Hermione POV:

I was standing in the Great Hall, looking at the hectic activity around me. The first and second years were seated in a corner, ready to run with messages, or errands. Professor Annabeth was standing, hovering rather, over a big, square computer looking like a box with the top being a touch-screen, something looking like battle diagrams being projected around her. The amount of things the Demi-Gods had been able to do using a combination of technology and magic, in such a short amount of time, was outstanding. She was giving orders east and west, to people in the room, and people not in the room. Never had I seen a person more in her right element. Although it still was a bit weird seeing my very pregnant transfiguration professor in ancient Greek battle armour befitting a queen or general, ordering troops and shouting orders.

"Hermione, I need you." She called out. I ran to her side at once.

"Yes, professor?"

"I've just been informed that Hellhounds have managed to get into the castle. Do you have your weapons on you?"

"I've got my wand, bow, and some throwing knives. Thalia has been teaching me how to use them."

"Good. I need you to go with Nico when he arrives to hunt down the hounds."

"What! Why me?"

"Because I need a seasoned soldier, who knows magic and the castle. And I need a small response team who can act quickly. Nico has one of the tablets, so you can get the map up, monsters are marked with red dots, along with its species."

"But, why only two people? If we had one to three more, we could still move quickly, but we would have more firepower at our disposal."

Professor Annabeth looked at me with a glint of pride in her eyes. "Do you have anyone in mind?" she asked, but from her tone of voice it was clear that she knew of whom I was thinking.

"Harry and Ron. They have battle experience, and they know the castle. There must surely be someone else that can take their place in the tower?"

Before I was finished talking, Annabeth had started speaking into her communicator. "Lou Ellen, I need one Harry Potter and Ron Weasley down here pronto."

"Reporting for duty, O Mighty Leader." I heard a deep voice saying behind me.

"Good Nico, slight change of plans. You will be a team of four, not two. Ron and Harry will join you because, as Hermione so wisely pointed out, a group of four can still move quickly, but are big enough to matter in a fight. This means you not only have more security and firepower, you also have more eyes and ears. You are in charge, but listen to them all, as they are experienced in this type of combat. I only hope magic will work on these monsters."

Harry POV:

Our rather frenetic firing at the army below us was interrupted by a Huntress I vaguely recognized from before, walking up to us, with Ginny fast on her heels.

"Weasley. Potter. You are summoned to the Great Hall. Weasley and I shall take over your spot."

"Why?" Ron uttered.

"I was not informed as of why, boy. I was just told to inform you, and take over your place at the wall. The summons was from the commander in chief herself, so you better hurry up."

"The commander in chief?" I asked.

"The Lady Annabeth, of course. Who else? Now GO, before I geld you myself."

That sent us running.

The hallways of the castle were deserted, save for a guard now and again, or someone running errands. As we nearly collided with corners in our hurry to answer the summoning, I wondered why. I had supposedly done so out loud without realizing it, because Ron answered me a windy "No idea."

When we barged through the big wooden doors, we arrived in a room that was surprisingly orderly and calm, considering we were fighting a battle. Professor Annabeth were hovering over that block they were calling a computer, but she looked up when she heard the doors open, and beckoned us forward. Hermione and Nico were standing beside each other over a table, seemingly in deep discussion.

"Boys, you are getting a new assignment. You're going Hellhound hunting with Hermione and Nico, with Nico in charge. You have your swords, that is good, now, go join the rest of your team, and they will explain in more detail. I have a battle to manage." With that we were shooed in the direction of their table.

"So if we use the dummy to lure some of them at least, towards that passage, I and Harry will be waiting around that corner, Ron will stand in that nook over there, and you will jump down from that ledge to take them from the rear, if needed be. That way, we will at least have some control, and we can start taking them out one by one after a while, if this does not succeed." I heard Hermione dictate to Nico, who nodded his approval.

"So, what's the plan?" Ron questioned.

"We are to work behind our lines to kill off any enemy that breech our security. Hermione and I have been discussing different plans of attack, but we will start with trying to lure as many hounds as possible into a trap. We'll use a dummy that will run around, but evade it until it's within shooting range. One that smells like me will suffice best, as I am at the end of its trail. Now, if you're ready and don't have anything to add, we'll get going." Nico said.

Since we had nothing more to add, we marched out the doors we had just wandered inn, after getting one of those ear communicators each, with Hermione up front with the pad, me and Nico a few paces behind her, and Ron taking the rear.

We slinked through the castle to our targeted hiding spot without meeting any difficulties. I was stationed with Hermione, who, once we were in place, activated the dummy. It was programed, or so Hermione said, to seek out the monsters, get close enough for them to get a whiff of it, and then move towards the device that had activated it.

We waited, and we waited, and as my nerves were starting to wear thin, making me feel as it the monsters had seen through our plan and were sneaking up behind us, I could hear a faint droning sound, reminding me of a hedge trimmer, or a moped. As it grew closer, I could hear growling as well, that too, growing closer.

Suddenly, a thing rounded the corner. The thing was one of those mannequins you hung your work on while sewing, or hung your armour on. It had a yellow wig, a pink dress, and armour hanging off it, and behind it came a big, black dog, even bigger than that Mrs O'Leary we had seen before.

I lifted my wand and shouted "Immobulus." It went totally still, hit the floor headfirst with a bang because of its momentum, and slid forward a couple of metres or ten. Hermione went out from our hiding place, walked up to it, and stuck a knife she took out from her sleeve into its throat. It vanished in a puff of yellow smoke smelling of sulphur.

Annabeth POV:

"Why did you not just summon those boys from the start, Annabeth?" asked my sister Dan, coming up beside me.

"I wanted to see exactly how much of a tactical mind Hermione has. She might be of great value, and will make an excellent strategist." I answered her.

"Supreme Commander to Great Leader, we are running low on supplies, do you copy?" I heard Leo shout in my ear. Good thing we could set the communicators to a sound level of our preference, or I'd be deaf by now.

"I copy, we'll initiate the main attack. We'd have to do it soon, anyways. You and your team will stay back, have a small break, and we'll put you in wherever and whenever you're needed."

"Aye aye, Captain." Leo retorted.

"Attention all Alphas. We initiate direct combat. Group 2, 3 and 5, ready your weapons. Percy, try to herd some of them to the lake, the squid wants to help very badly."