Demigods at Hogwarts

Chapter Twenty-One: Hermione Granger

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 8.1 K READS!AHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm calm. Seriously though, thank you soooooooooo much! I never thought this would get so far.

This chapter is dedicated to @horsegirl469, my best friend, who got me into Percy Jackson. ILY!

So, I have two very serious questions.

1. Do you ship Drayna? I do for this book.

2. What should Frank's Patronus be?

Also, I want a scene where all the couples kiss in a few chapters, but my mom will read it, and I'm afraid she'll think it's inappropriate for a twelve-year-old to be writing.

And everyone, I appreciate your support.

Enjoy!

~Hermione~

The days slipped slowly into winter. I researched what Ginny had asked me to, but I couldn't find anything in the library about people who could set themselves on fire.

Jason had been chosen as a Chaser for the Quidditch team, and Frank as Beater. Gryffindor won its first two games; against Hufflepuff and Slytherin.

Suspicious things kept occurring. Once, in Potions, Hazel got frustrated and a chunk of gold appeared on the tray that I was sharing with her.

In the library, Percy got into an argument with Theodore Nott. Apparently Nott pushed into him and tried to make him apologize. Percy told him, "I won't, because I avoid Slytherins like the plague that they are."

Anyway, Nott shoved him, and the next minute had his robes soaked in water.

On Halloween night, the teachers and students took turns telling spooky stories. I told one of my favorites; about Nyx, the Greek goddess of night. Everyone was horrified, Percy and Annabeth most of all. When I got up in the middle of the night to use the loo, I heard crying and saw Percy hugging Annabeth next to the fire.

Classes passed normally. The exchange students excelled at Physical Combat and Mythology. I was great at the latter. The former, not so much.

After classes three days before Christmas break, I herded Ron over to the group of exchange students.

He tried to argue, but I gave him a pointed glare and turned to address the group. "Ronald has something he'd like to say to you."

Ron opened his mouth to disagree, but I trod on his foot and he yelped.

"I'm very sorry that I was rude to you," he said through gritted teeth.

Jason nodded. "We forgive you."

I dragged Ron away by the ears then, and we had a snowball fight on the grounds.

***

"And I have one more special announcement before we go," McGonagall said the next day after Transfiguration. "In honor of the exchange students, we will be having a legendary event. Only once before has this ever happened at Hogwarts. It is to honor the exchange of culture, and the first was at the opening of the school. The Snowball Festival."

The class burst into excited whispers. I had read about the Snowball Festival. It was a week-long celebration of winter-themed things. At the end of the week, there was a Midnight Dance where everyone would show up in all their finest.

"Now you may go," McGonagall said, and the class rushed out. Only the exchange students hung back.

"Go, go ask her now," Percy whispered, giving Nico a shove toward McGonagall's desk. "Leo's going to ask too."

"Fine!" Nico threw up his hands in exasperation. "I give in!"

I watched curiously from the doorway as Leo and Nico approached McGonagall's desk.

"Uh, Professor," Leo said cautiously. I didn't blame him. Last week, he'd been a bit sarcastic to her, and she'd given him detention. It was deserved though. "I was wondering if my girlfriend could come and stay here."

McGonagall looked up. "Good timing, Mr. Valdez. You are required to have a date to the Midnight Dance at the end of the Snowball Festival. Can I have her name so I may send for her at your school?"

Leo looked a bit taken aback by her willingness, but he said, "She's Calypso Atlas."

McGonagall turned to Nico. "And I assume that you're here for the same reason, Mr. di Angelo?"

Nico nodded and McGonagall asked, "Name?"

"Will Solace."

"Full name?"

"That is his full name," Nico said, then winced at his words.

McGonagall, however, did not say anything or even raise her eyebrows. She merely wrote down the name and said, "Very good. I shall send an owl to your school in the morning."

***

Studying in the common room that night, the answer hit me like a bolt of lightning.

I poked Harry, who was dozing on the couch with his glasses crooked, and whisper-snapped, "Harry! Wake up!"

He sat up and fixed his glasses.

"I need your Invisibility Cloak," I said. "Now!"

Harry didn't ask questions, just got the cloak from his trunk and gave it to me.

Frank gave me a questioning look as I stepped out. I danced up and down like I badly needed to use the loo.

I made my way to the library, avoiding Peeves by a hair. I had thrown the cloak on after I left the common room. Peeves cackled and threw chalk at Mrs. Norris, yelling curse words.

Madam Pince was asleep on her desk, snoring heavily. I smothered a giggle. She muttered something about Bludgers and incompetent Hufflepuffs. I shook with repressed laughter and silently thanked Madam Pince for keeping the heavy oak double doors well-oiled and un-squeaky.

Once inside, I stopped with a barely muffled gasp. There was a student, short and skinny, pushing open the door of the Restricted Section. The student looked over their shoulder, and I glimpsed a pallid face and a sullen mouth, cut red. Obviously whoever it was had bit the skin off their lip.

I crept into the Restricted Section, passing her (the features told me that the student was female, and the scarf wrapped around her neck told me she was a Slytherin), and smoothly slipped the book list off its table.

I sat in a corner, flipping the book list pages till I found the one I wanted.

The Slytherin had left by the time I found the tome that I was looking for. It weighed about a ton, so I whipped out my wand and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The book rose obediently, and I crept back to the common room without interruption.

I slunk up the stairs the girls dorms. Annabeth was sitting on her bed, brushing her teeth. She mumbled something garbled around the toothbrush, which I assumed was, "What's the book?"

I showed her the cover, and her face grew from interested to horrified as she read the title through her dyslexia.

The Complete Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Myths and Their Effect on Modern Life