A Quest For Backup.

-}{- Eight -}{-

The library was teeming with kids, red and gold ties mixing with blue and bronze. 

However, it was the blonde in one of the armchairs that had almost everyone's attention. Her curly blonde hair was down that day, her grey eyes reading the book in her lap with brutal efficiency. Classes had been going for only three weeks, yet she was already the top of the class-over throwing Hermione. 

You could say Hermione was a little put out with the blonde. And with her boyfriend. Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson, were their names. Annabeth had her legs crossed and resting over the rolled arm of her chair, her robes draped over the back, and her tie loosened. 

The other kids were in full uniform, even the other Seventh years. 

To say that this girl and her boyfriend were an oddity would be an understatement.

On the couch, not five feet from the blonde's chair, sat four Gryffindors. Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, in that order. The girls were at least trying to focus on their work, but the boys had their confusion written across every line of their faces. Ginny pinched Harry's leg, he startled and swatted at her hand, both glaring at each other. 

Hermione, on the other hand, cleared her throat. When that didn't get the blonde's attention, she said, "Annabeth, how are you liking Hogwarts?"

The blonde gave the group a small smile before answering. "It's amazing! I love to study the architecture when I can." Her grey eyes did indeed light up as she let them roam over the arches and columns of the library. 

"I do love it so much." Hermione sighed as she smiled, thinking she found someone who would finally understand the things she said. "Hogwarts is the best Wizarding school around, much better than any other." Her dreamy smile made Ron roll his eyes even if he was smiling too. 

"That's what I read about it." Annabeth nodded along. "Percy likes that you have a lake, our last school had one too." Her small smile turned into a grin as she talked about her boyfriend, currently in class along with the Slytherins. 

"Speaking of your Percy," Hermione's hands waved around at nothing but were just there. "How did he get Hufflepuff? I would have pegged you both for Gryffindor." The smile faded from the blonde's face, her eyes narrowing, but Hermione went on. "I'm just saying because Gryffindor is the best house, and you both looked like you'd fit. At least neither of you were Slytherin!" She teased, finally looking back at the blonde. But Hermione's smile fell as she took in the blonde. 

Annabeth had both feet on the ground, no smile on her face, and one raised eyebrow. "You sure are full of it aren't you?" She let out a huff of a laugh. Ron was now red in the face, leaning in to surely only make things worse, but Annabeth cut him off with a raised hand. "Percy is one of the most loyal people you could ever meet." 

"Yeah but-" 

"No, listen." She now stood up and grabbed her things. "He is brave, cunning, creative, smart, chivalrous, loyal, and kind. He is all of that and more. But he doesn't value bravery over everything else. He doesn't think everyone should be brave or cunning or smart, he couldn't care less. He does care if someone is such an awful person they would turn on their friends for their own gain. He values loyalty and friendship above all else." Annabeth folded her robe over her arm, speaking loud enough for the others to hear but soft enough to be a threat. 

"Finally, I am a Ravenclaw, he is a Hufflepuff, that doesn't mean we're weak." Annabeth pulled her hair back and smiled at Hermione like she was some child that had said something completely naïve. "I would think if you just got out of a war with all of these people, that you'd understand that. You wouldn't have won if they didn't take a stand too." Her laugh was cold as she walked towards the door. "So take your 'our house is best' motto and leave me alone." 

With that she left a red faced Hermione and a sputtering Ron behind. 

Beneath a large tree by the edge of the lake, sat Annabeth and Percy. Percy grinned at his girlfriend as he finished an essay. "I heard about someone telling Hermione off." Annabeth bit her lip to keep from smiling as Percy set his things down and rest his arm on top of his raised knee. "Would that, by chance, have been a certain grey eyed, curly haired blonde I know?" His head leaned back to rest on the trunk of the tree, his tie was barely on and his and Annabeth's robes were balled up and pushed off to the side. 

"I don't know who it could have been." Annabeth teased as she lifted her chin and kept working. 

"Right." Percy said, never dropping his grin. 

Annabeth gave her boyfriend a sidelong glance, only to break out grinning and leaning against his chest, discarding her book next to her bag. "Ah . . . she was saying a bunch of nonsense and I snapped." She sighed as Percy wrapped his arm around her and started playing with her hair. "I couldn't help it." 

"I know Wise Girl." Percy pulled her into his lap and buried his head in her neck. "Gods I'm so lucky to have you."

"Yeah you are." Annabeth said, causing Percy to laugh. "But in all seriousness Percy, I don't think this mission is working." Percy nodded as he let his hands rest on Annabeth's waist. 

"They just . . . They stick with their houses above anything." Percy murmured. "They accuse the other houses of doing things, then . . . ugh." Percy leaned his head back against the tree. Annabeth leaned down and kissed his neck. "The only house I can see really willing to band with the others as a whole is the Hufflepuffs and even then they've been shoved down by the others so much they sort of resent them." He kept his voice low, so only Annabeth could hear. Even if there weren't others, you could never be too carful about this. 

"I know." Annabeth said as she took his face in her hands and frowned slightly. "We need to do something." She sighed. "And even if we get over that, there's the fact that they can't fight." Percy nodded and leaned into Annabeth's right hand. "They need training. And I think we have one person that we can talk to about getting that started."