When Myths meet Magic || 3

11|| Annabeth

Hagrid led each student to a Hippogriff, then paired them up when there wasn't enough. Annabeth immediately went to Percy, and they got the jet black one.

"This 'ere is Nightmare," Hagrid said cheerfully before walking away.

The hippogriff turned a beady eye to Percy.

"Actually, her name is Ebony" Percy said to Annabeth. Ebony bowed to Percy even before he could bow to her.

"Yes, I know she's a daughter of Athena," Percy said impatiently to Ebony. "But you'll let her ride you all the same, right?"

Ebony gave off a half snort.

"C'mon, let's see if you're better than Blackjack," Percy said. Ebony seemed to take that as a challenge and set off into a gallop, rising into the air. Annabeth watched as they soared gracefully over the forest, not clumsily like Harry on Buckbeak. Ebony set back down softly, trotting back towards Annabeth. She turned her head 180 degrees to look at Percy.

"Yes, yes, you were great," Percy said. "But where am I supposed to hold on if you don't like the feather-pulling?"

Ebony followed Percy as he dismounted.

"Okay fine, I didn't need to hold on because as you so kindly put it, you're too good to let me drop," Percy said.

Annabeth laughed. "So, you can talk to Hippogriffs?"

"Yeah," Percy replied, stroking Ebony's beak. "She said the hippogriffs see me as their lord, like Blackjack, but only partially. They're like Zeus and Poseidon combined, so I guess Jason and Thalia too. I dunno if they can talk to them though. Oh, all right," Percy said to Ebony.

"What?"

"You have to do the whole bowing thingy and hope they accept you," Percy said, rolling his eyes. Annabeth shrugged. "Fine with me." She turned to Ebony and was about to bow when there was a loud shriek from behind them.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy cried dramatically. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!" He let out a moan that gave the impression he was going through labor or something.

Thalia gave off a loud snort, clearly full of disdain. "Shut up, you're not dying. You're not even close to dying."

"How would you know?" Malfoy yelled. "You've never died before!"

"Yes, I have!" Thalia yelled back.

Malfoy let out another dramatic cry. "Tell my father," He groaned as Hagrid picked him up. Annabeth spotted a deep gash on his arm, not deep enough so to reach the bone though. A narrow slit, along his bicep.

They all hurried to the castle after Malfoy and Hagrid.

"They should fire him right away!" Pansy Parkinson said in tears.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" Percy snapped. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly, but Percy just looked at them with a glare and they retreated. They might be stupid, Annabeth mused, but they've tasted Percy's strength on more than one occasion.

"I'm going to see if he's okay!" Pansy ran after Hagrid and Malfoy. "C'mon, Piper!"

Piper shot an exasperated glance back at the demigods as Pasny seized a firm grip on her robes and dragged her away.

"D'you think he'll be alright?" Hermione asked.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "He'll be fine. If Madam Pomfrey can re-grow Harry's bones overnight, Malfoy's fine."

"That was really bad for it to happen in Hagrid's first class though," Ron commented worriedly as they headed back to the castle-- no reason to continue classes without the teacher. Percy commanded all the Hippogriffs to go back to their padlock after a little chat with Buckbeak. "Trust Malfoy to screw things up for him..."