Due to everyone's expectations being raised from the first Defence against the Dark Art's classes, the rest of lessons were increasingly dull. Snape was even more biased against Gryffindor than ever, Divination was just a rip off of going into the attic when the oracle was in mummy form (and just as comfortable too), and Care of Magical Creatures was now taking-care-of-the-most-boring-creatures-in-existence class. The only thing Annabeth had to look forward to was Quidditch season, which was coming up in the next month. She had ordered a Cleansweep Eleven at Diagon Alley. Then another opportunity came to boost their spirits.

"Hogsmeade weekend!" Fred and George yelled in unison as they entered the common room after a particularly windy session of Quidditch practice.

"End of October on Halloween," Fred said.

"We're out of Zonko's Stink Pellets too," George added. The boys left to plan their shopping list.

Annabeth cast a side glance at Harry's mud-stained face, looking downcast at the bulletin.

"I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," Hermione said, stroking Crookshanks and Bianca as they played on the couch next to her.

"They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted already." Ron added. Crookshanks growled at him, fixing his yellow gaze on Ron. Then suddenly, with a massive leap, he crouched and sprung at Ron's bag, where Annabeth knew Scabbers was curled up. Crookshanks sank all four paws into the bag, clawing wildly.

"OY!" Ron seized his bag and played a game of tug of war with Crookshanks. "Get OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

"Ron, don't hurt him!" Hermione squealed but didn't attempt to intervene. Probably from the way Crookshanks was swinging with the back claws extended in the air. From the couch, Bianca plopped her backside contentedly on the couch and watched the scene unfold before her through her jade green eyes.

Annabeth hurried in and seized the cat firmly by it's torso as Ron gave another massive pull. Crookshanks clawed and spat wildly but Annabeth didn't let go. Three massive claw lines found their way onto her arm and began to bleed.

"Look at him!" Ron was cradling Scabbers in front of Hermione. "He's skin and bone! You keep that at away from him!"

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" Hermione protested, though she looked at Annabeth's bleeding forearm with concern. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"Then why's Bianca so calm about it all?" Ron asked furiously. Everyone turned to peer at the green eyed kitten who was now coughing up a spitball. Without another word, Ron turned and marched up the boy's dormitories.

Bianca looked at everyone innocently before leaping gracefully onto Nico's lap.

>>>•O•<<<

Halloween morning came with Crookshanks still trying to get to Scabbers, Harry still unable to go to Hogsmeade, and Ron not helping either situation at all.

"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but Harry, it's not all cracked up to be," Ron assured Harry. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and— HERMIONE GET YOUR BLOODY CAT— and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything." (I don't frikin care if Percy Weasley said this. Ron is saying it now. >:{

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," Hermione said, looking desperately sorry for him.

"Yeah, loads." Ron said. In that brief moment of identical sympathy for Harry, both have forgotten about their squabble about their pets as Crookshanks watched the lump in Ron's pocket shake.

"Don't worry about me," Harry said nonchalantly, though his eyes said differently. "Have a good time."

"Is this a good idea to leave Harry on his own?" Jason asked under his breath in Ancient Greek.

"He's not a baby, Jason," Thalia replied. "He can take care of himself. Remember last year? When he fought the mother Basilisk?"

Jason shrugged in consent.

"Alright, take care," Hermione said as they exited.

(okay because nothing really happens the first trip bc harry isn't there sooo yeah sorry but skipping over that)

"SO MUCH BLUE CANDY!" Percy exclaimed as he dumped his purchases on his four-poster bed. They were all gathered around (minus Piper, Frank, and Hazel of course) to give Harry his share of candy.

"We grabbed as much as we could carry," Ron added, showering sweets onto Percy's pile of exclusively blue candy.

"Thanks," Harry said, eyeing a package of black Pepper Imps. "What was Hogsmeade like?"

They burst into a flow of detail about Hogsmeade, rattling off the names of places they visited. Even after being to Olympus for who knows how long, Annabeth thought, the wizarding world was constantly filled with surprises.

"So what about you, Harry?" Hermione asked, always one to turn the conversation back to school. "Did you get any work done?"

"No. Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office," Harry explained the details of what happened while they were away. When he finished, Ron looked aghast.

"And Lupin drank it?" He gaped. "Is he mad?"

"He probably understood where Harry's concern was coming from," Jason said, who was defogging his glasses. "I mean, he had to have enough trust with Snape to take a smoking goblet from him, right?"

"And if he-- you know-- if he was trying to-- to poison Lupin-- he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry," Hermione added in a hushed whisper as they headed down for dinner.

"You're right," Harry said, distracted as they stepped into the Great Hall.

The food was delicious, even the demigods, Ron, and Hermione, who were bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. The feast finished with entertainment by the Hogwarts ghosts.

The evening was so pleasant, Annabeth felt perfectly at ease for the first time that school year. So naturally, that was when things went wrong.

The stairway up to Gryffindor tower was jam-packed with students all shoved up against the portrait. No one seemed to be able to get inside, as the entrance was closed.

"Let me through," Percy Weasley's voice came importantly as he bustled through. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password-- excuse me, I'm Head Boy--"

Then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front spreading to the back like a wave sweeping onto the beach. Then Percy Weasley's voice came again in a sharp tone, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

Annabeth felt Nico vanish from between her and Jason. A moment later, he and Dumbledore came sweeping over.

"What's going on?" Ginny Weasley asked, standing on her toes to see better.

"We need to find her," Professor Dumbledore's voice came urgently from the front. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat lady."

"You'll be lucky!" A cackling voice came. Annabeth craned her neck to see Peeves, bobbing up over the crowd with a delighted expression. Whatever happened, It couldn't be good if Peeves was happy.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked calmly. Peeves's grin faded a little, instead adopting a sickly oily voice.

"Ashamed, your headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running up the landscape on the fourth floor, sir. Dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," He added happily. 'Poor thing," he said unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead, he got real angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see," Peeves grinned and twirled upside down. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

A sudden gust of fear blew over all the students, making their respectful silence for Dumbledore turn into an icily still one. Dumbledore swept away, many students following. For the first time, Annabeth could get a good look at what happened to the portrait.

It was horribly ripped up, with only bits of canvas remaining on the frame. They were sliced in every direction, roughly torn from the walls. Annabeth narrowed her eyes at a tuft of prickly ginger hairs lying on the ground next to it.

Once again my horrible endings strike again. Sorry I didn't update on Wednesday, turns out procrastinating for math projects aren't so fun. Sorry again!