Harry sighed as he stared out the window.

"I can't believe they're making us redo the year," grumbled Ron.

"Well it makes sense," Hermione said. "We missed the most of the year and with the horrible teachers practically everyone's doing it again." Ron grumbled something and wriggled back down into the seat. Soon he was asleep.

WHOOOOT WHOOOOT!

Ron jumped awake and glanced around.

"Oh," he said before grabbing his bag. Hermione snickered as the trio left the car. Trunks were left on the train as well as owls and cats.

"Who are they?" Hermione stage whispered pointing to a strange group of children. Harry turned to look. They were indeed odd. The forerunner of the group was a tall muscular teen with sea green eyes and black hair. Standing next to him was a blonde girl with stormy gray eyes. Another blonde one, a boy this time, stood with another girl with light brown skin. Maybe like Native American? Harry wasn't sure. There was another brown girl, though her skin was more like cocoa. She had black curly hair and beside her stood a burly Asian boy. Finally there was a mischievous Hispanic boy, a pretty brunette with a freckle by her left eye, a blonde boy who looked laid back and finally a teen clad in black with a silver skull ring on his finger. They were all wandering around aimlessly looking for something to do or where to go.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Hagrid shouted. "Exchange students, over here!" The group of teens wandered over to Hagrid and boarded boats. Harry and Hermione climbed into carriages and sped off towards the old castle.

"Alright students! A few notices, after the Sorting there will be an additional Sorting for the new exchange students. They're from America," McGonagall said. Harry glanced at Hermione with raised eyebrows. She shrugged as the Sorting progressed. Finally it was time for the other students' turn. Harry watched anxiously.

"Atlas, Calypso!" Mc Gonagall said. The brunette with the freckle carefully clambered onto the stool.

—

Ah, Daughter of Atlas. You are smart, yet brave. Normally you would be Ravenclaw, but refusing to kill Leo Valdez... I think you are...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled after a few minutes or so. The girl hopped off and sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Solace, Will!" McGonagall cried. The laid back blonde boy sat on the stool.

—

Hello Son of Apollo. You I shouldn't have much trouble with. Loyal, but brave. Risking your life for injured campers? That will have to be...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled as token applause filled the room.

"di Angelo, Nicholas!" McGonagall yelled. The boy who radiated darkness flopped onto the stool.

—

Son of Hades. I sense dark in you, and passion. Such traits would be Slytherin, but the bravery towards your friends...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled. The boy stood up calmly and walked over to the table.

"Valdez, Leo!" The mischievous boy slid onto the stool as the hat sank on his head.

—

Ah, a Son of Hephaestus. Nice to see one of those again. For your smarts, you might be Ravenclaw, but you are too much of a daredevil. Better be...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled as Leo slid into a seat beside the Calypso girl.

"McLean, Piper!" The Native American girl jumped up and sat on the stool.

—

Aphrodite! Oh dear, don't see many of those any more. The way you fight...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled once more and Piper slid into a seat next to Leo. He punched her on the arm and she nudged him playfully.

"Levesque, Hazel!" The cocoa girl slid onto the seat as the hat slipped over her eyes.

—

A Daughter of Hades who is a fighter... jewels, hmm? I know where you go...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat yelled again and Harry clapped, his hands stinging. The girl slipped off the stool and sat next to Piper.

"Zhang, Frank!" The burly Asian boy day on the stool.

—

A Son of Mars! Well, you're quite the fighter, but some doubt hmm? Hold onto that stick kid...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat said. Frank sat next to Hazel and looked back to the hat.

"Grace, Thalia!" A girl wearing a Death to Barbie t shirt with a silver circlet on her head glanced up livid. She hadn't been there a second ago. She slumped into the stool.

—

Daughter of Zeus, quite the fighter now are we...

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted. She scaled her way to the table and flopped down by Hazel.

"Chase, Annabeth!"

—

Daughter of Athena, mmhmm

—

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted after a few seconds. Hermione's eyes widened. She's never seen someone Sorted so quickly before.

"Jackson, Perseus!"

—

AHH!

—

As soon as the hat was half a foot above Percy's head it screamed.

"GRYFFINDOR GRYFFINDOR TOO BRAVE GET IT OFF AHH!" Professor McGonagall frowned.

"Let's try again," she said. A second time the hat yelped.

"Show off!" Thalia yelled and the exchange students laughed along with a few Brits. Percy scrambled off the stool and sat at the Gryffindor table.

"That is all now. I have only two words. Dig in!" Dumbledore said. The Americans ate with fervor all the while talking in a strange language.

"What's the language?" Hermione said.

"I have no idea," Harry said. The Americans laughed and ate until it was time for bed.

"Americans, may I talk to you for a second?" McGonagall said. "There is a special dormitory for you, Dumbledore told me about your, ah, issues." She stared pointedly at Percy and Annabeth who clutched each other a little tighter. They tersely nodded as McGonagall left. Harry dragged Ron and Hermione up to meet them.

"Hi, I'm Harry. Harry Potter," He said. Zero reaction.

"Hermione Granger."

"Ron Weasley, and I think we know your names already."

"I suppose so," Piper said.

"So what school are you from?" Hermione said.

"Brunner's Academy of Magic," Annabeth said. "It's basically a homeschool, there's only about 50 attendees."

"Huh. It must be pretty small, I've never heard of it. How is it to be in such a large school?" Hermione said.

"Honestly, it's nowhere even close to some of the things we go through every day, so we're fine," Thalia said.

"What's so bad that happens a lot?" Ron said. Thalia's eyes narrowed. "Nothing you need to know," she said her voice laced with ice. Ron backed up and said, "Ok, uh, sorry."

"Thalia," Annabeth said in a clean commanding voice.

"Fine," She grumbled. "Sorry Ron." And she promptly walked away. Piper sighed. "Sorry about that, she's very overprotective, and, well, you could say she has a right to be."

"What does happen to you though?" Harry asked.

"We really can't tell you," said the cocoa girl, Hazel right? Hermione sighed and turned back to them. "Well, come on, we should be getting to the common room." She led them up moving staircases and winding ones and finally stopped at a picture of a pink clothed woman.

"Pagóni tis afrodítis," Hermione said and the painting swung open.

"παγώνι της αφροδίτης?" Percy said laughing.

"Δεν μπορώ να το πιστέψω," Piper said with a grin.

"Τι θα ακολουθήσει, κουκουβάγια της Ήρας?" Leo said!

"Σταματήστε να φουσκώνουμε την κάλυψή μας! Σταμάτα να μιλάς!" Annabeth half yelled. They all turned around and gulped at the Golden Trio.

"Was that... Greek?" Hermione said.

"No, uh, no..." Leo said. "Cmon guys." The Americans and the Golden Trio climbed the winding staircase together.

"Where are you going?" Hermione said.

"Our cab- our dorms," Annabeth said. They all disappeared into a door with a rune on it.

"How come they get to sleep in the same dorm!" Ron cried.

"Ugh. Americans," Hermione said as she flipped her bushy hair towards the girls dorm. Slowly, they all drifted off to sleep.

"Annabeth no..." Percy muttered. The dream increased. "ANNABETH! PLEASE, I DIDN'T ABANDON YOU! ANNABETH!"

"PERCY! DON'T DO IT, DON'T DO IT PLEASE!" Harry and Ron shot up in their beds.

"Whose shouting?" Ron mumbled. Harry pulled Ron out of bed and to the stairs. Hermione and a few other girls were there as well. All of a sudden the door burst open and Percy emerged with Annabeth. Both were caked in sweat and clutching each other tightly.

"Percy what's wrong!" Ron cried.

"Dream," Annabeth mumbled. "Percy, you know that I was there. You didn't do it."

"But I almost did. The poison was so close. And you almost died, the arai…"

"But I didn't because you pulled me out!" she shot back. Percy pulled her close and kissed her.

"Ahem! PDA! PDA ALERT!" Leo shouted and Percy and Annabeth broke apart chuckling.

"Uh, I'm gonna go back to bed…" Ron said as he stumbled back to the dorm. Slowly the small crowd dissapated.

(Italics mean Greek)

"Percy, you know that I'd never let you go. All through Tartarus… I'm here to make sure you make it through,"Annabeth said. Percy kissed the top of her forehead and sat down in an armchair.

"Well, we got a few hours to kill, what do you want to do?" he said. Annabeth just snuggled into the same chair and the two managed to have a dreamless sleep.

"Hey," a soft voice said. It was Piper. "People are kind of looking at you oddly…" Percy shook sleep off his eyelids and glanced around the room. True enough, everyone was staring at them. Percy helped a sleepy Annabeth off the chair and gave her a quick kiss.

"Cmon Wise Girl," He said. Annbeth opened her eyes a little wider and sluggishly trekked up the stairs with Percy. A few minutes later they emerged dressed and awake. Percy grabbed his bag and stuffed a torn up ballpoint pen in his pocket. Annabeth had a Yankees cap in her but she didn't put it on, just put it in her bag. The rest of the exchange students all seemed slightly odd. Thalia had a silver bracelet that she jingled anxiously. The Piper girl had some kind of horn and belt at her waist, Harry was sure he saw a hilt tucked into her jeans. Annabeth had the cap as well as a mysterious object up her sleeve. The Frank kid didn't have anything, just a small package he tucked anxiously into his jacket. Hazel had nothing, but the Leo kid had a large tool belt around his waist. Calypso had nothing and Jason had a golden coin that he tucked into his pocket. The group traveled in a pack as they left to breakfast.

"What. What are they doing," growled Ron stonefaced. The Americans had set up a bronze brazier flickering with green fire. They proceeded to throw the best parts of the food into the flames and whispered a name. Harry swore I heard the name Atheen or something.

"I know they're speaking Greek," said Hermione. "I know it. The first phrase, pagóni tis afrodítis means peacock of Aphrodite. They're Greek, but there's something else up." She proceeded to walk over to them. "What's your secret?" she asked them.

"Don't have one. Screw off," Thalia said.

"Thals, come on," Annabeth patronized. "She's right though, we have no secrets." Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Shist!" Leo said as he knocked over his glass. The water simply flowed back in.

"Thanks, Percy," Leo said.

"Anytime Fire Boy," he responded.

"What spell was that!" Hermione said.

"Er, a secret one?" Percy responded. Hermione huffed and sat back down.

"Sheesh," Leo said before helping himself to some waffles.

"Sheesh indeed," Hazel said as she grabbed juice. Together the demigods ate breakfast.

"What's the schedule?" Calypso asked.

"We have this Charms class next? Then Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Gees, I think we got enough of those," Percy said. Annabeth laughed. Soon students began to rise and go to classes, the Americans behind them.

"Alright, welcome to the first Charms class of the year!" Flitwick said. "I am pleased to welcome the exchange students to my class. Today we will be charming water into ice." Percy snorted quietly as he withdrew the wand Chiron had given him.

"Percy," Annabeth said.

"I'll fake it good," he whispered back.

"Alright, the incantation is Freezee Incantartem. Say it along class," Flitwick squeaked.

"Freezee Incantartem," the class chanted. "Now you try it." The class screwed up their faces in concentration and waved their wands. Hermione did it on the first try along with a Annabeth and Piper. Percy simply fake waved his wand and twitched his hand. The water froze immediately.

"Did you see that?" Hermione whispered to Ron. The Americans were oblivious to their conversation.

"No," he said shortly.

"Percy didn't use his wand. He just flicked his hand and the water turned to ice. There's really something up," She hissed. Ron just shrugged and turned back to his wand. With hunched shoulders Hermione forced on. She would find out what's going on.