honestly, if the monsters wanted to attack us— Nico? Thalia?" Percy glanced down and stumbled back in surprise. Thalia was frozen mid reach for her knife, which was in the wall. Nico was also slumped on the ground, his sword in front of him in a defensive position, but eyes caught on the gleam of the blade. Both were frozen.