Harry Potter and the Greek Gods

{27} Back to School

ANNABETH'S POV

Aside from our surprise visit with the Kanes and their friends - which was very hard to explain away - the rest of the holidays passed without incidence. That didn't mean that no one was on edge, though, because everyone was. 

The demigods because, through their interactions with the Hunters, the Magicians, and their limited contact with Chiron and Reyna, they knew that demigods were vanishing all over the world. It was worrying, to say the least, and no one seemed to know who was behind it. 

But without any leads, there wasn't much they could do. 

The morning of our return to school was chaotic, to say the least, but somehow we all managed to get out of headquarters. I didn't know how they intended on getting us back to school. I was surprised when we stopped on the edge of the street outside of Grimmauld Place. 

I frowned, studying the area, as Lupin flung out his right arm. 

There was a loud bang, and then a violently purple, triple-decker bus appeared out of nowhere, screeching to a stop. 

"Holy Zeus." Percy cursed, flinching back.

The obligatory eerie thunderclap followed, and Percy muttered a hurried apology that he definitely didn't mean. 

A gangly young man appeared at the top of the steps.

"Welcome to the-"

"Yes, yes, we know, thank you," Tonks said swiftly, "On, on, get on." 

She began to shepherd the kids on to the bus, seeming to mutter a threat to the conductor after he cried out Harry's name. 

"I've always wanted to go on this thing," Ron said happily.

"Ah, what is this thing?" Leo interjected, looking both intrigued and annoyed. 

"The Knight Bus." Ron replied eagerly, "It's wicked, isn't it?"

"It breaks the laws of physics, but yeah. I'll think it's cool when I get my own." Leo answered, studying the bus with chilling enthusiasm. 

I almost shuddered just thinking of the damage Leo could do with a bus like this- or any bus at all, for that matter. 

The inside of the bus was filled with mismatched chairs bunched hazardly around windows. Some disgruntled looking passengers were picking themselves off the ground, along with their belongings.

"Looks like we'll have to split up." Tonks said briskly, "Fred, George, Ginny if you take those seats at the back... Remus can stay with you. Percy, Frank, you see those seats just in front of them? Take those. Clarisse-"

Tonks almost flinched back as Clarisse practically growled at her.

"- and Nico, those at the very front."

The eight of them split off to their respective seats, Nico and Clarisse looking less than happy about the arrangements. We proceeded to the next floor, where Tonks went with Harry, Ron and Hermione, leaving Calypso, Piper, Hazel and I to take a cluster of four seats, and Leo and Jason to go up to the very highest level of the bus. 

The bus set off again with a bang, throwing our seats back. 

"People chose to do this?" Piper grumbled. 

"Well, the bus does seem pretty full." I reasoned.

"Wizards are cuckoo." Calypso decided, clinging onto the seat. 

"Poor Nico." Hazel sympathised. 

"I feel like if he and Clarisse have a bad enough spat, we'll all end up facing the consequences." Piper pointed out.

"Why'd you put that image in my head?" Calypso groaned, looking a little green as the bus shook again, indicating it had jumped to a new location. 

"Are you okay, Calypso?" Hazel checked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The girl dismissed, although she didn't look it, "I'm just not used to a lot of new inventions... like cars or buses. They smell funny." 

"That's because of the fumes they emit," I explained, jumping on my chance. 

I could see Piper roll her eyes playfully, but I ignored her, barrelling on about the science behind petrol fumes for another two jumps until we reached Hogsmeade. To my surprise, Calypso seemed quite intrigued.

It was a pleasant surprise. Despite being in the same house, we didn't interact much. I had to admit, I was a little bitter about the curse, but I had to put it behind me. You didn't survive by focusing on the past, and you certainly didn't make friends by doing the same.

A/N: Just kinda a filler chapter, but don't worry- things really start picking up in the next one. If you've been wondering when Magnus and the gang are going to come into this, it's now. 

Or, rather, the next few chapters, starting with good ol' number 28.