Chapter Eight: First Week Troubles

Sylpha was breathing hard.

Gripping the dagger in her had her back against a tree.

She was barely ten years old. Her magic may be strong, but it wasn't strong enough. No. It wasn't strong enough to challenge her older brother, Alabaster to a duel and win the allegiance of the children of Hecate, nor was she strong enough to protect anybody that matters to her. But she had enough to convince a handful of her siblings to fight with her under the banner of Olympus.

She, like Alabaster, had led her siblings to slaughter.

"Hold!" her squeaky voice called out to the remaining few of her siblings. "Do not let them pass!"

She ducked from an oncoming sword that would have separated her head from her body. With a shrill cry she brought up her dagger in an angle that had taken her weeks to perfect.

Her attacker stiffened and a sword fell to the ground.

Sylpha held up her eyes and settled it on the widened eyes of a girl a bit older than her. A girl who had dark eyes very similar to the ones she had. Eyes widened in pain, and hazy with death.

Sylpha's eyes snapped open and she immediately bought up her fist and shoved it in her mouth, to stifle a scream.

Those eyes.

She sat up in her bed. Studying her surroundings her surroundings.

No war, no weapons, no Titans, no monsters, no wide eyes of a sister she had killed.

Bile rose up her throat but she forced it back down.

She was well aware of the sudden change of temperature in the room and the small gust of wind in the room. If she didn't calm down soon she'd have another 'accidental magic' problem in her hand.

Forcing herself to breathe she struggled to be calm.

It was just a dream. It wasn't real.

But it was real. A memory.

She drew back the curtains around her bed and observed the other Gryffindors in the room. They were all peacefully asleep. Sylpha envied them.

In the corner of her eye, she saw something move. Stiffening she reached under her pillow for her dagger.

But when she studied the thing moving she saw that it was just the curtains. It wasn't danger. It wasn't enemy lurking in the corner; it wasn't the Earth tendrils moving towards her. It wasn't what she had seen a month ago.

She reached up to touch the camp beads around her neck, her only connection to home.

Seven beads. The newest one, a golden; its background green and brown, and the main picture a golden 'omega'. Symbolizing Olympus' struggle against the Earth mother.

For a brief moment Sylpha wondered how her siblings were, back at home. She doubted they worry about her like she does for them, but…

She drew back the curtains and curled into a ball willing the memories away.

She didn't fall asleep after that.

Breakfast the next day had mixed emotions in the atmosphere. No doubt many were dreading the beginning of lesson, and likewise, many were excited for it. Sylpha just wanted a good night's rest. One not plagued with nightmares.

Nico had sat down on the Gryffindor table again, this time the Gryffindors ignored him.

The atmosphere around the two demigods was heavy.

Sylpha guessed that Nico had an eventful night, too. Sylpha could never comprehend the horrors he'd face in Tartarus.

Schedules were handed down and both found out that they had very similar schedules. That was good. Sylpha didn't want to be alone in an unknown world. She may be a daughter of magic but that doesn't mean she was completely invincible in the world of magic.

Sylpha had Transfiguration first, with the Ravenclaws.

"Not much time in between," Nico noted.

He was right. Sylpha hadn't noticed before he'd said it. It'll be hard to find time to look for the stone.

"There'll be weekends," Sylpha said.

Nico nodded, still looking at his schedule.

"Have either of you two seen Ron and Harry?' Hermione asked, seeming to have popped out of nowhere. Perhaps she had. She was a witch. Sylpha noted. When Sylpha was Hermione's age she'd been popping out from nowhere, left and right.

Hermione at down on the empty seat across Sylpha and Nico.

"I haven't seen hem yet," Hermione said, "I don't want them to be late on their first day."

"Uhm," Sylpha looked at Nico who seemed to have fixed his eyes on his food.

Sylpha frowned at this. He's totally leaving her at the mercy of Hermione.

"Their probably getting ready," Sylpha said lamely, "or they could be coming here, for all we know they could be the next person who'll enter the door,"

Hermione seemed to calm a bit at that.

Somewhere in Hogwarts a bell rang. Sylpha noticed the elder as students vacating their seats.

"Classes?" Nico looked up.

Sylpha nodded, standing up as well.

"I'll talk to you later.

Nico nodded and stood up as well. Nodding at her one last time before heading out to join the other Slytherins.

"Come on," Hermione said.

Together the two Gryffindors headed out of the Great Hall.

Sylpha's left eye twitched.

There's got to be more of Transfiguration than this.

Seriously transfiguring match sticks into needles, what's the point in that? Even Sylpha's youngest half siblings can do more than that. And she'd seven.

And what irked Sylpha was the fact that her classmates seemed to have a hard time doing that. Even the great Harry Potter (who had been late, by the way, together with Ron) was having a hard time. No, scratch that, the great Harry Potter was making no progress at all.

Even the Ravenclaws, the smart ones, were having trouble.

It was humiliating.

Sylpha didn't even attempt to try. It'd be a waste of magic.

She had expected Transfiguring normal daily objects to, I don't know, monsters maybe.

That'd be something she could actually use. But matchsticks to needles?

Sylpha doubted that the majority of Hogwarts's' students even know what a match stick s, much less have one.

If they didn't have a needle (which is a universal tool, by the way) Sylpha doubted they'd have matchsticks lying around.

"Ms. Maigo," the Transfiguration teacher called out causing all eyes to turn to Sylpha, "Aren't you even going to try?"

Sending Prof. McGonagall a glance Sylpha pulled out her wand from somewhere in her robes.

Might as well.

Saying out the incantation she flicked her wand.

A 'puff' was heard from Sylpha's direction. And on her table, in place of the matchstick, was a perfectly transfigured needle.

Prof. McGonagall's eyes widened, "Well, seems like we got a natural here. And let me tell you, there are very few wizards and witches who excel in transfiguration. Ten points for Gryffindor."

Prof. McGonagall turned away from the still unimpressed daughter of Hecate.

"How'd you do that?" Hermione asked once the Transfiguration teacher was out of hearing distance.

She, too, have made no progress with her matchstick.

Sylpha shrugged, "I've just seen it done so many times before. I must've gotten something from watching,"

She would, of course, never admit that she had actually transfigured bigger things into much bigger things before.

Hermione obviously didn't believe her. But she didn't say anything about it. She merely narrowed her eyes at the other witch.

After the Transfiguration fiasco things didn't look up for Sylpha.

She was getting really annoyed of Harry Potter's popularity.

Class after class other students would flock outside their door for a glimpse of the said 'Legendary Hero'.

"This is getting annoying," Sylpha said as she and Hermione pushed themselves through the crowd.

Hermione kept quiet.

Speaking of which, it'd almost been a week after she and Nico got into Hogwarts, but they have yet to begin with the search for the Stone.

They didn't have the vaguest idea where it was.

At least, Sylpha didn't. Nico probably has, but Sylpha wasn't all knowing. She wasn't really observant, too.

The teachers were giving them homework as if it was the end of the world. Which is a stupid thing to say. Because if it was the end of the world they'd be too busy panicking to even think about making their students' life a living hell.

Speaking of teachers- Sylpha and Nico has had a very, er, dramatic meeting with a certain teacher.

*Flashback*

History of Magic.

Since their first night in Hogwarts, Sylpha and Nico had heard bad things about the subject.

The older students all said that it was 'boring as hell' (Which had offended Nico very badly, by the way), before snickering as if it was some sick joke.

Which it was.

As the two demigods had noticed the moment they entered the History of Magic classroom.

The first thing Sylpha did was raise an eyebrow at the figure standing, uh, floating in front of the room.

Nico snarled.

It was early. The room was empty, save for the two demigods and their apparently under-worldly teacher.

"Binns," Nico's usual "Son of Hades" glare was fixed on his face as he approached the teacher who looked as if he suddenly wished to be anywhere else but here.

Sylpha didn't blame him, with a glare like that Sylpha would've gone running for her mum.

Okay, that's obviously a lie, but the look on Nico's face was scary.

With a sigh Sylpha followed Nico.

Her mom may be the goddess of ghosts, the goddess who guides them to the underworld, but her children don't really share her duty of guiding the ghosts to the underworld. Oh, they could. Especially Sylpha who was a necromancer, but she had no real duty to do so. So she doesn't.

"My Lord, My Lady!" the ghosts paled, if possible.

Sylpha studied the ghosts. Oh, if she wanted to she really could force him back to the underworld. But she wasn't duty-bound to do so, Nico on the other hand…

"What are you still doing, here, Bins," Nico asked slowly.

"M-my lord!" the ghost stuttered out, "I-I was m-merely-"

"Cheating death," Nico interrupted, "Yes. You were."

Sylpha perked up slightly, sensing somebody approaching the room they were in.

"My lord that is not my intention!"

"And still you are here," Nico deadpanned. No pun intended. "I could send you in the Fields for this,"

The ghost's eyes widened. And for a moment, the ghost became see-through, as if he had faded into nothing before fading back in after a second.

There were voices now. Students.

Binns opened his mouth, "Please, my lord!"

"Nico," Sylpha's voice finally cut through their conversation.

Nico whirled around. Barely having the time to retract the look he was sending Binns, he turned at her and she received the full blow of his look. Sylpha flinched at the intensity of it. If she was the ghost, she'd fade out and never fade back in, again. Consequences be damned.

Seeing the other demigod flinch, Nico's features softened.

"Someone's coming," Sylpha managed.

Nico let out a sigh before turning to the ghost once more, "This conversation is far from over, Binns,"

He gave the ghost one last disgusted look before walking away.

The elderly ghost bowed, "Thank you my lord, my lady,"

"Make no mistake, Binns," Sylpha said darkly staring down at the ghost, "Nico didn't let you go yet. I got no problems about you staying her to teach. But if you somehow let slip to anybody, anybody, about what we are-,"

Sylpha let the threat hang I the air.

The temperature decreased suddenly as Sylpha let loose the aura she had learned to hide.

Nico, feeling the sudden killing intent, tuned, his hand reaching the ring which a daughter of Hecate(not Sylpha) had enchanted to hide his sword's true form.

The ghost, once more fading out ad in of sight again, bowed shakily, "Understood, My Lady,"

With that cleared out, Sylpha waved her hand to chase away the feel of death and the promise of destruction from the air.

The two demigods then proceeded to the back of the room.

Nico sent Sylpha a dark look but she chose to ignore it, instead looking at the students spilling through the door and gauged their reaction as they took in the fact that their teacher was a ghost. Well, their reaction s weren't as bad as Nico's but it was amusing anyway.

After long Nico couldn't take the glares Nico was sending the ghost, even their classmates were taking notice (slightly shivering and turning away immediately, but the noticed, nonetheless)

"What are you doing?" Sylpha hissed under her breath to avoid attention. "You're blowing our cover! You can't just randomly storm up to a teacher then threaten them with death glares!"

"Not just a teacher, Sylpha, a ghost teacher," Nico hissed right back, "Death catches up with everybody eventually,"

"Well death will catch up to him but not now, not tomorrow, not even next year, but it will someday. After this quest you can send all the ghost to the Fields, but until then you will finish this test coming from your father, and make sure one of these people find out who we really are."

Nico remained quiet, once more glaring at the Professor, though, Sylpha noticed; his glare weren't as intense as it was before.

Sylpha sighed.

"Sylpha," Nico's voice cut through Sylpha's thoughts.

Sylpha raised her head from the book she'd enchanted so that she may make out the words. The entire book, as it was, was now in Greek, from cover to cover.

"Free time?" Sylpha asked knowingly.

Nico nodded.

Sylpha stood up immediately at this. She'd been in the library. This was their first free time together.

Sylpha hadn't been happy with the fact that she didn't even have a single clue as to where the stone was. So, most of the time she spent hours in the Library.

Unlike most demigods (except for Athena's, of course), the Children of Hecate loved books. They value knowledge. More knowledge means new spells. That was how it goes, and one of the first spells they were taught in camp was the spell to translate any other language into Greek.

Without another word both demigods walked out of the library and found themselves walking in one of the many halls in Hogwarts.

"Where to start?" Sylpha asked.

"Third Floor Lobby," Nico said

"Why the Third Floor?"

Nico sighed. "You weren't listening to Dumbledore's speech at the Welcoming feast, weren't you?"

Sylpha paused before glaring at Nico, "I listened!" Sylpha paused frowning, "In some parts,"

Nico raised a brow, "Obviously not enough,"

Sylpha groaned, insulted. It's not her fault that her ADHD was acting up at the time. It's actually a wonder how Nico had even managed to stay focused enough to hear at least a part of the speech. The stronger your powers/parents are the worse your ADHD is. An ordinary spawn of the big three shouldn't have been able to focus as much as Nico did. Or perhaps Nico only heard that part of the speech, only. Sylpha decided it would be safe to keep her mouth shut concerning her theory; opting, instead to begin walking again.

"Dumbledore said that the Third Floor lobby was forbidden," Nico looked at her, "Sounds suspicious, yeah?"

Sylpha shrugged, "I guess it's worth a try." She frowned, "this is almost too easy. Why would they announce the location of the object? Though I don't think that that's his intention, it's a bit stupid on their part,"

Nico nodded.

"So…" Sylpha looked at Nico, "How do we get there? We can't have people see us, and I rather not do it later night when everybody's asleep. I need sleep, too!"

She sounded like a whiny kid. Well she hadn't been sleeping well due to her nightmares; it was so not her fault.

"I could Shadow Travel us there," Nico said.

"You'd tier yourself," Sylpha said, "I rather not have a drowsy son of Hades with me when we get there. Who knows what's in there,"

Nico looked slightly insulted at this, "I could shadow travel with more than three people and be perfectly fine, for your information,"

Sylpha sighed, "I could step us through,"

Nico frowned. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What?"

"Stepping through," Sylpha said it slowly, "Kind of like your Shadow Travel only without shadows and Apparating without the noise."

"Appa- what?" Nico asked looking slightly befuddled.

Sylpha shook her head. Figures that's what he'd ask about," Look the point is that there's no limit to how many people I can take with me, so it's no problem."

"And how does it work?" Nico asked, suspiciously.

"Well the air contains a certain energy. Energy that can replenish what you have lost: magic. Which is why when you exhaust your energy you can regain it with a good night's rest because you inhale the magic that is in the air, overnight," Sylpha paused, allowing the thought to sink in Nico's brain, "We, the children of Hecate, I mean, can use that magic in the air and use it to shorten distances. Kind of like a portal. But portals are trickier and I rather not delve into it. It can bend distance-crossing miles and miles of land and sea. Stepping through are good for short distances. Like Camp Half-Blood to Manhattan. But it's less predictable."

Nico didn't seem to like this, "Define predictable."

"Well I could aim to go into the library but I'd end up outside its doors. Nothing grave, nothing serious. But I should maintain physical connection with the person stepping through with me or he/she may be left behind and end up in walls or end up in a limbo. Not good. But we only need to be connected for a second. It's literally just a step away,"

Nico stopped and furrowed his brows.

They were now outside the Hogwarts castle, standing under one of its shady trees.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

Sylpha shrugged, "Yeah. I'm just going to bend distances, kind of like what centaurs do, you don't see them dying from it."

"But you said I could end up in a wall or in limbo,"

"People riding centaurs die when they let go and fall. Same with you. Just don't let go. It's just for a second anyway."

Nico thought for a moment, "Fine. But if I die you'll go straight to the Fields. I'll make sure of it."

Sylpha nodded, ignoring the fact that he'd said Fields when months ago he would've said 'Tartarus'. Maybe he now knew what Tartarus is like and didn't want others to experience what he did. Sylpha ignored the pang in her chest, too. Instead opted for an eye roll," Please. My plans work like a charm."

Nico raised an eyebrow.

Sylpha coughed, "Pun intended,"

Nico let out a shaky breath, "Alright, let's get this over with."

Sylpha held out her hand ad Nico took it.

Sylpha took the time to smile reassuringly at Nico. Though Nico didn't look reassured at all. He watched Sylpha with narrow eyes. Observing closely as she looked away from him and took a deep breath.

She raised her hand, fingers in a weird gesture, with her middle and index finger and her thumb, parallel to the ground. She bought it down diagonally before bringing it up again, this time drawing a circle in midair.

When her imaginary circle was complete she closed her eyes, "εισΟδΟς Πυλωχ,"

Nico frowned. Nothing seemed to happen. Then the winds picked up and seemed to gather around them. Specifically to the area where Sylpha had drawn the circle. The air in front of them shimmered and the imaginary circle Sylpha had drawn was now visible. The circumference of the circle she'd drawn was now visible as a golden line traced it. Slowly the circle expanded until it was big enough for the two demigods. Gold and silver light swirled inside the circle.

Sylpha looked at Nico, "Shall we?"

Nico nodded.

With that the two demigods took one step.

To sum up the experience, it all happened so fast. Literally.

A sudden gust of wind, so strong it threatened to push the two demigods over. It was exhilarating. Not anything at all like Shadow Traveling. In fact this was anything but Shadow Traveling. For one thing, it was extremely colorful. Color stretched out all sides; like the world outside a speeding train only much much more faster.

Not even another step later they found themselves back inside the castle. In one of its corridors. It was dark. The torches that usually lit themselves up instantly were still cold. Sylpha's raised a hand told Nico that she, somehow, had something to do with it. Dark wasn't always a good thing, but sneaky operation like this; dark is good. The hall wasn't really that dark. Light reflected from a door somewhere and, more or less, lit the hallway. Both demigods didn't mind the dark that much. The Forest during Capture the Flag was darker than this.

"Where to next?" Sylpha asked.

Sylpha hated to admit this, but she had no idea how to do this quest thing. She's never been in any quests before. Well except for those two times she was sent for those little quests before the war. In all honesty they weren't even official quests. They were more of acts of desperation. They hadn't even had a prophecy. Well actually this quest that they were in didn't have a prophecy either. But that was only because they didn't have much time. And their resident Oracle of Delphi had already left for Clarion Academy.

Anyway, back to the point.

Sylpha hadn't have many experiences in the outside world.

Little field trips to Olympus, those times when she had been allowed to go out where she often goes with her siblings, and the Battle of Manhattan itself. She was completely dependent on the older and experienced demigod.

Nico frowned, "This way,"

He turned his back on her and she was forced to follow.

"How'd you know?" Sylpha asked.

Nico sent her a look. "Can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone," Nico said, "It's close."

So an object of life attracts the son of the lord of the Dead. Sylpha found this quite ironic.

Sylpha, still following Nico, allowed her magic to expand beyond her own body and beyond what she could see. She could almost see her magic ripping off her in waves. All children could do this. Makes them see and feel things they normally wouldn't.

Nico was right. The stone was close.

They were indeed walking to the direction of the sorcerer's Stone, but the Stone itself was underground.

Soon enough the two demigods found themselves facing an old wooden door.

"I'm guessing you have some sort of unlocking spell?" Nico asked.

Sylpha nodded.

Stepping forward she placed her palm on the door knob.

"Ξεκλειδοςετε,"

They heard a soft 'click' from the door instantly.

"Magic makes things so easy," Nico sighed.

Sylpha shook her head, "Not always. I may possess magic but it is also quite possible that I would encounter somebody who has magic as well. There are enemy magical traps to look out for. And spells can always backfire and do something it's not supposed to do. A powerful enough spell-gone-wrong can easily kill me, or the people around me."

"But you have to admit it makes things easier." Nico said.

"Sometimes," Sylpha admitted.

She pushed the door open, "I mean it's quite handy during Cabin Inspections back at camp."

"You use magic to clean?" Nico frowned.

Sylpha smirked at him, "Why do you think Hecate's Cabin always get perfect scores? If you had magic would you clean after yourself manually when you could just do it with a mere snap of your fingers?"

Not waiting for an answer Sylpha entered the room. Nico muttered something under his breath that Sylpha couldn't understand, but he followed after her, nonetheless.

Before Nico could fully enter the room, however, Sylpha stopped dead on her tracks. Causing an unprepared Nico to slam into her.

"Hey, Nico?" Sylpha called back before Nico could complain. "You know how you always stay in the Underworld?"

"Yeah?" Nico asked warily.

"Do you perhaps know how to tame a Cerberus growling at you?" Sylpha asked.

"What?" Nico asked.

Nico looked over Sylpha shoulder (which wasn't that hard) and his eyes widened.

In front of them, in all fours, a miniature replica of the famous Three Headed guardian of the Underworld towered over them, baring its teeth.

It was a Cerberus, and it did not look happy.

A/N:

So yeah. The usual rant; I'm sorry I hadn't update until recently.

I was a bit busy fixing the previous chapters. I'll be posting in the edited one. I've tried fixing the grammatical errors. But I haven't posted it yet. Mind you.

By the way guys, thanks so much for all your reviews. It really inspires me to update faster. It's good to know people appreciates your work. Also to those who liked and followed the story, thanks so much.

I'll be updating again sometime this week. If I don't expect it next week because I'll be busy in the following days.

Thanks, again.

(^_^)V