Heroes at Hogwarts

fifty-five | common rooms and common friends

hazel

The room was eerily quiet. 

No one spoke. No one moved. 

It had been minutes since the demigods had stopped explaining, and still no outbreak of questions had ensued. No one had demanded to go home. No one told them they were lying. Everyone just sat, as if afraid. 

Maybe they were. They had reason to be.

Hazel glanced at the professors. Dumbledore stood again, motioning for the other professors to do so as well. 

"If you have questions, feel free to ask them when you catch them afterwards. They will be staying here, not going home until this is all put to rest. Our classes have been abandoned at this time. You will report where you are sent in the morning, and guided the rest of the day. Remember that schedule, it will be yours for the time being. Dismissed." 

Hazel took a deep breath as talking erupted. The girls she'd shared a room with for months now stared at her, eyes wide. Perhaps they were frightened that she would be staying with them longer. They'd just heard Hazel could make illusions come to life, raise the dead, burrow her way underground, all without breaking a sweat. That she could travel through the walls in darkness if she pleased. It wouldn't be the most comforting thing to Hazel. She thought these girls would feel the same way. 

The demigods turned to each other, bidding goodbyes. Percy kissed Annabeth, then Leo on the cheek, making everyone howl with laughter. Cal kissed his other cheek with a smile. 

Frank wrapped an arm around Hazel and pulled her into a hug. She settled against the familiarity of her boyfriend. He sighed. "See you in the morning," he said. 

She stood on her toes and kissed his chin. "See you then." 

Hazel knew they probably wouldn't, as he would be training one class and she another. They would probably even skip breakfast, knowing them. She squeezed him tight again. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. They needed to get back to their common rooms soon, to settle the wizards, and they all knew it. Yet no one moved to go back to the houses they'd been assigned. 

It was Jason that got them moving. He, Frank, and Rachel made their way to the Gryffindor common room- up the stairs, one left and two rights. Talk to the painting of the lady. Password, butterbeer. At least for today. 

Percy, Nico, and Piper took off next. Down three flights of stairs, five left turns, and through a dungeon door. Password, gargoyle. 

Annabeth hugged the remaining people loosely. Hazel squeezed her, and nodded when they parted. The night had been hard for all of them. Hazel only wondered what would happen when the wizards found out how the gods operated, how they were born, and that Hazel wasn't from this century. That would be fun to explain. 

Annabeth and Leo smiled and left. One flight of stairs up, four rights. Talk to the painting. Answer the riddle. Get inside. 

Hazel had busied herself with memorizing the pathways to the other common rooms. It kept her busy. Plus, she didn't ever want to be cut off by her friends. 

Reyna, Will, Calypso, Silena, and herself began their trek to the Hufflepuff common room. She'd memorized this on the first day she was here, but she couldn't help repeating it in her head. 

Three rights. One left. Knock on the barrel, the same pattern three times. Pattern changes, get from Prefect every morning. Roll barrel. Enter.  

Hazel did these things, going through the motions. She was worried about just how many people would be waiting up in the common room, and the sight did not disappoint. 

Reyna stiffened next to her, hating addressing the crowd even more than Hazel did. Will stepped forward for them. 

"First years will go to the pitch first hour tomorrow. Second years to the base of Dumbledore's office. Third years to the great hall. Fourth years to the infirmary. Fifth years to the lake. Sixth and seventh years to the valley."

Everyone stared at him. Some people scribbled the information on their arms, the prefects. Then the eyes returned. Hazel stepped forward as well, setting a hand on Will's shoulder. 

"We couldn't tell anyone about this. Do not take out any frustrations on us," she said, assuming the worst. Of course they would be mad. Of course they would be scared. 

What came next surprised her. 

"Frustration?" One of the girls in dorm, Hannah, spoke up. "What frustration? What's being a demigod like?" She yelled out. 

Other cries echoed in the small space. Hazel's face lit up. None of the shouts seemed mad. Everyone was curious, excited for the change. She turned to the others. Their faces were just as surprised, but smiles coated every one. Will turned back as well, his eyes ecstatic. 

"What's our strategy, Praetor?" Silena joked, nudging Reyna. 

She laughed. "Divide and conquer." 

They spread out across the mass of Hufflepuffs. Hazel went right, right for her dorm mates. Reyna and Cal followed her. Silena went for the people she'd always been closest with, and Will bee-lined for the younger levels. 

Hazel smiled when her friends hugged her, their faces glowing. 

"What powers do you have?" 

"Who's Pluto?" 

"Are you really powerful?" 

"Who's Bellona?" 

"Who's your parent?" 

The girls were questioning three relentlessly. Hazel laughed. "Pluto is the god of the underworld, basically everything underground."

Reyna was talking to the others, explaining her mother's domain. Calypso was gracefully avoiding the subject, instead focusing on the fact that all the plants in the common room were now blooming and thriving. 

Silena was running around, poofing multiple younger girls with made up faces and dresses. They squealed, chasing after her. Will once again had his normal ace bandage around his arm, wrapping and unwrapping it to his heart's content. Hazel smiled. These people weren't mad, they weren't afraid of them. The fact was comforting, like her worst fears could be erased.

Even if it was just for the night.