LEGIONS IN LEGENDS [PJO X HP]

TWENTY-ONE: MADAM POMFREY IS A LIE DETECTOR (A WHAT-?)

PERCY AND ANNABETH WERE NOT MAKING OUT IN THE LIBRARY. Though Katie had told Harry that they were doing homework, in actuality, they were figuring out a way to contact camp.

"Iris Message. Duh," Percy said without much hesitation or thought.

"Yeah, but where will we get a water source in Hogwarts? The Black Lake is out in the open, and I don't think we can do it in the bathroom. What if someone randomly walks in?" Annabeth countered. She folded her arms and leaned into her chair, and surprise jolted her when she felt her head hit someone's body.

Hermione was standing behind them. "You know, your conversation sounds really inappropriate from what I just heard," the witch said smugly. Gods, she really had to stop sneaking up on people like that. A year of hiding from Snatchers did not mean she had to continue being creepy and quiet.

Annabeth laughed. "I don't know why everyone thinks we're gonna do crazy shit in this school. We're professional, promise."

"Yeah, like that time Frank thought we did it in the Argo," Percy murmured, clearing his throat softly. Only his girlfriend heard him, and she smiled- both at his comment, and the not-so-fond memory of Coach Hedge yelling at them for hours.

"Anyways, Hermione," the Daughter of Athena continued, "we kinda have a favour to ask, and you can't tell anyone about it."

Hermione raised a brow. "I won't help you kill anyone, but what do you need?"

"Is there a place in Hogwarts that's like... secluded? And has a water source?"

"Do you need the water source to be built in? You could just use Aquamemti, no?"

"Oh. Right," Annabeth said. For a moment, she had forgotten that she possessed magic. It hadn't come naturally to her yet- all of them were still primarily using their weapons as defence. "Sorry. New to magic and all."

"It's no problem." Hermione grinned, "But what do you need this for?"

"Uhhh..."

On the bright side, Annabeth did not have time to answer the question that would awkwardly reveal their demigod heritage. Unfortunately, though, the thing that interrupted them happened to be the tortured screams coming from outside the library.

"What was that?" Percy stood abruptly, concern knitting his eyebrows together. "That sounds like Katie."

The three of them exchanged dreaded looks, and they dashed out of the library.

Outside of the library lay a sight only familiar to Hermione. She knew of Sectumsempra, and she knew of its effects. The three friends had stumbled upon a disheveled Harry kneeling next to a pool of blood, and they caught a faint figure carrying Katie away in the background.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, running towards her best friend. The blood did not seem to be coming from him, but cuts and gashes stained his body. "What in Merlin's name happened?!"

Harry gulped, catching his breath. He did not hold the others' gazes, instead his eyes seemed fixed on the Forbidden Forest, where Katie's saviour/kidnapper had gone.

"I'm sorry," he panted. Tears burned his eyes. "I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't do it. The Eidolon attacked. Katie's badly injured. I almost killed her, but someone took her away. I don't know who he was."