You see, I was enjoying the last few minutes of sleep before my alarm rang at 9:40. The New York City skyline was just visible outside my window on the far end of the room. When suddenly I heard this unreal sound outside my window.

By unreal I mean a human voice. It said: "Jackson, you can't be serious about this, she's a muggle, she won't know anything about magic!"

"Yeah well, technically I'm a muggle to, your the only wizard here Potter. And believe me, people can get accustomed to strange things faster than you think."

"I know that, and when the guy who can control water isn't some kind of wizard is when the Lovegoods will find a real Crumple Horned Snorkack!"

"Don't know what you're talking about and I am a demigod, wand-man. Demi. God."

And here I am rubbing my eyes and staring blearily at the two shadows against the curtain, outside on the fire escape, wondering what the hell is going on and why are there to gibberish talking boys outside my apartment window.

There is my poket knife on my nightstand. So I reach out one arm and snatch it into my palm. Wondering if this is some kind of prank, it seems like something Jamie and Palmer would do. Not taking any chances, I slide out of bed and tiptoe over to the window. Hesitating before moving the shade, listening to the two boys argue. They don't sound like anyone I know. I don't think Jamie and Palmer would hire anyone to prank me.

Would they? They are kind of crazy.

"Come'on let's just do it." The non accented boy says. I freeze, suddenly unable to move. All I'm able to do is tighten my hands around the pocket knife. I hear them pull the window up further and then the curtain sways, as if a hand is touching it from the other side. All at once, movement comes back into my limbs. I jerk away from the window and stumble backwards to my closet. Hiding myself in the familiar clothing just before they enter the room.

There is silence at first and then-

"Well, where is she?" Potty, Potter or whatever his name is, is speaking. Sounding amused and a little bit annoyed.
"Uh, well-she was supposed to be-"

"God, Jackson, she probably heard your obnoxious warbling and got the hell out of here, like any sane human being."

"She was supposed to be here." Jackson hisses, a note of anxiety coming into his voice.

"Just find another person. It's not that hard, there are actually thousands of people in this damn city. Someone's bound to know Sally." Potter says, sounding fed up. "And," He continues, "I have a family to get back to, if you don't mind, and I can't deal with all your problems."

"You don't get it" Jackson practically sobs, "This is the only person who could possibly know where she is right now. And you could care a bit more, this is my mom. You know. The one who saved your ass multiple times? You promised to help me Potter, you swore."

In my closet, my jaw drops as I finally put two and two together. Sally Jackson? The women my mother fell in love with, Sally Jackson? The women who got my mother killed?

Angrily. Stupidly, I burst out of the closet. Ready to confront these strange people and find out what they know.

I stop short when I see their appearance.

The older one, the one with the family, is standing beside the window, dressed in a long black robe. Which is weird to begin with, but it just gets weirder from there. When he sees me, his eyes widen. He pulls what looks like a long rounded stick out of his pocket and points it at my chest. The younger boy, Jackson, is about my age, 18, with crazy black hair like his companion and a hardened, mature expression. He looks happy to see me, but not surprised. He doesn't even stop chewing on the end of his ballpoint pen.

Nobody speaks for a second, and then-

"Maybelline Jones…?" Jackson says hesitantly, and suddenly I realize I recognize him. A photo my mother showed me of Sally and her son.

"And this, May, is her son, Percy Jackson, he's not around a lot but you'll get to meet him one day...he's only a year older than you are."

"Mom...he looks like a dick."

Laughter, soft and tinkling. Mom places a hand on my shoulder.

"He's been though a lot May, cut the guy some slack."

Percy Jackson.

"Percy Jackson!" I say, louder than I mean to. I turn to Potter. "And you are you? His older brother?"

He grimaces, casting a withering look at Jackson.

"No, I'm just here… returning a favor."

"A favor…?" I ask. Wondering what the hell is going on.

Jackson clears his throat and meets my eyes with his sea green ones.

"Maybelline… as you may have overheard, I'm looking for my Mom. Sally Jackson? I assume you've heard of her?"

I stare at him angrily.

How could anyone be that untactful? Doesn't he know his mother's a murderer?

"Yeah." I say bluntly. "I've heard of her. Sally Jackson. The women who got my mother killed."

Now I see the shock, Jackson's face falls into a look of confusion and horror, and then, surprisingly, understanding.

"Wait…" He says. "Did she disappear about two months ago? On The Solstice?"

"Yeah…" I say.