Book 2: Swords and Wands: The Prisoner of Azkaban

Summary: The demigods return in their second year to more surprises then they would ever have thought. Who is this Sirius Black and what does he have to do with Harry Potter? Find out in Book 2 of Swords and Wands

NOTE: This book's reference is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with dialogue from said book. Also, you get to meet the Hufflepuff gang.

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO, HOO, or HP and I never will.

Chapter 1: Back to Hogwarts

It was big news to the wizarding world. Not even big news, huge news more like it. It was the talk of the town. All the letters the demigods wrote and received had only one topic.

Sirius Black escaped Azkaban.

Now, usually people escaping prisons is discussed and then forgotten about after a while since it happens more then they want to admit. A wizard prison is a whole different story. Escaping Azkaban had been deemed impossible for a long time.

Conversations always included: "Still no sign of Black though? Don't get killed, stay safe, see you again!" or "Did you hear that Black is still not caught? He killed eleven people! Don't be next!"

They were terribly optimistic about the breakout, weren't they?

That didn't stop everyday life from continuing on its path though. Wizards and Witches kept on living as they usually do, if it a bit more fearful.

"Sirius Black this! Sirius Black that!" Leo proclaimed as he collapsed onto the couch. It was one of the rare summer days where all seven demigods were home. Piper, who had been lying down on the couch, watching TV, stared down at his curly hair currently brushing her leg.

"It's die down." Piper murmured. "News like that always does."

"I get he broke out of an unbreakable prison, but seriously." Leo whined.

Meanwhile, Percy was staring at his bedroom with a confused frown. Jason stood next to him, too, looking at the room with a startled expression.

"Hmmm…" Percy mused. "I think he made the pool a bit too big."

Said pool took up all walking space in the room so you basically had to swim to get to the beds and closets. The water was crystal clear and sparkling, fish swimming in it, chattering noisily. The blue walls complimented it nicely. The photos on the desks still were in motion. Jason's Quidditch posters stood out against his corner.

"You think?" Jason stared at Percy.

"I'll ask him to fix it; we have all those empty bedrooms down the hall after all."

When the owl came with the letters of their new supplies, they left the morning after.

While they were there, they got everything they needed and more. Annabeth had grabbed quite a few books (more then just second year books, third year too). Hazel got more food for her bejeweled tortoise. Jason finally got his Nimbus Two Thousand and One that he practiced on until the day they had to leave for Hogwarts. Percy stocked up on wizard food. Frank got more chocolate frogs.

The day they boarded the train, the talk of Sirius Black was still going. They managed to get a compartment to themselves where Ginny joined them a little bit later, if a bit huffily.

"They won't let me in on a secret. I can keep a secret and they know that, but no little, ickle Ginny is to young to know their secrets." Ginny huffed, arms crossed. She was not happy with her situation.

"I'm sure they did it for a good reason, Ginny." Piper reasoned with the fiery ginger.

"You sound just like my mum."

Silence fell in the compartment. They gathered food from the snack cart when it came about. Ginny, rather sad, got out her sandwich, which was forgotten after Piper shared candy with her.

"So, Jason, let's hear about your broom." Ginny leaned forward excitedly. He had written her about it and she couldn't wait to know all about it. He had visited the Weasleys with Piper one time after he bought it, but he didn't bring it with him ("I didn't want to show off." "Oh, please, Jason. You've been to the house, what? All summer?")

And so they spent the time on the train talking of the broom and eventually other things as the rain poured and the candy wrappers started towering up. They realized something was wrong as the train rolled to a stop way to early.

Percy, closest to the crowded compartment's door, poked his head out like many other students before pulling back in as the lamps went out and their luggage fell off the racks. Ginny excused herself after a silent, thoughtful moment to go look for her brother.

Whispers fill the compartment.

"Annabeth-"

"No, Percy, I don't know what is going on."

"Who is stepping on my foot?"

"Sorry, Hazel."

'Hey guys, I think there is something boarding the train."

"What?"

A dark figure outlined in even more dark appeared at their door. A depressed feeling filled them, coldness gripping onto their souls. They would never be cheerful again, or that's what if felt like. It peered in for only moments, but those moments were terrible. Annabeth and Percy felt like they were back in Tartarus. Leo and Frank felt like their moms just died again. Hazel felt like she drowning. Piper felt like her father was missing again. Jason had a sudden lost sensation that made him feel terrible.

And then it was over. The figure kept going down the train. A relieved feeling settled in. The lights snapped back on, but coldness still remained. Percy was still shaking slightly. Annabeth had wrapped her arms around herself and shrunk. Hazel had tears in her eyes that hadn't fallen yet. Leo was a shade to pale. Piper's eyes were closed and she was muttering to herself. Jason leaned again the wall and caught his breath. Frank stared into nothing with a blank look.

"What was that?" Percy asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"I don't know." Annabeth murmured.

Silence reigned until the train started moving again, slowly but surely. They were back on the path to the castle. Nobody spoke. Nobody wanted to speak.

"Let's put on our robes." Frank finally said, looking up from his blank stare. His voice was detached. "We'll be there soon."

And that was what they did. They headed outside as quickly as they could when the train found its destination. The demigods were pushed through the crowd until they came to a stop with an empty carriage pulled by skeletal horses with reptilian features and wide, leathery wings that resembled a bat. Most people didn't seem to notice the horses. Maybe because the iron sheets of rain?

Luna stopped next to them. "Those horses pulling the carriages are thestrals. You can only see them if you have seen somebody die."

The demigods shifted uncomfortable-like until Leo, Luna, Piper, Jason, and Ginny, who joined them, piled into a carriage. Annabeth found the carriage with Rachel (who she shared a long greeting with) and Percy, Frank, and Hazel joined them for their ride.

The carriages jostled about as they made their way to the castle. In both carriages, nobody spoke. When they got to the feast, they all sat down, the warm feeling starting to come back.

Hushes whispers were exchanged all around. The Slytherins seem to be laughing at something, miming a faint. After the sorting, Dumbledore stood up, effectively silencing the crowd.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore said, the candlelight shining his beard and making his aura of power and safety more noticeable. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…."

Dumbledore cleared his throat through the silence of the hall and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

Dumbledore sounded rather distasteful about the topic. Annabeth and Percy shared looks across the hall. Was that what was on the train?

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued," and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises-or even Invisibility Clocks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.

Dumbledore looked seriously around the hall, making everybody feel like he was talking especially to them. Nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued," I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Unenthusiastic applause filled the Dining Hall. Hopefully he would last more then a year in the job. Only those who shared a compartment with him clapped loudly, leaving Jason and Piper to glance at Ginny, confused. Professor Lupin looked more like a ratty collage professor then any of the well dressed teachers at the head table.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the attempted applause for Professor Lupin died away rather gradually. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Applause, mostly from the Gryffindor table, once again filled the hall. The demigods, who didn't know him very well, made a polite applause unlike the golden trio, who were the loudest of the crowd and the last to stop clapping.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore said," Let the feast begin!"

The goblets and place filled up and loud talking erupted within the students, none the less then Percy, Hazel, and Frank.

"I can't believe that thing on the train is guarding the school," Frank took a bite of his delicious food. "I can't stand having that feeling all the time."

"There just guarding the entrance to the school, they aren't in the school itself." said Hazel, who was poking at a jello-like object on her plate.

"Just knowing they are there makes it scary." Frank shivered.

"Five galleons say that Lupin will be gone by next year." Bobby, a fellow second year Hufflepuff who had a gambling problem, piped in from a few seats over.

"Ten and he'll be gone before the school year ends." Rosemarie-who contrary to her name, was the most hardest of Percy, Hazel, and Frank's Hufflepuff friends-took a bite of her pie.

"Don't make bets you can't fulfill, Green" Alastair, always the obnoxious one, smirked.

"Shut up, Wright, your parents don't exactly have a lot of money either." Rosemarie leaned across the table with an icy glare.

"Back off." Blake, Alastair's identical twin, barked.

"Make me."

"Guys," James Evans, always nervous and always quiet, eyed the two warily. "Can't you fight in the common room or not fight at all?"

"James is right, you three haven't even been here for an hour and you're already at each other's throats." Idony Young, as loveable as she is loving, tutted.

"I say let them fight," Charlotte said through a mouth full of food. "At least it makes things a bit more interesting in this house.

Through the arguing, Percy hadn't even moved from his gaze at the teacher's table. He studied it almost warily as if something was wrong. Hazel noticed this and gently touched his shoulder.

"You okay Perc? You haven't started eating like a satyr."

Percy shook his head. "Everything is fine, I'm just tired. The dementor really took a lot out of me."

Hazel accepted the answer, knowing she wasn't going to get a better one anytime soon. Percy got like that sometimes and she learned to live with it.

Dinner wrapped up nicely and they headed to the Hufflepuff common room, following the new prefect. Percy watched Annabeth get pulled to the side by Dumbledore to be talked to. She didn't seem nervous so he didn't question it. Once they got in the common room, they went to their beds and collapsed.

They were glad to be back.

As I wrote the second chapter, I realized that this book will be the third most creative freedom I get during the series. The first being Halfblood Prince, the second: Deathly Hallows. This is the second most creative freedom I get at Hogwarts though. :)

Review with questions, thoughts, or anything!