Demigods At Hogwarts

We Form a Team With The Hairy Stag And His Friends (Leo's Perspective)

While Annabeth repeated the prophecy for Rachel's benefit (I'll never understand how she commits these to memory) I turned and savored all the wizard's different funky expressions. Two common factors were that all their eyes were as wide as the ancient, massive yellow clock sporting Roman numerals that used to hand directly above the smoldering fireplace in my childhood home (I swear their eyes will be stuck like this for eternity if they keep it up) and their gaping mouths were so broad I had the unnatural urge to pop whole roasted turkeys in them like stoppers. But they were silent. Sometimes I felt like we had barged in and were holding the whole school hostage.

"Okay, any ideas what it means?" Annabeth's clear voice rang out in the hall. "We already know that the first two lines refer to Tom Riddle," Annabeth continued, "since we received the prophecy a little late. But which pantheons could the prophecy be referring to?"

"It never specified the number of pantheons," Piper piped up (pun intended), "and we already know there's Roman and Greek." She gestured to the rest of the demigods. "Do you think it's just us?"

The demigods glanced at each other doubtfully. The Greeks and Romans had already come together. Stating that we would defeat the threat together was... a little too trivial, or obvious, for the Oracle. And we all knew the Oracle was never obvious.

"It might be the Norse," Percy proposed, "They are coming over."

Annabeth hesitated, then shook her head.

"I just can't see how Magnus and Alex could help with this. I don't think snagging some more of Kvasir's mead and challenging Riddle to a flyting will do it."

"Flyting?" Piper questioned.

"Tell you later." Annabeth waved it off.

"Well, the only pantheons we're aware of would be Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse." Percy reviewed, counting off his fingers. "And we know there's already Greek and Roman. So it needs to be either Norse or Egyptian to help us."

"Or it could be both of them," Frank suggested.

"Or another pantheon will pop up and my brain will explode," Annabeth groaned, hugging her sides.

"Okay, well, we'll save that question for later," Reyna pushed the matter aside, "but what is 'the tie between the stag and the undead?' We know the undead is Riddle. Who, or what, is the stag?"

Hermione stood up, frantically motioning to her mouth.

"Uh..." Piper looked at Annabeth, who nodded. "You can speak." Piper granted Hermione permission.

"We know who the stag is-" she paused, "or might be." She reflected. "We want to help."

"You?" Thalia asked skeptically. "You really think we'd let you help? You've been following us, trying to make our life miserable, and being plain infuriating! Why in the world would we want to work with you-"

"Thalia." Annabeth gave her a warning look, and Thalia crossed her arms and looked away, enraged. Reyna placed a hand on her shoulder in a meager effort to comfort her.

"We..." Annabeth hesitated like the words were choking her. "Acceptance of your help is yet to be determined. However, we would like to hear who you think might be the stag referred to in the prophecy."

But Hermione did not budge; instead, she crossed her arms stubbornly. "I'll only tell you if you promise to let us work with you."

"We need to talk." Annabeth decreed in a strained voice. I thought she had meant her and Hermione, but as she turned, I realized that she intended to discuss it with us.