The Coming Storm

Annabeth's stormy grey eyes were uncharacteristically dull today, and even as Professor Binns droned on and on about her favorite subject –history of magic, nonetheless!- she could not find it in herself to actually concentrate. There were so many other more pressing questions chasing each other in her mind- was Percy awake yet? What happened to Percy? Why didn't he tell Annabeth about it? Was he acting strangely without Annabeth paying heed to it? What could possibly be going on in Percy's head right now? How can she cure him, from whatever this is?

Maybe it was a god playing some prank? It wouldn't be the first time an immortal mightiness decided to turn some innocent demigod into a raging lunatic.

Annabeth shook her head absentmindedly. Let's face it- Percy's incoherent muttering consists of 'get out of my head!', and judging from the worried/knowing looks shared by Dumbledore and Chiron –yes, Chiron- during their iris message conversation,it was just their luck that it wasn't some prank by the deities this time to entertain themselves up on Mount Olympus. This was no high-budget film screened on Hephaestus TV. This was magic. A whole new world that Annabeth knew almost nothing about.

She recalled the iris message made in the abandoned girl's bathroom a few days back:

'Percy is currently in a coma,' Dumbledore had said, his blue eyes crinkling in barely concealed worry, 'Madam Pomfrey suggested to take him to St. Mungo's if he doesn't get any better.'

'St. Mungo's?' Annabeth had asked.

'A wizarding hospital. One which Percy cannot pay a visit to because of his godly parentage. Magic seldom inflicts significant damage on a demigod, much less offer significant healing properties.' Dumbledore explained.

'Have you tried feeding him ambrosia and nectar?' Chiron had his hands in a steeple, a gesture that gave away how worried he felt. 'Like you said, Percy is a demigod, and a strong one at that. Maybe the food and drink of the gods will…' Chiron cut off his own sentence when Annabeth, Thalia, and Nico shook their heads.

Thalia opened her mouth. 'We tried, but he wouldn't-'

'-Couldn't.' Nico supplied.

'-couldn't swallow it.' Her electric blue eyes sparked with frustration. She had always wanted things to go her way. 'We tried to force it down, but he'd retch it up right back.'

'And sometimes we would catch him mumbling things like, 'leave me be!' or 'Get out!' or even 'I'll call Poseidon on you!'.' Annabeth said, and the demigods' mouth twitched a fraction when they recalled the times when Percy boasted about his father jokingly.

Dumbledore and Chiron shared a knowing look, a look that frustrated Annabeth to no end.

Annabeth had enough. 'Is there anything you aren't telling us?'

A long moment of pause stretched between million of galaxies and millennia before Chiron nodded, choosing his next words carefully in his most diplomatic manner. 'Dumbledore and I have our… suspicions.' He turned to look at Annabeth, 'Remember during our last iris message, Percy mentioned the dark lord appearing in his dreams? That he was threatening Percy but Percy being Percy had tried to let it go as a joke?'

Annabeth paled. She knew what he was going to say before he said it- after all, she had her own theories. He continued, 'Dumbledore and I suspect that the dark lord had successfully gotten into his head. We don't know how, exactly, seeing that demigods shouldn't have been affected by normal magic… but clearly the dark lord knew what he was dealing with. He knew about demigods. He was prepared.'

'In short,' Dumbledore said, 'he knew you were coming.'

That had been a pretty nice bomb to drop in the middle of an abandoned girl's bathroom.

The bell rang, shaking Annabeth out of her reverie. She had even more questions piling up inside her mind, and the fact that Luna gibbered on and on about some quibbler news didn't help matters.

How did Mr Voldy know they were coming? How did he know anything about demigods for him to find out a way to crack their armors? Even the demigods themselves didn't know how to crack their own armors!

Annabeth should've been the first to figure out the answers- she always had been. But now she was stumped.

Yeah. The famed Child of Athena was stumped.

She let out a very exasperated and unladylike groan as she turned the corner of the corridor-

-and bumped into a brick wall.

If a brick wall had silvery white hair, dark cold eyes with malicious intent, and a sneer that could match the sneer of Hera herself when she finds out about Zeus' new mortal lover.

'Malfoy,' she matched his sneer with one of her own, 'what a pleasure.'

'The feeling of pleasure isn't very much mutual now, is it, blondie?' Beside Malfoy, his two goons –Crabbe and Golyle, Annabeth remembered- materialized, looking like two pudgy snowmans acting as poorly trained bodyguards. Annabeth could take them both down with one uppercut.

'Don't test my patience, Malfoy,' Annabeth shot back. 'Or do you fancy another explosion in your face? Maybe a new charcoal colored dye to mask your genetically unfortunate hair color?'

'Do you really want to play snarky with me, you filthy American?' he smirked, before leaning forward and lowering his voice to a whisper, 'Afterall, shouldn't you be cowering in your dormitory praying that it wont be you the dark lord attacked next?'

Annabeth's heart stopped cold. He knew? How could he know?

Malfoy seemed to read her thoughts. 'I know more than you think. Next time, be sure to do some research on family backgrounds, Chase.' Even though he finally called her by her last name, he still managed to make it sound like an insult.

'You're bluffing.' Annabeth said defiantly, her chin raised.

Malfoy cocked a brow. 'Am I?'

There was a pause as Annabeth glared him down.

'You don't know a thing about what's happening, do you?' Malfoy laughed. 'You're just a dumb little bimbo, trying to put all the puzzle pieces together.'

Annabeth clenched the straps of her bag so tightly her knuckles became white. Frustration dripped along with her blood. She bit her lips. Do not get into a fight with Malfoy. He was not worth it. Especially when the corridors were full of students streaming in and out. Take a deep breath and be the better person, she chided herself, and moved to leave- before Malfoy caught her by the arm. 'How's that Gryffindor boyfriend of yours doing? Well, I hope?'

'Malfoy, let go of me.' Annabeth knew her glare was deadly, and she was satisfied when she got back three pairs of flinches in return. Unfortunately, his goons had surrounded her. Not that she was any worried, of course. Demigod combat skills always beat magic wand fights anyway. She took another deep breath. Chiron already warned them to keep out of trouble. She would not let this insufferable Vlacas-

'Has he woken up?' Malfoy continued, his grip on her tightening, 'Has he been muttering pathetic things like 'oh! Get away from me!' or 'save me!' yet?'

Blood roared in Annabeth's ears. She was the child of Athena- she would not tolerate this sort of insolence. This little git thought he knew everything, thought he can go around threatening them, the demigods, who could easily smite them? How dare he?

Annabeth finally exploded. She twisted his hand from his and in a swift movement got him in a headlock, against the wall. A flurry of action from behind her caused her to turn- she punched Crabbe in the gut and kicked Goyle in the crotch. She vaguely realized the number of students that now surrounded them in a semicircle, gasping. Her vision tunneled on the most infuriating white haired git she had ever had the utmost pleasure of meeting, and she gave him a square punch to his face before pushing him against the wall.

'You just want to seem tall and mighty, don't you?' a surge of anger rushed through Annabeth, 'You just want to seem like some all-knowing, omnipotent force working for Voldemort, don't you?' at the word 'Voldemort', the whispers in the crowd went into straight into a crescendo.

'You feign knowledge,' Annabeth continued, her blood pounding in her ears, You want to be just like them. You act like you know everything but you don't.' at this, Annabeth gave a small sarcastic chuckle; Malfoy's face paled even further, 'You don't know what you're dealing with, Malfoy.'

'Of course I know-' he tried to say, but to no avail.

'-and I've seen enough people like you to understand what you're feeling- youre scared, arent you? Oh yes- you want to fit in into the evil crowd, and by doing so you agree to perform the most pathetic prophesying of the future I've ever seen. That's all good and well, but do not concern me and my friends with your incessant ramblings; stay the Hades away, or I'll make sure you regret ever being born.' Her grey eyes were a furious thunderstorm, and lightning crackled. 'I'll tell you what- if you run along and continue being the perfect epitome of a major dickhead to others without involving ever speaking to us again, perhaps I'll consider to spare you.'

Malfoy sputtered. From the position Annabeth held him in, he was in no place to make demands. However, he still managed a few strangled words, 'My father will hear about this!'

'Yeah. That's well and good. Now, I'm especially warning you,' Annabeth's voice was low and harsh; she pushed him up against the wall with more force, his face reddening from the limited oxygen, 'if you so much as lay a finger on Percy, you'll find the wrath of the entire heavens against you.'

With that, Annabeth let go and Malfoy fell back to the floor with a relieved yelp. She shouldered her bag and pushed through the crowd, trying to ignore the whispers but still catching a few that sounded vaguely like 'she can fight' and 'did you see how she single-handedly backhanded the Slytherins?'. It probably was the worst time for Annabeth's pride to swell, but it did anyway. However, it faded the second her thoughts once more went to Percy, and the cryptic messages Malfoy keep leaving.

Well, Annabeth sighed, Malfoy's face would be perfect for a target practice right now.

'So in America, when do they bring you in to teach you magic?' asked Hermione eagerly as Katie and her settled down in the common room. Fire was crackling on the hearth, blanketing the both of them in pleasant warmth. Outside, the sun had just gone down the horizon; faint traces of orange glow and moonlight were streaming through the Gryffindor windows.

Most of the Gryffindors went up to their dormitories right after dinner, and some mingled in the common room. Hermione had struck up a conversation with Katie since dinner, and –thank the gods- she wasn't anything like her Drew-reincarnate roommates.

'When we turn twelve, usually.' Katie lied easily, a grin gracing her features. Chiron already told the demigods the right wizarding information to share to any curious souls.

'Did your parents know you were a wizard?' Hermione seemed so excited it was almost contagious. Katie could live with this kid.

'Both my parents were wizards so… I guess they figured it ran in the genes. How about you?'

Hermione's smile dimmed a little, 'My parents are both muggles,' at Katie's furrowed brow she added, 'Non-magic humans. They knew nothing of the wizarding world until the letter arrived.'

That's nothing to be ashamed of- why did she seem like she doesn't want to talk about it? Again, Hermione read her mind, 'It's nothing. Just that Malfoy again. He called me a mudblood and then the next thing I know Percy was beating him up.'

Hermione's face turned slightly dreamy when reminiscing about the incident, which confused Katie but she shook it off. 'What is a mudblood?' probably not the most sensitive question to ask but Katie was curious.

'Probably the worst nickname you can call a muggleborn. Have you never heard all these terms in America?' her excited self returned, 'What are the terms you use back there?'

'Erm…' Katie racked her brains for some American terms. Now this, she wasn't prepared for. 'Well… Instead of saying bloody Merlin we usually use the term… er… oh Styx or instead. Or I mean, for the substitute for mudblood we probably just call them… dunderheads.' Katie flinched at her own lameness. She couldn't exactly use a greek word for morons can she?

'Dunderheads.' Hermione repeated.

'Dunderheads.' Katie nodded. 'Or blockhead. Whichever you prefer. Personally I'd like to call Travis a churning pot of Hermes schist.'

'A churning pot of-' Hermione shook her head, 'never mind. You Americans are very creative with your swear words.'

Katie grinned, 'Oh yeah. You have no idea.' She almost wanted to blurt out the other things demigods scream to each other when they have fistfights, like di immortales! and holy Rhea mother of Zeus! Or even I'll send your gáidaros back to Tartarus! But she figured Hermione would either faint from such obscene language, or have a wizarding heartattack, so Katie kept her mouth shut.

'Where did you say the American wizarding school is again?' Hermione once again asked.

'Oh, it's in New York, Long Island Sound.' Katie lied again. She figured that was the answer Chiron would have wanted her to say.

'Is it nice there? What activities do you have? I heard you guys have cabins instead of dormitories, is that true?'

And so Hermione bombarded Katie with questions for the next forty five minutes, and Katie replied her with half-truths that she hoped she would remember telling Hermione the next time. It was about half past 9 that Hermione finally gotten sleepy and hugged Katie, telling Katie it was nice to have someone other than 'the two dunderheads' to talk to. Katie laughed. The feeling was absolutely mutual.

It was also when Hermione had left that the Stolls entered the common room. Katie groaned, 'Oh look, it's you two again.'

They both grinned at her, 'Look who's here!' Travis mocked bow, 'All hail the child of Demeter!'

Katie whacked him upside his head. 'Shhhhhh! Do you want our identities to be blown?'

Connor gave a small chuckle, 'Hasn't it already? Voldy already knows we're here.'

The hearth suddenly didn't seem so warm anymore, but when Travis grinned and placed both his hands firmly on Katie's shoulders, she felt herself redden up like a tomato. 'Come on guys! Cheer up! If we all want Percy to get better and get rid of all this negative vibes we gotta think positive!' He pulled Katie to her feat. 'Now let's go find Dumbledore!'

'What?' Katie asked.

They were out the Gryffindor common room the next second, with Travis' arms brushing hers accidentally-on-purpose. 'He pulled Nico aside just now and requested the presence of the all amazing demigods that resides in his school, but because this meeting is sort of a demigod-worthy secret, it had to be done when everyone was asleep, and absolutely nobody should realize that we were out of our beds- Oh look, a prefect!'

True enough, Penelope Clearwater –a Ravenclaw prefect Annabeth had befriended- strode across the corridor intently. Connor ducked in the shadows of a nearby staircase, and Travis pulled Katie behind a column. His touch on her arm burned pleasantly, and Katie ignored the small voice in her head that said please don't let go of me!

'I think she's gone now.' Travis whispered. His breath tickled her ears. Blast him! Why was he so tall? And why was his body so hard and lean? This was insane! Katie had never noticed these things about Travis before… did she? She refused to think of him as anything close to attractive!

'-hello? Katie? Earth to Katie?' Travis whispered once more, his hands waving in front of her. 'She's gone. Let's go.' Katie hoped that in the dark he wouldn't see her blushing profusely, but no luck. 'Sweetheart, I know I'm hot, and because I'm also very compassionate, I'll give you a pass-go card to cuddle with me anytime.' He winked, 'But right now, we need to find Gandalf lookalike.'

Katie glared at him and stomped off, cursing herself for mourning the loss of warmth Travis' body provided her. She hated him with all her might, and that was that. Yes, she would never fall for some mischievous son of Hermes with more tricks up his sleeves than presents Santa had in his bag!

In no time, they arrived at Dumbledore's office to find the other demigods all assembled around him.

They had arrived just in time to hear the best part.

'-Malfoy and his Slytherin friends have a few injured ribs here and there, but this was the second time they landed up in the infirmary in these past two weeks. I do not believe Madam Pomfrey can take healing another broken rib. Not to mention the time where the Ravenclaws and Slytherins had helped explode greenhouse 5.' Dumbledore said, and although his tone sounded slightly reprimanding, his eyes glinted in slight admiration.

'Sorry, Headmaster,' Annabeth apologized. 'I'll take the blame on this. He was egging me on and I just lost it.'

'No need to apologize, dear.' He said, 'His family has been well-known for their influences with the dark arts, being the loyal followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as they are.'

'Now that we all know Voldy is involved in all this, and that the Malfoy's have a part in it too… What do they want with Percy?' Thalia asked, the gears visibly gyrating in her electric blue eyes. 'What would benefit a renowned Dark Lord from torturing a demigod? We aren't even in the same worlds.'

Dumbledore sighed, his eyes, so full of wisdom and knowledge, dimmed slightly, 'I am afraid I do not have an answer to it. However, I have a proposition for you.'

The demigods stayed quiet while he continued, 'I apologize for causing all this trouble. I requested for Chiron's help. I had thought that having a greater source of power would help in our war, a war that never concerned all of you in the first place.' He looked at all of them knowingly, acknowledging the fact that they had been through the Titan war and were, quite honestly, tired of death. 'It is obvious, however, that this plan of protecting the Golden Trio have been… compromised. I can no longer guarantee your safeties. Consequently, Chiron and I have come to a decision to abort this quest of yours.'

The silence was so thick it could have been sliced right through with a knife.

Nico coughed, 'What you mean to say is… you're sending us back to America? Back to Camp Half-Blood?'

Dumbledore nodded, 'Indeed.'

'B-but- what about Percy? He's in no state to just leave!' Thalia sputtered out. 'He hasn't even come to yet!'

'Besides, even if we do find a way to transport him back,' Connor added, 'What if he still won't wake up?'

That question hung over them like an omen.

'There is a lower possibility that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can have a hold over Mr. Jackson when he is in America.' Dumbledore replied, although he seemed doubtful of his own words.

Annabeth spoke up, her grey eyes calculating, 'But that's not true, isn't it? Back when Harry was in his first year, Voldy possessed Professor Quirell even when he was in his most weakened state in Alabama.'

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, 'You did your research. As expected of a child of Athena.'

Annabeth held her head up high, 'Of course.'

The Headmaster sighed, 'We are running out of options, and discontinuing this mission seems like the best approach. Nobody else needs to get hurt.'

Another long pause. The demigods all looked to Annabeth to decide. She rubbed her fingers against her temple and looked at everyone in turn. Her voice seemed strained, 'So?'

'We haven't found any sort of cure for Perce,' supplied Travis in a small voice, 'Maybe the only way is to bring him back.'

'The gods may help. Hecate may know how to deal with this.' Katie added, and the atmosphere lightened by a fraction. Yeah, Hecate was the god of magic. She basically invented Voldy. Why didn't the demigods think of that?

Annabeth turned to Dumbledore, a resolution set in her grey eyes. 'I-'

She never got the chance to answer.

The door to the Headmaster's room burst open and Professor Snape came running in, three deadly gashes on his abdomen oozing out crimson. He lost all the composure he usually had; his face was deathly pale and his eyes were uncharacteristically filled with horror and fear as he stared at the wide-eyed audience.

'Pr-Professor, there's been an attack-' he started.

And just then, an animalistic screech tore through the air and shook the grounds.

Annabeth's heart stopped. She knew this sound. She shared similar looks with her fellow demigods and had barely let out a low breath of warning before screams pierced the atmosphere.

'The Drakon.'

Hello everyone! Don't kill me please! Like I said, I am going to finish this story, whether you're all gonna persist reading it or not (which, i reeeeeeeeeeally hope you will). Shoutout to this one recent guest review by JustATotalFan, who inspired me to stay up to 4am to write this chapter. Thank you, and to all the other reviewers too- you've all motivated me a lot *puts all the heart shapes there are in the emoji list*

SOOOOO, HOW'S THE STORY SO FAR? WHY DO YOU THINK THE DRAKON IS THERE, AND HOW DO YOU THINK IT BREACHED THE MAGICAL BORDER? AND HOW'S POOR PERCY? WILL HE GET BETTER? PS. I REALLY LOVE TRATIE EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! Leave your thoughts in the reviews!

Much love!