Heroes at Hogwarts

fifty-six | training sessions and ace bandages

ron

Ron had never seen the boys so determined. 

The night before, Frank had entertained everyone by turning into every animal imaginable. Jason had flown laps around the common room, and Rachel had told stories upon stories upon stories. Had Ron known everything about the others before last night? Had he wanted to know what happened to Leo's socks every time he lit on fire? No. But he did. 

Now the boys dressed without a word. Frank and Jason were throwing things back and forth, catching them and stuffing them in their pockets without a word. On two separate occasions, both boys glanced at their bed sheets with a wondering stare, and both turned around with small smiles on their faces. 

That puzzled Ron, but not as much as the amount of metal weapons now strapped to his two friends bodies. Swords, daggers, you name it. They had it on them. 

Jason and Frank hurried them out of the room quietly. All of the Gryffindor students were gathered in the common room, strangely silent. 

Frank spoke, his voice echoed through the room. "First hours have been issued. First and second years will go to the great hall. Third years to the valley. Fourth years to the infirmary. Fifth years to the lake. Sixth and seventh years to the great hall. You will then be sent on your way. You will rotate through these places throughout the day." Frank sounded like a commander, his voice sure and monotone. Ron had never heard it from him before. He remembered yesterday, Frank had been introduced as a praetor of New Rome.  He must be used to speaking in front of others. 

Rachel cleared her throat. "These will be the same first hours for the rest of the week. Next week we will mix things up. Get used to the schedules, but not too used to it." 

Jason nodded along, then smiled. "Get going before you don't have time for breakfast," he said. 

The common room cleared. Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron filed out with the others. When they settled down to eat, Neville, Seamus, and Dean shouldered up to them. 

"So, my friends," Dean began, "that have been with the demigods for a little longer than the rest of us. Please tell me this is going to be easy? I mean, we're older wizards with a lot of training. How hard can it be?" 

Ron looked at Harry, the only one of them to actually have any training at all. "Harry?" 

Harry sighed. "I only ever worked with Percy once or twice, and only with the lake water. I don't actually know." 

Ginny set a hand on his shoulder. "What about... other times?" She looked down, as if she didn't want to bring it up ever again, and felt terrible for doing so now. Especially in front of their friends, who had no idea what she was talking about. 

"We didn't ever need anything else," Harry muttered. "Percy basically got us through." 

Hermione sighed. "I do hope I can just sit with Annabeth," she said, "I don't necessarily want to participate in the physical activities." 

Ron laughed. That was one difference between him and his girlfriend, although he loved her for it. She wanted to mess with the books, he wanted to go out and have fun. It made them a strange pair, but they worked. And they worked well. 

He slipped his arm around her when she glared at him. "Maybe you can take my spot in all the learning classes?" 

"I bet these are fun," Neville said. "Learning about another way of life and all. Monsters, weapons. Not normal histories." 

Annabeth chose that moment to walk through with Piper, both carrying books up to their chins, almost unable to see over them. Ron glanced back at Neville. "You sure?"