When Myths Meet Magic || 5

38|| Annabeth

Their luck didn't hold— actually it did. Because it was all bad luck and it held for pretty long.

They stepped into the room, which didn't change the light level of pitch black darkness, spare for the massive glowing green rectangle fish-tank like container in the center. It was large enough for all of them to comfortably sit in, not that any of them wanted to do anything of the sort.

Piper voiced the question they were all thinking: "What is that?"

"Fish?" Jason suggested.

"No," said Percy.

"Aquavirius maggots!" exclaimed Luna excitedly. "Dad said the Ministry were breeding —"

"They're brains," Hermione whispered in an odd voice.

It was true, Annabeth could see, as they drew closer to the tank. Small, shriveled white things that bobbed lazily in the green glowing liquid.

"Let's get out of here," Ginny suggested. "We need to try another door."

"There are doors here too," Ron pointed out, trailing his finger in a wide circle around them.

Harry's face was a ghostly green from the illuminated green liquid. "Let's go back to the main room," he ordered.

They fumbled for the door, which blended in to the walls.

"We should split up," Nico said as they exited.

"Split up?" Neville echoed.

"We have to cover more ground."

"What does it look like?" Annabeth asked.

"Orbs," Harry said, his gaze distant. "Rows and rows of blue orbs."

"And how are we supposed to contact each other if we find it?" Thalia asked.

"Is there a teleportation spell?" Percy asked.

"It's called apparating," Ron said with an eye roll.

"If someone does find it, go back to the center and mark the doors on the way with a circle," Hermione said. She turned to the door they entered through and said, "Flagrate!" before tracing in the air. A flaming X appeared on the door. And sure enough, as they closed it, the room began to spin again this time with a fiery red strip amongst the blue, and when it came to a stop, the mark still burned.

"Threes?" Annabeth suggested. "It's the normal quest number."

She could've sworn Harry rolled his eyes at the mention of "quests" but they were already breaking off into groups: Harry, Ron, and Hermione (of course), Ginny with Percy and Annabeth, Jason with Piper and Luna, and Neville with Nico and Thalia (which he looked a bit nervous about).

"If anyone needs help, yell really loudly," Percy suggested before they broke off.

>>>• Piper •<<<

Luna looked politely excited as they entered an identical room. Her eyes were misty and swirling constantly as she gazed around, seeing but not seeing. But unlike everyone else, Piper simply could not ignore the small, pale Ravenclaw.

But now was not the time for a chat over tea. Jason led the way into the room, sword held ready, shoulders tense and ready for battle.

Everything was silent except for the soft tap of their shoes as they crept forward.

Like the other rooms, the walls, floor, and ceiling was painted black. In the center of the room hovered a single cloud of mist, hardly visible except for the electric blue aura it was emitting.