Disclaimer:I don't own anything related to the original works of the HP or PJO works by JKR and RR. Any similarity to forms of entertainment including books, movies, plays, television shows and music are not entirely coincidental.

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Listening to – Data Romance by Night Selection

The hospital looked trashed. Percy did a double take when he realised that he was standing in one of the inner corridors of the St. Mungo's. Debris was scattered around him and the lights flickered menacingly.

He couldn't remember how he'd ended up here. What had he been doing before? Percy racked his brain, unable to come up with an explanation. His head hurt, his body ached under invisible pressure. The back of his neck felt cold and raw. He touched his throat. His camp necklace was gone.

Percy swallowed, searching his pockets for Riptide but that was gone too. His left arm was completely bare as well. No weapons, nothing to defend himself.

He couldn't remember anything happening to St. Mungo's. This could not be real. What was happening? The hospital looked desolated.

He heard sobbing from one of the doors to the side. Hesitating for a bit, he pushed against the door, ducking when light sputtered briefly from a torch. In the glow, he saw a pair, collapsed on the floor.

Rachel was on the ground, hugging someone with familiar messy black hair. She cried as she held him tightly to her. He wasn't moving. An arm was splayed out, lifeless as the rest of him.

Percy felt all air leave his body. He scrambled to lean against the doorway. It felt so real. It couldn't be. He had to be dreaming this!

Rachel looked up from her mourner's position. Her eyes were red and swollen, green irises stark against the wetness of her face. Her hair was frantic and strewn across her face and shoulders.

"You did this!" She screamed. Her grief hit him. Percy stumbled back into the corridor and the door closed. His feet crunched on the bits of wall and cement. He'd clapped a hand on his mouth to stop himself from screaming.

"This isn't real. It's a nightmare. I'm asleep. It's just a nightmare." He said, over and over again to himself till that was all he could hear. Rachel's sobbing was drowned out and someone stepped out of the darkness.

There was a mirror to his left. Percy stared. It hadn't been there before. It was large and ornate, framed by an old, dull gold arch with strange letters engraved near the top. Dust covered the large entity. Cobwebs stretched over the frame, quivering like someone had deliberately disturbed it.

The mirror was broken. The shards were still connected but ugly cracks ran through the entire surface. Harry was standing on the other side, instead of Percy's reflection. He had a bloody hole punctured through his torso. The white shirt he wore was stained gruesomely. He should have been dead, but he simply stood in the mirror, watching Percy.

It's not real. Percy repeated, chest heaving like he couldn't breathe properly. "It's a nightmare."

Harry tilted his head. There was an odd look in his eyes. His eyes, so very like his sister's, suddenly shone an ugly red. He smirked.

"You of all people should know what nightmares really mean, Percy."

Percy Jackson woke up with a jerk. His neck ached from the awkward angle it had been in. He sat up straight in his chair, looking around slowly.

St. Mungo's was alive and bustling with activity, a far cry from his nightmare. He shuddered for a moment, recalling the fear of having a strange Harry look down upon him with nothing but loathing and pure evil.

Pushing the dream out of his head, Percy rubbed his eyes.

It was Harry's last day at the hospital and the check-up took up hours especially since Sirius had insisted on evaluating every tiny portion of Harry's body and mentality. Percy could only imagine how that conversation had gone.

"Evening, Sleeping Beauty." Daniel 'DJ' Potter said.

"How much longer do we have to wait?" He let out a yawn, stretching his legs and rotating his ankles to get the feeling of pins and needles out. His skin felt warm despite the cool interior of the waiting ward.

DJ looked up at the large clock that adorned the wall above the receptionist's desk. "About an hour and a half."

"… what! How long was I asleep?"

"Twenty minutes, I guess."

Percy groaned. "I can't stay put."

"You exceeded my expectations though. Twenty whole minutes! A personal record for Percy Jackson!" DJ smirked and Percy shot him a look before getting up.

"Whatever. What do non-patients do at the hospital?"

"They wait."

"We've been waiting forever."

DJ's head thumped against the wall behind their seats, not bothering to continue with the conversation. Percy gave a sigh, wishing phones could work in a magical environment. His mother had bought him one and the first thing he'd done with it had been to call his girlfriend, Annabeth Chase. She'd left Camp a few days ago to visit her dad in San Francisco to see through her schooling options. He wished he could call her.

Harry Potter put on his sunglasses and stared into the mirror. His hair had grown long, brushing the nape of his neck entirely. At least it stuck out less. The usual messiness was subdued and he pulled down the fringe that covered his faint scar, adjusting it just the slightest bit.

He looked like a muggle celebrity who sucked at disguise.

He needed the tinted glasses, though it was late evening. His eyes were still sore and raw and the less light it received, the better. His ears felt extra sensitive. Every sharp sound was intensified to the point it was all blithering noise. Apparently, the ear drums had ruptured from the explosion. Harry turned his head to examine the sides. The skin on his face and neck was stretched, dry and pink from exposure. His hands were even worse, although they were smoother than a week ago. Hopefully, by the time September rolled around, he'd be completely healed.

At least, he wouldn't have too many scars.

"Harry?" Sirius Black's voice had been a constant during the week he'd been confined to the hospital room. Remus Lupin had been in and out frequently, Sally Jackson had been by once a day and Percy, DJ and Nico di Angelo had spent hours in his room trying to entertain him. His favourite moment was when Percy had tried skateboarding down the corridor and had been kicked out.

"Here." He ran a hand through his limp hair, sighed and exited the bathroom. Sirius was zipping up a bag in which he'd gotten Harry fresh clothes. After days of night robes and scrubs, he was glad to wear a loose t-shirt and jeans.

Sirius chuckled when he saw Harry. "Now that's a good disguise, right there."

"Don't start." Harry groaned. "You said there'd be reporters from the Daily Prophet waiting outside the building."

"I did. Luckily, the head healer has graciously allowed us to use her floo." Sirius patted him on the back.

They exited the room and walked down the special corridor, and took the elevator to the ground floor. The doors opened out to the waiting room where Percy sprang up from his seat. "Thank the gods! Finally!"

"Not just yet." Sirius warned. "We're going to make a short stop."

Harry frowned. "Won't we be late?"

"Late for what?" Percy asked.

Sirius immediately left them to go and confer with the receptionist about something. Percy looked at Harry and DJ curiously as they struggled with themselves.

"Uh... Sirius said that he wanted you to talk to Healer Mantis." DJ exclaimed, facing Harry. Before Percy could push his question, Harry had already blanched and said, "Mantis! I don't need to be psycho-analysed!"

"Late for what?" Percy asked again, waving a hand between Harry and DJ. They looked back at him startled.

"Nothing... I just wanted to reach home before supper." Harry said, blinking rapidly, thankfull for the shades. He knew it was not a convincing fib as Percy narrowed his eyes. But to his relief, DJ intervened.

"We're heading to New York, Harry. It's barely four over there."

"Good."

Percy was still watching them suspiciously. Harry looked away and sighed in resignation when he saw half the waiting room watching him. They were muttering excitedly.

"Can we go already?" Harry whispered. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and nearly groaned out loud when a nervous man with a disposition like Quirrell's came up to him.

"Mr. Potter?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Harry Potter, I'm so honoured –"

"Excuse me sir, but I have no idea who you're talking about." Harry said firmly, taking a seat beside Percy and grabbing a tabloid from the table in front of them. He practically heard DJ roll his eyes and explain to the man about not wanting to be disturbed. No one else bothered them till Sirius came back.

"I'm not speaking to Mantis." Harry said without invitation. Sirius stopped in his tracks to look at him. Then he shrugged.

"Fine."

"Really?" Harry sat up, surprised. He would have thought that Sirius would fight him on it but the man just gave him a wry smile and checked his watch.

"We can talk about it later. It's past nine, let's go."

Harry's bare relief gave way to a small amount of excitement. It wasn't because he'd be stepping out of the hospital for the first time in days, (though, that would be freedom) it was because of what everyone had planned for Percy.

They took the floo to Frost.

Harry did not fall out of the fireplace, so that was a win. Sirius directed them to the dining room where a broken lamp sat on the clean and shiny teak wood table. But beside the lamp was Hedwig, looking rather pompous as though silently enquiring why they'd taken so much time.

"I missed you." Harry told her, jogging up to the table. She gave him a soft hoot and nipped at his finger mindful of his injuries. He grinned. The ski on his face stretched uncomfortably.

"She's missed you too. But she won't be coming with us. Owls don't like portkeys." Sirius informed him. It was a let down. Harry hadn't realised how much he'd actually missed her until his stay at the hospital. She'd always been a presence even if it was only in background.

Hedwig hopped out of reach as they assembled around the lamp. "It's the thing we did for the Quidditch match, right?" Percy asked.

"Yes." Harry looked at him. "Didn't you use the portkey to come to Frost?"

"We came by floo." DJ said. He raised his eyebrows and mouthed, 'Wait' to Harry. The latter gave a subtle nod and shut up.

"Seriously, what's going on?" Percy whined. "You guys are acting like secret wizard ninjas or something."

"Oh, it's nothing... come on, I'm starving. Bye Hedwig." Harry nodded to her and she fluttered her wings in exchange.

They reached out their hands to touch a part of the lamp. Sirius looked at his watch again. "In a few seconds..."

The lamp gave off a blue glow as though it were switched on and they were sucked into what felt like a cyclone of air that rushed around them. The wind blew across Harry's face and he winced at the sharp noise that was everywhere.

Luckily, it was a short trip and they landed in the main bedroom of the Jackson apartment.

"Urgh." Harry said, shutting his eyes tight. "It's bright."

"Then you might want to be in the back." DJ warned. He pulled a confused Percy to the door and said. "Go on."

"I have no idea wha –" Percy had opened the door, talking to DJ when he was interrupted by what felt like a blast of streamers and a lot of noise.

"SURPRISE!" Half a dozen people yelled. Percy stood in front of DJ, stunned. Harry cringed again at the sudden flood of light from the decorated living room.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PERCY!"

"Oh my gods!" Percy laughed. The hall had been covered in glitter and ribbons, with a small banner hung above the doorway to the kitchen on which were the words, 'Happy Fifteen.' Percy walked in, a huge smile on his face, clearly not having remembered his birthday.

"I totally forgot!" He told Sally who gave him a kiss on his cheek. Tyson came barrelling through the tiny crowd and swept Percy off his feet yelling, "WHEEEE!"

"Harry, if it's too much for you..." Sirius said, having seen Harry grimacing.

"It's bright. And loud. Don't worry, I'll just wear the sunglasses."

"If it hurts, just have a lie in. I'm sure Percy will understand."

"It's fine, Sirius. I'm not missing this." Harry said firmly, walking into the room. Nico, Tonks, Sally, Tyson and Remus had done a neat job with the decorations. On top of the coffee table lay a homemade cake that would clearly not be enough for so many people. The blue icing on the cake made Harry want to at least taste it.

Percy blew out the candles and cut the cake. It was a good thing that the gathering was small. Harry didn't think he'd be able handle anymore noise explosions, especially while Percy, Tyson and Tonks tried to have a burping contest.

"No more root beer. I'm cutting you off." Sally said firmly after Tyson let out a roar of a burp that seemed to shaking the foundations, or may be just the couch.

"This was great. The cake's amazing, mom!" Percy said. She smiled, proud. The door bell rang and Sally left to answer it.

"So, it is homemade." Sirius said, cutting the last section into two smaller pieces.

"Yeah. She used to make cakes for Harry too, remember?"

"Yes. It's always better than the store bought." Harry nodded. "Though, it's small."

"We offered to increase the amount." Remus said. "Sally didn't want to. I guess she thought there was too much magic."

They looked around the room. "Right. So, I'm guessing this party is family only?" Percy looked at Tonks, teasingly. " 'Sup Tonks?"

Tonks grinned, she gave a sideways glance towards Harry who held back a sigh. Of course, protection detail for one Harry Potter.

Sally came into view, her face quite red. She looked nervous and before anyone could ask if something was wrong, a man appeared behind her, walking with fluid steps. The air around him seemed to pulse with a strange sort of energy and the room suddenly went quiet.

"Dad?" Percy said, standing up and looking shocked.

"Daddy!" Tyson exclaimed and got up as well, eager to give Poseidon a feet sweeping hug.

Harry leaned back, feeling his tongue stuck and unable to move. He'd seen gods before. Aphrodite and Dionysus were commanders in their respective fields of power, but Poseidon was entirely different. He didn't even have to seem or act like a leader, it was quite obvious. When Percy stood next to his father, their resemblance was extremely pronounced. Tyson and Poseidon had the same grin, which was accompanied by identical crinkling of the corners of their eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Percy asked, still looking confused.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Poseidon said, his voice low and easy going like a lazy wave. "You've turned fifteen. In ancient Greece, it would have officially made you an adult!"

"I'm ten!" Tyson declared and then giggled. At least, someone looked happy to meet Poseidon.

Sirius finally moved from his frozen position. He set his piece of cake back down on the plate and folded his arms, sitting on the couch, resolutely.

"Oh!" Sally said, looking abashed. "Shall I introduce you?"

"Yes, please."

There was something very formal and traditional about Poseidon despite the Hawaiian shirt and summer shorts. He spoke with an old sense and slow grasp of new language. Sally seemed to know how exactly to communicate with him as she said the names and showed him who the guests were to the party.

"This is Daniel Potter, we call him DJ." Sally's tone made DJ blush. "Next to him is Sirius Black and then... that's Harry."

Her voice suddenly went devoid of giddiness. It was like she'd recalled something. Harry watched her strangely and then at Poseidon, noticing that his smile had dimmed by a fraction.

"It's refreshing to meet you." Poseidon said, inclining his head in a small bow. Then he looked at Percy purposefully.

"Would you like some cake?" Sally asked. She still looked like she had fever, but had managed to talk. Poseidon beamed at her and Harry was worried that she would faint. She looked close to doing so.

"That would be great, Sally. I'd like to talk to Percy first, if you don't mind."

"Of course! Sure! Yeah, go right ahead!"

"We can talk over here." Percy said. He hadn't smiled since his father's appearance. They went into the room that Percy shared with Nico.

The moment they were out of sight, everyone relaxed. The pressure of having to automatically behave in front of an immortal had lessened and Harry rubbed his eyes like they'd been exposed to bright light.

"Well..." Tonks muttered. "Call me a nutter but I believe that was the Greek god of the seas." She turned to looked at Nico. "I'm kind of glad it isn't your birthday, no offense."

"Tonks." Sirius said, shaking his head.

"It's okay." Nico answered, backing her. "Even if it was my party, my dad wouldn't show up anyway."

Sally quietly picked up a suitable piece of cake for the god and went into the kitchen to pack it. Harry immediately got off the couch as Tyson sat down and grabbed for the last piece.

He followed her into the kitchen. She had her back to him, looking disconnected from what she was doing. Harry remembered his dream at Camp. He'd spoke to Luke Castellan who'd told him that he'd met Poseidon before.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a low voice. There was no doubt that the god would be able to hear them if he wanted to. But Harry couldn't help himself.

Sally nodded, her head jerking up and down while her hands moved mechanically to unroll a pack of aluminium foil. Harry bit the inside of his cheek, his unasked question burning his throat. He needed to know. He had to confirm that Luke had been lying to him, because there was no way Sally would have lied to him.

"Mum?"

The word made her snap out of her reverie. She looked at him in surprise, raising an eyebrow.

"You know..." She started slowly, "I'm not sure I deserve a title like that."

Harry latched on to it. "Why not?"

She hesitated, trying to think of a way to frame it. Harry watched her till she stopped packing the cake. "You've actually seen Poseidon before. You won't remember but it was years ago –"

Harry listened to the short story with mounting sadness. Poseidon had appeared to her, found their house when they still lived in Privet Drive. In fact, it was Percy's eighth birthday, exactly seven years ago. Apparently, something about Harry and the magical blood protection had seemingly enveloped the Jackson household as well, temporarily till it had started to fade. Sally told him of how a cyclops had found them, specifically Percy, at school, and how there would be more monsters on the way with Percy growing up, becoming stronger and also with Harry's presence. The mist didn't always work with witches and wizards.

"I wanted to keep you both safe." Sally continued, making sure to not raise her voice. "I would have done anything, believe me, Harry. But the dreams had shaken me and then Poseidon's warning had been the last straw. I thought you were a demigod too, so I gave you the aid kit."

"The aid kit?" Harry repeated, leaning against the counter. "You mean the box with all those photos, the cash and... and..."

Harry froze. He tried to think back. Pictures, money and what? There had been three items. He couldn't recall what she'd given him...

He couldn't remember.

Harry's breathing turned harsh. He stared at the ground, not really seeing it. He tried to recollect the scene. He was eight. It was ... it was a special day. People had been celebrating something, but he couldn't remember...

"Harry?" Sally's voice was distant as though it was echoing down a tunnel. Harry shut his eyes, pressed her hands to the sides of his head and groaned. He couldn't remember.

"Harry!"

There were other voices joining the mix. Sirius' was the closest. Hands gripping his arms, someone caught him as he swayed. They lowered him to the ground. He could hear them talking but the noises were a mangled mess.

"I can't remember..." He tried to gasp, tried to tell them, because he was supposed to remember everything. He was supposed to be able to recall every tiny detail that he'd been through, that had happened to him, all his experiences ever since he was five and that thing had happened on ... Halloween...

What had happened?

He couldn't remember.

How's that for a beginning, eh? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Q: What did Annabeth tell Percy after he saved her, Piper and Hazel from Octavian and his minions in the Mark of Athena?

Cabba.