Impossible to Return

Nyx Rameriz and Ravenclaw Quidditch

"Did you hear what happened yesterday?"

Annabeth shook her head as she organized her assignments. Finished ones here, to be completed right here. "No."

Emmeline Vance looked at Annabeth incredulously. "It's all over the school! It's the hottest piece of gossip."

"That's probably why I haven't heard it. I'm don't care about gossip," Annabeth said, pushing away a strand of blonde hair that had escaped her ponytail.

"Yeah, me neither, but, this gossip is true!" When Annabeth didn't say anything, Emmeline elaborated. "Sirius Black and Piper McLean are going on a date!"

"Huh." Annabeth straightened her papers and showed no sign of interest.

Emmeline frowned. "I thought you'd care about that. You know, considering you used to be friends with her."

"Keyword: used to. I don't care what she does anymore." Annabeth spoke, flipping through the rest of her assignments that needed to be sorted.

Annabeth was moving on. She was moving on from the friends who didn't trust her. She was going to continue, and she was going to complete her mission.

She didn't need friends to do that.

>>>•<<<

"Truth or dare?"

Sirius didn't contemplate it. "Dare."

James grinned—that's what he had wanted him to say. "I dare you to dump a bucket of water on Marlene."

Percy raised his eyebrows and glanced over where Marlene McKinnon was talking with Piper. She had her back turned to them, and wouldn't see it coming.

"Okay then. Anyone got a bucket?" Sirius asked, standing up.

After finding a bucket and using the spell aguamenti to fill it up, Sirius quietly crept over to the girls. Piper noticed him coming, but he put a finger on his lips to keep her quiet. She continued chatting with her friend naturally as Sirius stopped behind Marlene.

Remus took out a camera and took the picture right as Sirius dumped the water on poor unsuspecting Marlene.

Marlene screeched as the cold water descended on her. Her hair, clothing and skin was soaked. Piper was in a fit of laughter, and her attempts to muffle it were unsuccessful.

Marlene turned around and spotted Sirius holding the bucket. He dropped the bucket and put his hands up in surrender as Marlene pulled out her wand.

Percy doubled over in laughter as Marlene spat out three different curses that all hit Sirius. He grew bunny ears, got blasted backwards, and vibrated for a full minute uncontrollably.

Sirius returned to Percy and the other Marauders, grinning despite the spells he got hit with. Remus cast the counter curse for the bunny ears on Sirius as he sat down.

"That was awesome," James said, grinning.

"She didn't see it coming. Truth or dare, Percy?" Sirius asked.

Percy didn't desire having some else's wrath upon him for doing a dare on them, so he picked the safer route. At least, what he thought was the safer route.

"Truth," Percy said.

James whined in protest but Sirius silenced him, his face serious.

"You have to answer this honestly. How did you meet Annabeth, your ex-girlfriend?"

Percy froze slightly, not expecting that question. He didn't really want to talk about Annabeth, and he had to be careful how he answered that. He couldn't very well tell them he met her at Camp Half-Blood after he defeated the Minotaur.