Heroes at Hogwarts

thirty-two | Tartarus and vanished boys

draco

Draco had heard all about Percy's little adventure the night before. Piper and Nico had recounted it with him, and Draco had dived right into every book on Greek mythology he could find with Annabeth.

As soon as the others had arrived, Percy had spilled the beans about Draco figuring everything out. Frank and Jason hadn't been too keen on sharing their secrets with him, after everything Potter had told them, but now they were all warming up to each other.

He was worried. Now that it'd been two days and he still hadn't seen his friend, Draco was becoming even more restless about what happened to the boy. Nico had explained everything but Percy's injuries (when Draco heard Potter was a demigod, all he could think was of course he is, and roll his eyes). Harry Potter got to have all the fun.

Now, as Draco read through the books in the library with Annabeth and Hazel at his side, he was rethinking that claim. Demigodish-ness did not look fun. Everyone seemed to die in glorious ways.

"So, Harry is one of you?" He asked. "That's why you're here?"

"We're here because you're all in trouble, not just Harry," Annabeth said as she flipped through the book Hazel had just handed her.

"Why isn't Leo in here?" Draco asked, "He's in Ravenclaw too. Instead, we have Hazel, who's a Hufflepuff."

"Leo may be a Ravenclaw," Annabeth explained, "but he's not the reading type. He builds things."

Hazel came over with a new stack of books. "Who would've known the wizards would have so many books on us."

Draco took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair at the sight of the tall stack of books. How had Hazel carried all of those here? They were taller than her!

Annabeth began handing out the books. Draco received about six of them. He sighed. "What exactly are we looking for?"

"Anything," Hazel said as she sat next to her new stack.

"Anything." Draco thumbed through the first book. "That helps."

"Eidolons," Annabeth said, "winds, hydras, ghosts. Anything that pertains to the recent events."

Draco blew out a breath and began reading. His first book didn't have a title, just a little doodle of a tree with no leaves on the cover.

Tartarus. That was all that was on the first page. He read the word over and over. It made him feel strange, like something was trying to crawl out of the pages.

He flipped the page and kept reading.

Hell, the Underworld, death. The pit has been called many things.

Home is not one of those things.

Draco looked up at Annabeth. "Tartarus? What is that?"

Annabeth stopped thumbing through the pages and stilled, her eyes trained on the words although she wasn't reading them.

Hazel set a hand on his shoulder. "We don't mention it much. What makes you ask?" She leaned over Draco to read his book. She pursed her lips. "That might actually help us."

Annabeth stood and came around the table to see as well. Her hands were trembling. "What is it?"

"Just a book on the pit," Hazel said, "but the eidolons aren't normal monsters. They can't escape without being called out. That's why Gaea used them."

"That's true," Annabeth said. Draco was sure she was glaring at the book. "Hazel, do you think you could...?"

Hazel took the book from Draco with a smile. "Of course. It's probably better that Draco doesn't read it anyway."

Draco looked from the book to the two girls. "Why?"

"Tartarus is the equivalent of hell for Greeks and Romans," Annabeth said, "there will be things in that book that you don't need to know, and that you hope you never do."

Draco heard the hurt and resent in her voice, and narrowed his eyes as she went back to her stack of books. Something had happened to her, something that had to do with the 'pit of hell'.

"Alright, you three." Madam Pince came into the room again. "I allowed Dumbledore to let you stay after hours. It's getting to late now. Annabeth, dear, you can take those if you want."

Annabeth was already putting the stacks into the bag she'd brought along. She took all three stacks. "Thanks, Madam."

The librarian nodded to her. "Anything for my favorite Ravenclaw, dear."

Draco hunched his eyebrows. He'd been here for six years, and Madam Pince never liked anyone as much as she liked Annabeth Chase, except for Cedric Diggory, and he'd died.

The stood and thanked her. Hazel pulled Annabeth out of the library. "If I could just grab one more..." Annabeth was reaching for the shelves.

Draco and Hazel laughed as they pulled her out into the hallway.

It was that moment that the door leading outside flew open and Weasley stumbled through, dragging Hermione behind him. They wore panicked expressions, and when they spotted the small group leaving the library, they ran for them.

"Annabeth! Hazel!" Hermione ran for them while Ron looked out the crack in the door, pain written all over his face.

"What?" Annabeth pulled her bag onto her shoulder.

"It's Harry!" Ron yelled from the door. "And Percy!"

Annabeth dropped her bag and she and Hazel ran for the door.

"What did they do?" Annabeth asked.

"What happened?" Hazel asked at the same time.

Draco grabbed Annabeth's bag for her and followed after them. He looked through the door, now swung wide open. There was no one outside.

"They...they're..." Hermione pointed out into the open grass field. Her voice failed her.

Ron stared out at the lake with wide eyes. "They're gone." 

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