Heroes at Hogwarts

thirty-three | disappearing acts and midnight calls

annabeth

First he almost died in the Labyrinth. Next, he didn't return for weeks. Then he almost got himself killed by Luke. Then he got taken away from them, his memory wiped, and placed in a Roman camp. Gone. For eight months. Then, in a drastic turn of events, Annabeth and Percy both somehow end up in Tartarus.

Now he was gone again.

Up until now, she didn't mind the risk. It was annoying, always being Hera's little pawns, but they always did it together. They were a team. Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl.

They weren't together this time. No connection, no idea where he was. Just like back before the last war. 

"What do you mean," Piper asked, "they just disappeared?"

Hermione and Ron had explained what had happened three times already. Once to Annabeth, Hazel, and Draco. Once to Dumbledore and McGonagall, and now another time for the whole demigod group.

Jason set a hand on Annabeth's back. "He'll be fine."

"Why was he even outside?" She asked him. "He was supposed to still be resting."

"She means they literally just evaporated," Ron defended Hermione. "They were right next to us. Then they weren't."

"Percy had been pretty freaked out. He was making all of us rush back inside, something had definitely spooked him," Hermione said. "Something in the wind."

Leo and Annabeth's heads popped up. "Was the wind talking?" Leo asked.

"What?" Ron shook his head. "No."

Reyna rubbed her temple. "What is happening?"

"Maybe the whole reason they sent us after Harry," Frank said, "was because something was about to happen."

"But how would Chiron allow that?" Rachel asked. "He would have confided in us about the possibilities."

"Chiron," Annabeth realized. She was so busy worrying about Percy, she hadn't thought about their old teacher. "He'll know what to do."

Dumbledore reached for the spray bottle he kept on his desk. Annabeth had no idea why, but she figured there had to be a reason. Maybe he liked his hair damp.

"Well, let's give him a call," Dumbledore said. He sprayed the mist, and McGonagall reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a drachma. She tossed it into the mist and, as it disappeared, Calypso recanted the chant.

Chiron appeared into the mist. He was relaxing on the big house porch, Conner Stoll, Clovis, Clarisse, and Chris all sat around the old teacher as he told a story.

The centaur glanced up when he saw the gleam of the message. He broke into a smile. "Why, hello, everyone."

The others glanced up as well and broke into wide grins. They each greeted those in the message in their own way, but when they were met with silence and tear stained faces, every smile dropped.

Clarisse covered her mouth. "Oh, gods, what happened?"

No one spoke. Hermione and Ron were looking around, trying to believe what was happening. Annabeth sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"Where's Percy?" Conner asked.

Chiron stood immediately. "What has happened?"

"He's gone, Chiron," Annabeth choked out.

Nico set a hand on Annabeth's back. "He's just disappeared," Nico said.

Will turned to the wizards in the room. "Tell him the story," the son of Apollo demanded.