Slytherin's Heir

Chapter Twenty-Nine ~ Gotta Go Fast!

"Annabeth!" A blond-haired demigod burst into the Athena cabin, startling a few reading inhabitants. His eyes were wide and slightly wild as he glanced over the room, looking for a specific person.

"Will? What's up?" Annabeth frowned, looking up from her desk.

"I need to talk to you, it's about Nico."

Her frown deepened. Will urged her on, "Come on, we've got ten minutes."

Despite her confusion, she rose from her seat and followed him out. It was a clear day at Camp Half-Blood, but they had no time to enjoy it as Will lead her to a quiet location, hidden from majority view.  "Will, what's going on?" she pressed once more.

The son of Apollo took a deep breath. "Nico's in trouble. He's been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" she echoed. "By who? Have you told Chiron?"

"I didn't have time. You're the first one I thought of to help me think of something."

"Run me through everything. How do you know all of this?" Annabeth watched as Will dragged over a nearby hose, explaining as he worked.

"I IM'd him. You'll understand in just a moment..." He twisted the knob, sending water sprouting from the end of the hose. He pulled a single golden drachma from his back pocket and flicked it into the spray. "Show me Isa Clove, England."

Though it wasn't a particularly specific location and England was a fairly large place, a muddy young girl halted to a stop in front of the new mirage that appeared in front of her. She hadn't run too far away from the spot Nico had been taken, but it was far enough for now. She hugged the familiar aviator jacket tighter around her shoulders, drawing on it as a source of comfort.

Annabeth straightened up. Her eyes held an unspoken question. Will disregarded it for a moment, getting right to the point. "Where in England are you?"

"Who's that?" Isa said stubbornly, apprehensively eyeing the stranger in the background.

"This is Annabeth, she can help, I promise. Where are you?"

The young girl hesitated for a moment, thinking something over before providing an answer. "Meet me at Kings Cross Station tomorrow. I'll find you."

With furrowed brows, Annabeth echoed, "Kings Cross Station?" That was familiar... but why? At the back of her mind, she faintly recalled a conversation with Percy that mentioned running through brick walls. "Oh! Are you a witch?"

Isa looked stunned. Nico hadn't known, and Will hadn't said anything either. He glanced back at the demigod. "I am, yes. How did you-?"

Annabeth put a hand on Will's shoulder and said, "Nobody else really knows, but Percy's at this school for magic called Hogwarts. He mentioned travelling through Kings Cross to get there. Maybe he can help us?"

Despite the dire situation, a smile tugged at Isa's lips. Her initial plan forming in her mind had been to meet up with Will and this Annabeth girl, then travel to Hogwarts and find her brother. He may put on an air of being fine with the way things were, but Isa's memory was not that of a gold fish. Very little had changed since they were younger - and for the worse not the better. She remembered how much her brother suffered under her father. Perhaps the only thing that changed was that he got better at hiding it from her. In Isa's mind, this was perhaps a chance for him to liberate himself. Wishful thinking let her to hope that these people would take them back with them to where they came from and they'd be free.

Yes, Nico had been taken by the Dark Lord, and he was a cruel, powerful and terrifying creature, but if these people all had powers like Nico's, then maybe they'd have a chance. Her brother's ability was strong too. Perhaps Nico had been easily kidnapped, but he was caught unawares and had no chance to defend himself. This time they would be the ones prepared. Nico's friends couldn't be human either, because muffled were not permitted to know of magical existence, but Annabeth had pointed out that Isa was a witch. Between herself, her brother, Will, Annabeth and this 'Percy' person, they should be able to get Nico back. Besides, all they had to do was reach him and he could teleport them out, right?