The Golden Wand [Harry Potter/Percy Jackson]

Chapter 24: A Lake Day

Annabeth POV:

It didn't take long for Leo to get bored of our hugs.

"Guys, guys, please," he laughed, shrugging me off for the sixth time. "I know I'm amazing, but this is all getting a bit too much."

"We thought you had died, Leo," Hazel slapped him again. "Do you understand how good it is to see you alive?"

"Yes, actually," he smiled. "You have to remember this isn't the first time I've 'died', but it never does get old seeing how upset you'd be if I did actually go."

"This isn't funny, dude," Jason sighed. "Honestly, this competition is tiring me out. I didn't think it'd be this hard."

We all sighed and nodded our agreements. Percy squeezed my hand tighter.

After I had stormed out of the interrogation room I had been overwhelmed by a roar of applause. Dazed and confused, I squinted against the sudden bright light, resting my eyes on Leo Valdez. I hadn't left his side since – not even as I watched the other competitors go in to questioning.

It had been the third trial, another test. What we hadn't know is that we had all passed the second trial; as Dumbledore explained later, those who couldn't change their true desires in the Mirror of Erised showed more heart and nobility than those that only desired glory, so we had progressed on to the next level on the Golden Competition unaware of our success. The party had been a setup, the explosion an illusion, the supposed death of our friend a lie, and the interrogation just a means for the judges to determine whether we owned a true sense of loyalty to those we knew. All sixteen remaining competitors had passed the trial, so sixteen remained in the competition.

"Now you have now proven a sense of bravery, in defying your fears; a sense of heroism, in valuing love over glory; a sense of loyalty, in standing up for those you trust even in times of grief and confusion. Already, so early in the competition, you have shown that you are all worthy of the final prize. Well done, competitors," Dumbledore smiled down on us as the final competitor, Krum, completed the trial.

We may all have been tensed because we were still in the competition, but the atmosphere in the room that afternoon had changed considerably. There was a happiness in the air, an ease; the competitors of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons actually joined in with our conversations, people were sharing food and laughing, everyone was happy. We knew that we trusted one another - something that we hadn't known before.

With this good mood, the competitors spent the next few weeks enjoying normal school life. I fell in to a routine: spending every lesson with Hermione, spending weekends with her and my friends from the Argo, spending free time with her and the competitors whenever I could. The only time I didn't see Hermione was when she would visit Hagrid during lunchtime, but even then I would sometimes join her with Percy; not only was Hagrid a great teacher, he also served an enjoyable lunch and reminded us of Percy's half-brother, Tyson, with whom we missed a lot.

The school term soon ended, and we continued to enjoy the October Half-Term holidays. All of us were excited for Halloween, which tended to be a huge deal in Hogwarts.

"Annie, Annie, Annie look!" Percy howled as he ran into the Golden Suite study-room. It was a lazy Thursday lunchtime; I was doing homework with Luna and Hazel, waiting for Hermione to come back from Hogsmeade with Ginny. Percy ran at me with a skip in his step and parchment in his hand. He engulfed me in a big hug before I could say anything. "Look! Look, look!"

I giggled and wrestled him off of me so I could see what all the excitement was about. Still beaming at me with those adorably distracting puppy-dog eyes, he handed me the parchment. I stared at the page and took it all in.