Chapter 20

The next couple of days were tense at Hogwarts. But they weren't tense because of the approaching winter break or because of Peeves made that morning. Everyone, even the professors even though they were much more subtle than the students, were tense because of the fight that occurred in the Gryffindor Tower two days ago.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin fought each other in the muggle style and even now they were sporting purple spots on their cheeks or broken lips. Apparently Pomphrey didn't even try to heal them when she heart what happened in the Tower and from what everything come.

On the other side, trying to act as a mediator, was James Potter who was sporting huge back eyes and looked almost as pale as the ghosts around the castle. Athena wasn't sure if he was looking close to tears or to an angry outburst by the minute if the constant twitching on is his face was saying anything. The girls in their year weren't any better, though they looked more frustrated than anything else and in some occasions even worried.

Peter Pettigrew was also nowhere in sight and that fact was the only thing that made Athena worry because for all his meekness and small stature, Pettigrew was a Death Eater before he was a human or even a rat.

At the Slytherin table, Athena and Rita were seating together, far away from Severus group or any other Slytherin that was remotely familiar with her.

'' Was this really necessary?'' Xeno asked before taking a bite of his food, while being tucked between the two girls, his blue colors hidden from view while Rita was currently putting a glass of apple juice by his plate 

'' What?'' Rita snarked not minding Athena who dumped a spoon of scrambled eggs on her plate despite the fact there was a small pillar already '' Did you want to take part of... that?'' she pointed to the Ravenclaw table where not a single plate was touched and all of them were running mad theories about the mysterious drawing from the walls that not even now disappeared and about the famed Marauders

Athena was pretty sure she saw a couple of Hufflepuffs dragging a starving Ravenclaw to their table to stuff him with some food before letting them go and take another starved kid with them and so on and so on. It was a maddening cycle to look at.

'' Not really but you still don't need to squish me.'' Xeno said stuffing a spoon of food in his mouth at Athena stern look '' I'm not even that tall.'' he said making Athena snort

'' That's cause I'm a fucking giant before you.'' Athena said before pointing down at Rita shoes '' And Rita likes to wear heeled boots everywhere.'' in response Rita shrugged before busying herself with her food observing how the teacher broke another squabble between the lions.

'' I know that.'' Xeno grumbled but neither of the girls minded him too busy to observe the Great Hall subtlely making Xeno roll his eyes in the process '' Slytherins.'' he voiced quietly before focusing on his breakfast, kind of happy that he wasn't in the middle of his housemates at that moment

Though getting squished by two beautiful and dangerous girls so early in the morning wasn't doing any good to his stomach.

---

It took Athena and her friends -

and yes they were her friends now, hers to protect and guide, hers to hug and feed abnormal amounts of food like she did with Harry once upon a time, they were her partners that should help her in her task and she was the one that will make sure their future will be much better than the one she knows of, even though the idea of Xeno getting married made her stomach uneasy and Rita becoming a stalker for teenagers made her ready to smack the girl

- an entire week till they actually acted upon the plan. Apparently, even though Athena wasn't familiar with this fact, it was mandatory to NOT enter the forest when you want but when the creatures inside the forest let you.

'' Tell that to Bessy.'' Athena said getting weird looks in return from them but she was already used to it. She was thankful though, it would be a little hard to explain that a magic enchanted car was nicknamed Bessy and was roaming the Forbidden Forest since her second year and no one managed to catch the bloody thing the last time she checked.

'' Shh.'' Xeno hissed at her to be quiet making her shut her mouth under Rita amused gaze. Over the course of the week, Athena found out that the blonde girl could be unbelievable and almost to a disturbing level, sweet with the boy with candyfloss like hair. She also mellowed down when the three of them were together and Athena wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing.

'' I think it's ready.'' Xeno said after a while, taking a seat beside them and looking at things that just he could see them '' The Nargles in the forest feel kind today. They wouldn't let us get lost and if there would be any danger near they would announce us.'' he said before getting up at the same time with the girls, Athena just the slightest bit ahead of them

'' Then let's get going.'' Athena cracked her neck before stepping into the forest, the Map tucked in her pocket. Wordlessly, Rita scooted closer to her while Xeno was somehow guiding her even though she was walking a little ahead of him.

Sometimes he would stop them and make them do a huge side step before continuing like normal, muttering assuring words that weren't for them in the slightest. It was strange and so, so different from Luna, that's what Athena realized when Xeno loudly giggled with a Nargle before thanking them. Sure, on some level Athena understand that just being relatives or future ones, doesn't make them alike or even remotely similar but seeing and hearing Xeno talk with Nargles was another thing.

And by the looks or lack of it, Rita was having she was also familiar with Xeno being like this.

Wild and uncaring with constant giggles going out of him and hand movements that trying to explain things that just he knows of. Eyes following unseen creatures and soft smiles every time he would thank them.

'' They said that Something it's close to us. And by the lines here.'' he traced with his fingers trails that just he could see them '' Are thickening and full of magic. The ward stone must be nearby then.''

'' How long did we walk?'' Athena asked making Rita hum while Xeno was too busy conversating with the invisible creatures

'' Hours.'' Rita said pointing at their back towards the castle where just faint lights could be seen '' The ward stone must be protected by the creatures in the forest. We stepped over fairy dust not long ago.'' she said fingers twitching at the small notebook in her pocket before stopping with a frown 

'' It doesn't look like the centaur's touch this place.'' Athena noted after a while. There were no sights of hoof marks or stray arrows in the ground or trees. Athena, suddenly, tensed her arm before stopping at the same time with Xeno. There was an ominous feeling, filled with dark magic and a little too similar with the wards around Grimauld Place to let her stay relaxed.

'' They are not allowed.'' Xeno said looking around with his own smaller frown '' Without the Nargles and the dark fairies approval, no one can enter this place. We were really lucky though, the Nargles were already familiar with me and Rita-'' he continued before walking forward with small steps and touching the bark of sick tree ''- and the dark fairies like Athena well enough apparently.'' he said making Athena look surprised at him before looking at the tree bark eyes widening 

'' Shit.'' Rita hissed more in surprise than anything

Athena wasn't sure what she was excepting from the Ward Stone that was suppose to protect the Wizarding World of Britain but it surely wasn't a small stone. A small gem really, bright and without an exact color, stuck in a dark tree bark that looked like it was closer and closer to breaking.

'' Xeno, are those Wards stable?'' Athena asked narrowing her eyes and closing her emotions in a tight lock '' Can you see that?''

'' They are stable but they don't look like it. It's the Nargles protection in some way. It makes others scared of touching it, last it would explode.'' Xeno said playing with the hem of his sleeve

'' Nifty fuckers.'' Rita said amused making Xeno hiss at her.

Narrowing her eyes, Athena took out the map before turning to Rita.

'' Can you hold this for me?'' she said already feeling Rita magic working around her, getting the parchment in the air to float loosely by Athena side. Athena turned back to the Ward stone staring at it a little longer trying to choose a plan from all those ideas in her head before taking her own wand out, pointing at the wrapped map.

'' I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good.'' 

Pray to all the Gods there that the stone it's stable how you said it is Xeno, Rita Athena thought