Piper POV:

"How was the rest of the party?" I asked Hermione as we all made our way to our Dark Arts class. She answered with a very pointed look at the two other wizards walking in front of us, who looked like they'd rolled out of bed not 2 minutes ago despite it being the last class of the day and an hour until dinner. Leo was trying to explain the concept of Starbucks to Ron, who was only looking more and more confused as everyone else who knew about the franchise jumped in with something else to add.

"I'm not entirely convinced either of them went to bed until 6. The other girls and I had to cast a silencing charm to actually get to bed at a decent hour. Did the sound travel into your guys' room? Because if it did you should have come out and told us." I wave away her concerns, laughing softly.

"Don't even worry about it, our room has its own permanent silencing charm on it. Besides we wouldn't have heard anything from outside anyway because Percy was-" My voice drops as I recall the events of last night, realizing that I shouldn't tell her what transpired.

I'd always known that Percy was powerful and could be scary, Annabeth had told us all what had happened down in Tartarus with Misery. Thinking about what he had done had given me nightmares for weeks until I'd suppressed the thought. But the fury that had come spitting out of the usually kind son of Posioden had been terrifying. I had wanted to comfort Jason when he had started but as his voice grew louder and angrier my only thought was to get out of the line of fire. But even though I was afraid of what he'd said I knew he wouldn't hurt us or do anything against what was best for us. Even if he did something rash it would be to keep us safe or against his free will. I couldn't be angry that he cared too much, the remorse and pain in his voice when Annabeth pulled him back had proved as much. Hermione notices my hesitation and frowns.

"Did something happen last night? Did he do something? If he did you should tell a professor, we all saw what he did yesterday. I don't want anyone getting hurt. " I don't answer her so she drops her voice and stops me from walking, "Is that why he and Annabeth aren't with you guys?" Her voice had an edge to it and despite the lingering fear I felt at my friend I couldn't help but jump to his defense.

"Percy is under a lot of pressure. He always has, he is allowed to have a minute to release his frustrations around people he trusts. If there is anyone in this world that deserves a few days off it would be Percy and Annabeth. They've been through so much and gotten no praise for it." She looked surprised but despite the way my body was shaking in controlled frustration continued to speak.

"I only meant that he is obviously very powerful and perhaps has trouble controlling his magic. He showed that at the task when it took Annabeth keeping him grounded from attacking all of us as we approached. You are one of the ones who stopped us after taking a look at his body language. The ground he stood on was literally vibrating Piper, I don't want him hurting anyone, intentional or not." I felt my frustration rise and then fall, breaking open, as my words tumbled out of my mouth, gaining the attention of everyone waiting to enter the classroom at the bottom of the stairs.

"Percy is protective, fatally so, if he considers you a friend he would rather watch the world burn than watch you fail. That thing that he fought yesterday had killed one of his friends, my step-sister who I never met, a few years ago. Realizing that he had to fight it brought up some horrible memories for him and watching Harry come in injured when Percy has made it abundantly clear that he should not be forced to compete was another factor. The last straw was watching the thing that had killed his friend turn on the rest of his. So yeah he dragged up all the power he could muster to keep us safe. The realization that he had scared the people he was trying to protect made him panic. He would never hurt us, unless it was not his own actions. So no Hermione Granger I will not be telling a Professor or anyone else anything for that matter. And neither will you."

I hadn't meant to use my charm speak but the second her eyes went a little glassy I felt a new kind of anger fill my chest, at myself. I'd just forced my friend to be silent, for a while at least she would be quiet, and then when she realized what I'd done she would hate me, and I'd deserve it. In the long run, I had made the whole situation worse. With a quick glance around noticing all the people gaping at us in the middle of the hallway, I turned on my heel ready to get out of there. I'd only gotten a few steps with people whispering around me when I felt someone grab my arm. I ripped it out of their grasp as I spun around, ready to face the person that had stopped my escape. Jason put his hands up in surrender even though I had no weapon, his face was full of concern. I saw his eyes flashback at Hermione who without a second glance at me walked calmly to her two friends who began to fuss over her and ask what was wrong. I could hear her answer more than I could my own thoughts, making me sick to my stomach.

"It's nothing, let's go to class." and began to walk forcing her friends to scurry after her, questioning her silent form the whole time. Jason looked back at me with a frown. His glasses falling slightly down his nose in the process, out of habit I pushed them back up.

"I didn't mean too," was all I said, unable to look him in the eye any longer. I heard him sigh before pulling me into a hug.

"I know, I heard most of it. I know what your voice sounds like Pipes." I leaned into his hug, his chin on my head as I tried to calm the beating of my heart.

"She's going to hate me, I wish I couldn't use charm speak." My words were silenced by his shirt. He laughed the sound vibrating through him like an echo of a thunderclap and pulled away a little to look at me.

"Please repeat, I didn't catch a word of that." the concerned joy I could now see crushed the idea of telling him what I meant. I didn't want to hear him tell me all the good things my voice had done because I had still been taking away people's choice, and every bone in my body was telling me it was wrong to take away their free will. Using my power on a monster was so much different from using it on a friend.

"I said, what would I do without you, and I'm going to have to apologize for that later." I grabbed his hand, going onto my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. He frowned slightly before following me to our class. Where a glaring Ronald Weasley was watching me while Harry tried to figure out what was wrong with their friend. I looked away unable to look at the scene.

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"As you all know, this is a defence against the dark arts class. Now the school thinks that teaching you the dark arts will turn you to the dark arts. I think otherwise, being dark turns you to the dark arts. Learning about them will only make you prepared for when they are used against you." Professor Moody was staring down each side of the classroom with separate eyes. I shifted uncomfortably under his mechanical eye, I did not enjoy the way it looked at me, and it made every demigod sense I had tell me to leave. But he was a teacher, one that everyone trusted and liked. He was an ex-aurora which was apparently like magical police, so he couldn't be that bad right? Dumbledore wouldn't hire someone dangerous right? But he was talking about teaching us dark magic, other than a few of us demigods everyone here was 14, and teaching 14-year-olds dark magic seemed wrong.

"Now does anyone know the three unforgivable curses?" he continued turning his back, which in no way made me feel better, I knew that eye was all-seeing, even behind him. It would be useful in a fight but at the same time in a classroom, I felt like I was always being watched which made my feeling of fight or flight be a constant reminder that I didn't trust the man. I would have laughed when every eye in the room turned to Hermione if she wasn't staring confused forward, glancing over at me in apprehension every so often. Which made my stomach turn and made me feel like I was going to be sick. Jason was rubbing my arm comfortingly but it felt off because I didn't feel like I deserved to be comforted.

"Weasley!"

Moody shouted with his back still turned around when a hesitant Ron raised his hand, still glancing at his friend concerned. Cursing lowly in surprise, eliciting a giggle out of the quiet class, even Draco Malfoy had a smile on his face.

"Well, my dad told me about one, the Imperious Curse. It gives the castor full control over their targets every move and thought." Moody nodded once, turning around to face us with the ugliest largest spider in his hand and I was more than glad that Annabeth was absent with Percy today. She didn't need to face that thing with her history. The hisses of breaths around me told me that the other demigods in the room were thinking the same thing. Ron's face dropped and he let out a little gasp before sitting down as far in his seat as he could.

"Indeed it does, the incantation is Imperio. Watch closely." I gaped at the man, there was no way he would show us an unforgivable curse. One Slytherin girl called out to him.

"Professor, aren't the unforgivable curses banned? They could get you sent to Azkaban for using one." Pausing for a moment he trained both eyes on the girl who squirmed under the scrutiny. I recognised her as one of Nico and Wills 'friends', Millicent?

"Indeed Miss. Bulstrode, they are. But I have special permission from Dumbledore to show you them. Now pay attention. Imperio" There were no more interruptions as he cast the spell, the previously moving spider went slack as Moody commanded it to move around the room.

He was bouncing it in the air towards Bulstrode at the back of the class who had a look of absolute panic on her face before it veered off landing on Parvati Patil's arm in the desk next to mine. She was gasping as it crawled up to her shoulder, the girl next to her screamed as she swiped it off of her friend. The class was laughing as it danced around the classroom, Leos eyes were glowing with laughter as the spider landed on the desk in front of him, he reached for it grabbing it and throwing it at Hazel who screeched and dove into Frank to avoid it, cursing Leo out in both Roman, French and English. The spider then flew across the room to Ron where it just hovered over his head touching his hair slightly. His face went slack and made some pretty distressed noises before Harry, after a moment's hesitation, threw his book at it. Sending both away from his friend. I could hear Draco Malfoy cackling behind me when the spider went flying past my face causing a quick shriek to escape me, I spun to see the spider land on his face like a mask. He was no longer laughing but panicking, he was muttering and gesturing to his face like he wanted it off. His deskmate Goyle was staring horrified at him making no move to assist. Blaise from the desk over calmly reached across the aisle still laughing and smacked the creature off of his mate. The class was howling now with the exception of Nico, Hermione, Harry, Neville and every one the spider had touched.

"What should I have her do next? Jump out the window-" the class' laughter died off as the spider was thrown into the closed window beside me clawing at the pane like it wanted to jump out. "-Drown herself." the classroom was silent as the spider hovered over a can of water not even attempting to escape from the can. Moody forced the creature back to the front of the classroom.

"The Imperious Curse renders the intended docile, they will do whatever you please as long as they don't break out of the hold. With enough will power, one can stop being controlled, but it takes great concentration to do so. Now does anyone know the second Unforgivable?" Moody glanced around the room as Neville raised his hand white as a sheet.

"The- the Cruciatus Curse sir." Moody almost smiled at the kid.

"Good, good. The torture curse, Crucio. Longbottom is it? Come here." I could feel my own anger rise as the boy did. There was no way Moody was about to torture this creature in front of such a terrified student. But looking around I could only see the same confused and weary faces on the kids around me. Leo was no longer smiling and his knuckles were smoking a little, something that happened only when he was annoyed. Nico and Will looked about ready to jump out of their seats while everyone else in the room stared horrified as Moody had Neville stand next to him in front of the whole class.

"Cruico" The spider made a noise that tore at my ears, it sounded like someone was dying which for all intended purposes was the point of the spell. But it was shocking nonetheless. Nearly all of the students present covered their ears. But Neville despite being closest did not he just stood there cringing with his eyes closed and a whimper caught on his face.

"Stop it!. Can't you see it's bothering him? Stop it" I heard Hazel yell, but to my horror, Moody did not stop, he kept saying the spell, making the creature struggle more and more on the table. Neville was whiter than a sheet now, when a small dark figure began to walk up to the pair.

Nico grabbed the other boy's shoulder pulling him behind him as he faced our teacher, a more than pissed off look on his face. The shadows in the room were being drawn to the pair of boys, Nico was the shortest at the front by probably half a head to Neville and two heads to Moody.

"That is enough Professor. We get it." Will was now standing, outrage clear on his face as he walked to join his boyfriend, escorting a trembling Neville back to his seat, the two of them now surrounded by a thin wall of shadows, while Nico stared down the man twice his age and size without backing down. Jason and Hazel were standing now ready to fight at a moment's notice. Had I not been so shocked at the staredown happening in front of me I'm sure I would have joined them. Without breaking eye contact Moody spoke,

"What is the final unforgivable Mr. Di Angelo?" The pointed look he gave the small boy made my skin crawl as I stood along with the rest of our group. Will was glancing over at the scene while he asked Neville questions quietly at his desk. The rest of the class seemed to be caught in the middle, even Draco and his crew were silent behind me.

"Why are you showing us this, professor. I'm sure we all understand the concept of torture and taking away free will." I felt my heart drop in the silence that followed Nicos words. My power was so similar to the Imperious Curse I thought I was going to be sick. Jason glanced over at me with concern as I gasped. I could see red hair out of the corner of my eye staring me down with a deep frown. Somewhere in me, a small voice told me that it was different, what I could do. But the louder more powerful voice told me that that's why I felt so bad whenever I used it because there wasn't really a difference between the two. Moodys voice dragged me back from my thoughts as he stared at Nico.

"The final curse." Nico was silent for a moment and without looking away or blinking growled out his words,

"The killing curse." Moody's eyes flashed,

"Do you know the name?" Nicos face contorted into a snarl the noise rolling off of him, the echo seemed to drag the shadows around him closer and without thinking I called out to him, desperate for him to get away from the man that was making my skin crawl and senses scream to leave him be and never come back. That fear flew through my mouth in command before I could recognize it as one.

"Nico, breathe." the power behind those words rippled across the room, every non-demigod directly around me took a huge breath in, surprising everyone at the noise. Nicos eyes flashed over to mine as I tried to charm him. His eyes narrowed as I clapped my hand over my mouth, I could see the challenge in his eyes before he turned back to Moody, the shadows still dancing around him.

"Yes," was all he said, Moody nodded taking a step back before pointing his wand at the twitching creature in front of him.

"Avada Kedavra" with a flash of green the spider fell onto the desk. The classroom was silent, broken only by Nico who turned on his heel storming out of the classroom with every shadow following him like a cape, a murderous look on his face. Hazel followed soon after with a similar look to her brother. Frank gave one last withering look at Moody before making eye contact with a distressed Will and nodding that he would get the two children of the underworld before leaving as well. Moody looked around the room, noticing as if for the first time that half of his class was on their feet in a defensive position. When his gaze flickered over mine I channeled all my anger at him, he was not fazed but held my gaze in interest causing my skin to prickle.

'Get out' my brain told me.

'No way' I spit back.

'he's dangerous and unpredictable, if you won't leave, then fight.'

I gritted my teeth, 'Shut up, I know'

Moody's eyes lingered for a moment longer and I wondered if his freaky magical eye was reading my mind and if that was even possible before he spoke.

"That is all for today, class dismissed." he turned, leaving the dead spider on his desk, sweeping into his office. The magical students around me were silent as they packed up even Draco Malfoy didn't have anything to say with his face almost as white as his hair. All of the demigods around me threw their books into their bags and stormed out of the class at varying degrees of anger. Leo and the Stolls left first at a run, not a smile to be seen but whispering fervently to each other, whatever they were planning I hoped it was good. Leo's hair was actively on fire now but didn't seem to care. Their faces were dangerous, if looks could kill Moody would be 10 feet under. Thalia was cursing the whole way out, electricity snapping around her, Lavender Brown got too close and yelped as a spark hit her short-circuiting her own hair into an afro. I was glad that Percy and Annabeth weren't here to witness that, I'm not sure either would have handled it well. I wasn't even sure I wanted to tell them about class today. The other students left in groups whispering to each other. Ron's eyes were scalding as he followed Hermione and Harry out, Neville close behind.

Will walked over to us watching the boy leave with a frown. "He'll be fine I think, it seems to have triggered something in him." I watched the four leave, Neville shoving through the crowd. I could feel my adrenaline rushing through my veins.

"Let's grab the others stuff okay? I want out of this damn classroom and find our friends." I told the two boys beside me, we made quick work of all our books. Exiting the class I could see Neville, Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing on the landing below us. I quickened my pace just as Jason grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to the side of the staircase as Moody came barrelling out of the classroom and down the stairs, hobbling on his false leg. My anger flooded my system once more and I stormed after him after a moment of hesitation. I was going to wring his neck and present him to the Hunters as a peace offering from the camps, or maybe to Hecate to end this quest early. I stopped in my tracks when he grabbed Neville by the shoulder lightly and ushered him back up the stairs with a quiet 'come with me Longbottom, I've got just the thing'. Neville in a daze followed the man back up towards us. I gave the professor the stink eye as he passed before stepping in Nevilles way,

"Neville, if you don't want to go with him it's okay. You don't have to see him, we can take you back to the common room and make some hot chocolate instead. Jason will go in and tell him to Fuck right off." Nevilles eyes cleared slightly as I swore. He glanced at us three and at the door right behind us where Moody had disappeared before shaking his head.

"No, it's okay guys. He's a professor, he just wants to help." He gave me a small smile before squeezing past us and through the door. I stared after him.

"Did it sound like he was trying to convince himself or you guys?" Will asked, still watching the door. I shrugged, I was thinking the same thing.

"He seemed confident, we'll check on him when he gets back to the common room tonight," I told him reluctantly, turning around back down the stairs.

"Just for the record, I would not tell Professor Moody to 'Fuck right off' but it would definitely have the same energy." A little chuckle escaped me at Jason's words, as he pushed his glasses back up his face, "Anyway I think we ought to go find Nico and Hazel, they seemed upset and rightfully so." Will nodded agreeing before taking off down the stairs. Jason glanced at me,

"Go I'll catch up, I need to talk to Hermione, maybe I can reverse what I did so she isn't stuck like she is for the next few hours." at his face of uncertainty I laughed again,

"Go you doofus, I'll see you in the common room, we have to figure out how to tell Percy and Annabeth what they missed in class." He paled slightly and with a quick nod gave me a kiss and raced off after Will.

My smile dropped when I reached the bottom and someone grabbed my arm. Instinctually I grabbed their arm, ripped it off of mine and spun it behind their back. What was it with people and grabbing me unsuspectingly today? I saw the red hair just as it spoke.

"Bloody hell! Let go of me!" I gasped before pushing him forward away from me.

"Oh! Ronald, I'm sorry, reflex. Don't sneak up on me like that, you're lucky I didn't hit you!" Ron rejoined his little trio, Harry looked awkward and Hermione still looked confused but more so angry. I took a step toward her,

"Hermione! I was looking for you! I'm sorry, I think I can fix it. If you don't want me too that's okay it will wear off soon but me being in your presence like I am all day will make it hard to-" Ron cut me off

"So you did do something to her." He glared at me, I met his gaze with an apologetic one,

"I didn't mean to." I heard myself say, "I can usually control it. It will fade soon." I tried to reassure the two angry boys in front of me. Hermione's face was one of shock and betrayal so I tried to block it from my view, which of course meant it was all I could see.

"What did you do to her with your freaky little magic voice trick? You used it on half the class earlier trying to calm down Di Angelo." Harry's eyes flickered over to his friend, he seemed torn. I liked Harry. He reminded me of the better kids at the Wilderness School. We had bonded over the fact that I got in a lot of trouble as a kid just because of what I could do. But when he faced me again there was a resolve that I wasn't sure I could fix.

"I'm sorry, we were talking and she brought up Percy, I thought she was saying something bad about him, and without even thinking I told her: Hermione Granger I will not be telling a Professor or anyone else anything for that matter. And neither will you. I didn't even realize what I'd done until it was too late." Ron's face was red with rage.

"You told her to not tell anyone anything? How do you even do that accidentally? You and everyone at your school seem to do a lot of things accidentally." I gaped at him, this boy had ignored our existence for three months and the day after officially meeting us he decided to act all high and mighty?

"You don't know what you're talking about." Ron made a face at me,

"Don't I? Your boyfriend's sister hexed a boy so bad he sounded like an animal for weeks after. When Leo gets too wound up with any emotion some part of him bursts into flames, and when he's angry or frustrated he burns his handprint into something, there's a designated spot for him in the great hall now. The Stoll brothers are constantly stealing from the rest of us, only returning it when we go looking-" I cut in desperately, hoping for Jason or Will to reappear. Hell at the way this conversation was going I would take either one of the Stolls as back up.

"We try to stop them from doing that," Harry spoke up without looking at me.

"I've seen you all try but they still do it." The betrayal in my chest hurt when he wouldn't look me in the eyes. Ron was standing in front of his two friends now and I realized why they needed him, in the months that Ron was not in their group Harry had been soft-spoken when he wasn't lashing out, I could see the suspicion on his face, Hermione had picked up on the fact that I had been subtly using my power to keep him calm when he got too worked up. But now his posture was more relaxed and confident with his best friend by his side, Harry needed Ron as support but Ron needed Harry to be Confident, together they were more than Brave.

"Nico and Jackson are constantly losing control of their 'elements', Percy isn't here today because of what happened at the first task, which was insane by itself, I've never seen someone do magic like that before, wandless and wordless with so many spells no one should know. Nico draws in the shadows like he is trying to become one when he isn't around Solace." I felt anger flare up in me, this kid two years younger than me was pointing out all of my friend's low points like it was a menu at McDonald's. I could feel my ears heating up and my fingers were twitching as I lashed out,

"You don't know what you're talking about, they've been through so much. You weren't around for three months, you know Nothing about us. You abandoned your best friend because you thought he didn't tell you about a competition that he was obviously surprised and scared about being in. My friend, Percy, despite knowing him for a few days knew that something was off and he and Annabeth stood up for him at every turn, to everyone. Nico and Will just stood up for Neville against a professor, who used dark magic in front of a bunch of fourteen and fifteen-year-olds! Thalia has been hurt so much by the adults and men in her life and she has learned to defend herself from it and your housemate was being an ass to her and others. The Stolls have grown up pulling pranks like they are, they take your stuff to be an inconvenience, they like the attention, they have a lot of family and not much recognition in it so they'll take whatever they can get, and you can't fault Leo on being Happy, it took him a long time to get there. He's lost everyone he's ever cared about and left his girlfriend at home to come here, he misses her and likes to make her things, to send back. His nose catches on fire when he's excited. My friends are my family, hurt one of us and we'll all kick your ass, family sticks together, and we leave no one behind." Ron had the gall to look shocked before it was hardened by a look of spite.

"And you, you use that commanding little voice of yours to get people to do and act how you want them too. What's worse is you don't always mean too. I know you don't know me but Harry told me he considered you all friends, that Jackson has been trying to protect him this whole time. You claim that 'your friends are family' look what you did to Hermione it seems more like they need protecting from you all. You take away people's free will by using whatever charm you use. It sounds a lot like the Imperious curse to me. There is a reason it's unforgivable." and just like that my anger was gone, he had just hit the same conclusion that I had a few minutes ago and it was devastating. I took a step backward and I saw the second of shock and regret pass over their faces before Harry stepped forward looking apologetic stepping in front of his fiery tempered friend.

"Piper, we don't know anything about you guys. We've known you for months now and I know for a fact that I know your names, that you're from a school in America, you're powerful, and that Jason and Thalia are siblings. But that's it," I stood there in silence for a minute. That couldn't be true, could it? We had to have told him something. But even as I thought about it I couldn't think of something we had told him that was 100% true. But I knew all about both of them and Ron's family. We had wormed our way into their lives without any real background, and I felt another weight drop on my chest, making it hard to breathe, no wonder they didn't trust us, I wouldn't trust us.

I looked straight into their eyes, "I- I'm sorry, I hadn't realized. We've been so worried about you and Percy making it through the task and adjusting to the atmosphere here we totally forgot to tell you who we were. You should have said something," Ron's anger seemed to dissipate slightly.

"Ron, I totally understand your anger, and I am so sorry for what I did, Hermione. I'll talk to the group and we'll tell you anything you wanted to know, I promise. We really are trying to keep it under control, but it's hard. Our pow- magic keeps evolving and keeping up with it is exhausting. We don't get to choose our elements, they kind of choose us in a way I guess? Some are more powerful than others like Percy, Nico, Hazel, Jason, and Thalia. And others have more personal ones, like Annabeth, Leo, Connor, Travis, Frank and I, but even then Frank could be considered more powerful due to circumstance alone but that's not mine to tell." I wasn't sure where the lie about how we got our powers had come from but the ease that it rolled off my tongue felt like sandpaper on the way out. My ability to lie to people I wanted to be friends with and by proxy protect made my chest heave. I turned back to Hermione,

"I'm not very good at it but I can try and remove the Charm Speak, but I might make it worse, It will fade off in probably another few hours as long as you stay away from me. Distance helps with my magic. The farther you are, the less control I have. It's totally up to you though."

She regarded me carefully "I'm not sure how you do what you do, but if you could stop using it that would be great." I felt my heart drop, here was this girl I was friends with, someone I wanted to trust. And I had given her a pretty huge reason to not trust me back. The apprehension in her voice was so heavy it felt like an actual physical 100lbs weight had been dropped on me. I nodded once taking another look at the now less threatening trio and whispered out one last sorry before booking it down the hall back to the common room.

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After barrelling through the portrait door and nearly knocking down a bunch of third-year Gryffindors, I collapsed against the door into our room. I was met with the rest of the demigods sitting on a couch around Nico, Percy, and Hazel who were all looking a little worse for wear but better than the last time I saw them. Hoping they wouldn't see me as I made my escape to my room.

"Hey Pipes, we were just about to go looking for you. How did it go with Hermione?" Jason called out just as I'd reached my room door, cursing the gods for my lack of luck. I turned trying to force the guilt and urge to cry into a corner of my body. I could feel my adrenaline wearing thin and with it the reemergence of my earlier thoughts comparing my charm speak to the imperious curse. Despite that, I tried to fake a smile, as everyone turned to face me. Percy's face was creased in concern, while Annabeth was bright red and trembling. They had already told them about the class.

"It went fine, she's going to let it wear off on its own. I'm going to be in my room." I tried to open my door but it just clicked and jiggled in my hand, unresponsive.

"Oh yeah, we think the house-elves are cleaning in there despite us asking them not to. All the doors are locked." Thalia grumbled out, from her perch on the arm of the chair. I paid her no attention as I continued to wiggle my door knob, willing it to open.

"Piper, are you okay? Come sit with us." I heard Hazel call to me and without looking away from the door in front of me I answered my voice shaking. "Yup I'm all good, and no I'm okay I just need the stupid door too open!" I felt the power behind it as it left my mouth and I snatched my hand away in horror as if I had been burned, covering my mouth. The room was silent as my door flew open, denting the wall behind it, tp reveal a single shocked elf on the other side of the room, with her fingers still in a snapping position. Bile raised up my throat as she spoke,

"Does Miss McLean need something?" she sounded confused and a single tear left my eye. I needed to get away from everyone until I could get my emotions under control. I shook my head and in a low strained voice told her,

"No, no, I'm sorry." I turned on my heel for the door again, snatching my coat off its hanger as I passed.

"I'm going to be out for a while, I'll be back soon." Just before I reached the door two blurs were in front of me. Travis and Connors' concerned faces were now right in my way. Travis spoke first,

"We can't let you do that." Connor reached for me before I flinched away from him.

"We just want to help, come sit down with us, please." I blinked the oncoming tears out of my eyes before answering.

"No, I'm good. I just need to be by myself for a while, I'm fine boys please move." My tone was firm but kind, I made sure that every word that came out of my mouth didn't have a hint of charm in it. So I sounded like a toddler learning how to read. Both boy's eyebrows furrowed and Leo spoke from behind me.

"Pipes, you're my best friend. Don't lie to me, I can tell when you are." Tears filled my eyes once more for the brothers in front of me to see, their eyes widened before grabbing my shoulders and turning to face the crowd of worried faces behind me, staring with Leo and Jason.

These people were my family, I trusted them, and no matter what they would love me. No longer feeling the need to be defensive the adrenaline that had flooded my system at the idea of danger drained away, leaving me with thoughts of how similar my power was to the first curse. A soft sob tore itself from my throat before I could swallow it, I covered my mouth hoping to stop the next one from escaping. My stomach began to twist again and I covered it with my other hand hoping that would calm it. I was led to the couch with everyone around me silent, waiting. Through my tears, I focused on Leo, my first real friend, and Jason, the two people who I trusted the most. The others were all pretty high on that list, I had no doubt that they had my back when it came down to it, even Thalia and the Stolls despite barely knowing them. What I had said earlier came back to me, 'family sticks together.' looking around at the concerned faces around me I felt that connection and almost burst into tears at the idea that despite our differences and arguments we had each other's backs. Percy once called us the 'dysfunctional family' and he was absolutely right.

"Am I a monster, what I can do. Is it wrong?" His face collapsed at my words

"Because it feels wrong and everyone keeps telling me it's wrong." I was hiccuping as I spoke. It still was hard to breathe as I tried to massage my chest to make it easier.

"I was trying to defend you guys when it happened today, I charmed half the class into taking a deep breath and Hermione into not telling Anyone Anything, I didn't even mean too I just wanted her to stop asking questions about Percy. And Ron and Harry and her all hate me now." I let out a soft wail as everyone around me grew quiet and Leo's eyes were sad and his tone portrayed the same message,

"Come on Beauty Queen, you've saved us hundreds of times with that voice. It may seem overwhelming I'm sure, but you do so much good with it. Granted you did steal a BMW once but really that was just because you were lonely and an absolute baddass. And look at you now, you're happy and surrounded by people who love and care about you, and now all you do is help people, and yet you are still a supreme baddass!" I scoffed through my tears at him, some part of me figured he was partially right but the other parts told me he just wanted to make me feel better.

"Then why is it considered an unforgivable curse Leo?" My words were broken and sharp, Leo flinched slightly before understanding grew on all of their faces. Hazel's voice was clipped but caring,

"Did someone say something to you?" I turned and faced her, her face a mask. I nodded and the room grew tense Jasons face morphed into one of fury, before I took his hand.

"But they didn't need to. There is no difference between the two, I was just born with mine. My mother gave me a curse." my breath hitched and suddenly I really couldn't breathe. I could hear Jason talking to me but I couldn't understand what he was saying because I couldn't get a full breath in. Panicking I reached out blindly, grabbing Annabeth's arm tight enough that a gasp filtered through my panic. I focused on her trying to remember how to breathe properly, she was doing it so why couldn't I? She grabbed my arm back pulling herself closer.

"Piper it's okay, what's wrong?" Percy was hovering just over her shoulder now looking concerned at the both of us. I heard him call Will. My vision was now full of both Will and Annabeth. She was breathing fine, if I could just figure out how she could be calm enough for that I could definitely replicate the movement. Her eyes widened as I clutched my chest trying to force my lungs to cooperate.

"Will, it's an anxiety attack. She can't get a breath." Will nodded.

"Piper look at me, deep breaths with me." His voice drew my eyes but I couldn't really see him, I couldn't really breathe properly and the idea of a deep breath was comical, I could barely manage a shallow one let alone one that took up 15seconds of my time. The idea that what I could do was illegal and get me sent to prison was horrifying and I'd accidentally used it three times today. I usually had more control than that over my power. His voice was calm but his eyes were wide,

"Piper listen to me okay? I want you to find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste." I did none of those things, the panic was overpowering my mind and I gasped for air, the thought that I was a danger to those around me made me want to be violently sick, ironic because I didn't have enough breath to actually commit to the act.

Annabeth suddenly pulled me into her arms, holding me there. The panic returned, I was pretty sure that restricting someone's breath when they were having trouble breathing was counterproductive. I felt her arms wrap around me and squeeze and as she spoke her voice vibrated through my chest at the contact calming my vibrating heart.

"Five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. Find them and breathe with me, it's just your brain freaking out, you are way more powerful than your brain McLean, prove it." She kept repeating it as I looked around the room. Five things I could see that was easy enough, it had very little to do with breathing.

One, Thalia's bow was by the front door; Two, Percy's hair was uncharacteristically wet; Three, Travis had a pile of stolen treasure by his room; Four, Nico was trying to escape but Hazel was holding him still both of which wore grim yet royally pissed off faces; Five, Jason's glasses were crooked.

Four things I could touch: One, Frank was a cat who looked pretty soft; Two, Jason was rubbing my back; Three, Will's hand was warm; Four, Annabeth was crushing me.

Three things I could hear: One, Annabeth was talking in my ear; Two, the house-elf was cleaning my room; Three, either Jason or Thalia was crackling with energy, maybe both.

Two things I could smell: One, Leo was on fire somewhere behind me; Two, Annabeth smelled like coconut.

One thing I could taste; the bile that had made its way up earlier.

Without realizing it I was breathing with the daughter of Athena, calm and collected. She didn't let go, instead began to speak directly beside my head.

"Good job. I knew you could do it, because like Leo said you are a badass. Now about that class, Moody got one thing wrong. There are no bad spells, how you use the spell makes all the difference in the world. Leo said at first Moody used the Imperio spell to make the spider dance across the room and landed on people doing a dance right? That doesn't seem so bad, right?" I nodded, into her hair. "Right, so you have this power that you only use to help people. Like Leo said you've saved us more times than I can count. You are not a monster Piper McLean, and neither is your power because you don't abuse it, and we all lose control sometimes so don't even worry about that. Look at Leo, his ears are literally on fire right now because he's worried about you." I snuck a glance and sure enough, he was trying to clap the fire out. With a sigh, Percy waved his hand that a nearby glass of water doused him.

"Thanks, waterboy. What would I do without you?" Percy scoffed ignoring the snideness of his comment,

"Anytime, Valdez."

I giggled and Annabeth pulled away with a smile. "Okay, so are you good? Feel a bit better?" I nodded ,

"How did you know that would work?" She shrugged at me,

"I stress myself out daily, human contact usually helps me. Same with when Percy needs to calm down, I figured you needed someone to show you what to do and instinctively your body would copy." The room was silent before Frank spoke up,

"No wonder you're a daughter of Athena." Everyone laughed at his statement, even though mine came out more as a series of unreliable hiccups.Thalia's voice cut in,

"Good, now who told you what you did was wrong and you were a monster because we are about to have a Serious talk about Boundaries and verbal lines we don't cross."