Harry Potter and the Norse Gods

{10} Oh My Hydra

STORM'S POV

I was lucky I couldn't get drunk, otherwise, that Hydra would have killed me.

As it was, it burned a hole in my favourite jacket when I went to cut off one of its heads and then realised that that wasn't a good idea. Instead, I threw one of my many knives, hitting it somewhere if its roar was anything to go by, and then booked it.

I made it inside the Hogwarts boundary before it caught up to me, only stopping to curse at it for the damage to my jacket before continuing to the castle and slipping in through a back entrance.

The great hall was full when I got there, but not many people seemed to notice me. Will and Magnus seemed to the moment I reached the head table, but I ignored them as I continued down the line of chairs towards Albus. I also pointedly ignored the stares of the other students as more and more picked up on my presence.

I grimaced as I reached Albus, and not just because I was within a metre of him. He looked, wincing slightly as he moved his injured hand. Any other time, that probably would have spiralled into a full-scale argument, or at least warranted an 'I told you so' look, but I had bigger things on my mind.

"We have a problem," I hissed, leaning over slightly so the other professors couldn't overhear.

"I can see," he replied pleasantly.

I scowled.

"Stop being so damn serene for one freaking minute and actually listen," I snapped.

"Respect your elders," he said, a mischievous smile on his face.

"I'm not actually that much younger than you - I just aged better. As in, not at all."

"Immortality will do that," he conceded.

I rolled my eyes.

"Just look," I said, showing him the hole in my jacket.

He got more serious after that.

"It was a Hydra," I explained before he could get a word in edgewise, "It jumped me when I was between the Hogsmeade and Hogwarts boundaries."

"Did it get in?"

"No, but that's not for a lack of trying, and we can't exactly leave it there for any poor sod to come across."

"No," Albus agreed, glancing towards the students, most of whom were blatantly staring at us, "Take the demigods - discreetly-"

"I think we've passed that point."

"-and deal with it."

"That's what I was planning on doing anyway - Artemis just said I wasn't allowed to do anything rash and if I run it by you apparently it can't possibly be rash."

"She said that?" Albus frowned.

"No - but it was implied."

"Hmm," he mused.

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to go stab a thing now. Have fun with... whatever this is."

"A welcoming feast. You used to attend Hogwarts, you know how things are done."

"I don't know how you run it. I was half expecting there to be wild wolves running around here or something."

"Wolves?"

I shrugged.

"You couldn't keep one fourteen-year-old alive, why should I think you would be able to keep hundreds of teenagers alive?"